Installation Outline and Product Review
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From Another Chris
OVERALL THOUGHTS AND IMPRESSIONS
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First of all, I would like to give a huge thanks to Rick & Mike (local Jeep TJ buddies) and Josh (bro-in law) who helped me out on this lift. Rick should get most of the credit for letting me use his garage and keeping him awake all night. Next, I would like to thank Tuff-Country for a great kit, Jason B. (The Boss) who let me use his site for this write up and also to Eric @ Four Wheel Parts in Ft. Worth, Texas for the great tire and rim deal.
The kit took 13 hours when Tuff-Country’s web-site stated 8 hours. The instructions were the best instructions I’ve ever seen, especially with the Special Notes and Illustrations. Only three steps were ignored on the instruction manual, that could’ve differ with my truck being a 2004 while the kit said 2003. Not a big deal though.
The ride is almost as comfortable as it was stock, that’s even with 37" mud tires. The kits EZ-Ride Suspension lived up to that name.
Would I recommend this kit to others? Yeah, even though people may frown or question having an all coil spacer lift that large, it’s maintained it’s factory ride by using it’s stock coils which was most important to me since this is a tow vehicle as well as my family vehicle. Transporting my three month old (at the time), who rides in it quite often, makes ride quality very important.
The Tuff Country lift is a great value. While it is not designed for the hardcore wheeler, it is capable of letting you get your truck dirty and doing moderate wheeling while not impacting the ride quality. A+ goes to Tuff Country for a great suspension lift kit.
The welds seemed strong on solid for this lift. The paint had a lil surface rust on some of the componets, that couldve been done through shipping cause the box had a hole in it when I recieved it. Therefore I just painted it all except the coil spacers. The only thing forgotten was the new sway bar end links. Which the company said they'll ship no problem. The majority of hardware was grade 8.
UPDATE:
Tuff Country sent the sway bar endlinks and got them here in 2 business days. Bushings seem fine and nothing has yet wore out or rattles. Once again I'm very satisfied with this product.
Included at the end of this article are before and after heights and some images for the final product.
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REQUIRED TOOLS
3 Floor jacks (2 at least)
4 Jack stands (2 for frame, 2 for axle)
Pitman arm puller
Tie rod separator a.k.a. Pickle fork
Angle grinder
1/2" Drill bit and Drill
Socket set w/ a 13/16...24 & 21mm socket/wrench (for control arms) with a variety of extensions.
8-15 hours of time without driving the truck
Monkey Wrench (pipe wrench)
FRONT SUSPENSION
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1) Disconnect battery, block wheels and make sure E-brake is on.
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2) Take the Traction bar off using an 18mm socket. Note: Took top off only, skipped bottom step.
Step 10 explains why. Keep stock retaining nut.
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3) Take sway bar links off with 5/8" socket, both sides. Note: directions called for cutting stock
lower sway bar mount. The reason for needed them is the rubbing that might occur against the stock
sway bar link and the stock coil. The bracket acts as a shim out to space the link from the coil.
[Illustration 1, 2, 3 & 13]
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4) Take the front tires off.
5) Undo bottom nut of pitman arm with 13/16" socket, then break the Taper with the tie rod separator (pickle fork). Keep stock nut. Note: Be careful not to damage the grease boot.
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6) Remove nut/lock washer from the gearbox. Then remove the stock pitman arm with the Pitman Arm Puller (Available at any auto part store to buy or rent.) Keep stock hardware. Note: I had to use the monkey wrench since the unknown size wasn’t available for us.
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7) You’ll then have to remove the sway bar completely or else it’ll be in the way for the next step. Use
a 14mm socket for removal of sway bar. Keep stock hardware
8) Loosen tie rod sleeve to turn the tapered end 180* (Upside down) using a 15mm socket on the sleeves
bolts.
9) Removal of the stock air box is necessary for next step on removing passengers side upper shock mount/tower.
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10) Undo the shocks starting from the engine compartment using a 15mm socket for the three shock tower
bolts, then undo the bottom using a 21mm socket then remover the top of the shock with a 18mm socket.
Note: Depending on the tools you have, a wrench is in need here to remove drivers side lower shock bolt
because of the track bar being in the way. If so, then remove the lower bolt on the track bar.
11) Remove lower control arms on both sides using the 24mm socket and scribing a mark on the stock
alignment cams and another directly across on the reinforcement bracket which will give a good alignment
reference until the vehicle is taken to the proper alignment shop. Keep original hardware.
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12) Do the same for the upper control arms using 21mm socket. Note: Directions call for possibly cutting the stock upper passenger side control arm because of clearance issues with the stock exhaust, I didn’t have to cut the stock upper arm off.
13) Mark the coils to the bucket and rubber pad isolator with white out or white paint.
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14) Then compress coils and/or droop front axle using jacks and stands. Both compression and axle drooping will be necessary in this step cause of brake lines not extended long enough. Note: Carefully watch for lines being stretched too far and keep an eye out for the front drive shaft so it doesn’t come apart with in the middle splines or the boot doesn’t tear. Also, watch for the drive shaft and pinion yoke so metal and metal isn’t rubbing. I used a jack stand there on the pinion part of front differential.
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15) Install 6" coil spacer using factory isolator pads and stock coils lining up the white out marks
mentioned on step 13.
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16) Once axle is lined up with spacers in, install the new upper control arms first, then install the
new lower control arms with new hardware. Note: Be sure to use grease on the new bushings on the control arms to increase life and prevent squeaking.
[Illustration 4 & 5]
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17) Install new shocks with original hardware except where new coil spacer’s meets the engine compartment, this will call for new hardware.
[Illustration 6]
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18) Once everything above is tight with thread-locker, it’s time for the to reinstall the stock traction bar. Place the new drop bracket on the frame and hook up the stock arm w/ giving metal sleeve and install new hardware from bracket to original frame where stock traction bar was located. Once installed, drill a 1/2" hole into the frame from addition new hardware. The new metal sleeves had to be grinded down for some reason. Tighten according to manufacture’s specs.
[Illustration 7, 8, 9 & 10]
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19) Reinstall new Pitman arm with old hardware. Make sure the tapered end is rotated 180*. Be sure to use thread-locker and retighten the outer tie rod sleeve (adjustment sleeve/link).
[Illustration 11]
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20) Now it’s time to install the stock sway bar using the drop brackets. Be sure to once again use thread locker on both new and original hardware.
[Illustration 12]
21) Retighten nut on top of stock sway bar end links and make sure the coil isn’t coming into contact
with it. Note: Be sure to test it out on some rugged terrain to make sure there’s no contact.
22) Retighten every piece of hardware on the front end that was disturbed during the lift process and
re-check torque to Tuff Country’s specs. Put old or new wheels back on.
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REAR SUSPENSION
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1) Block front tires with blocks. Jack the vehicle up. Masonry blocks or wood might have to be used to reach the frame. Best positioning for the jack and jack stands on photo.
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2) Remove wheels
3) Next undo shocks starting from the bottom with 21mm socket. Then continue with the upper which is also a 21mm keeping the stock nuts.
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4) Remove and discard the stock U bolts using a 21mm socket but keep the plate and set it aside.
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5) Gently lower axle little at a time with each Floor Jack on the side using the middle jack as a guide for the differential so no contact of metal is done to the pinion yoke where it connects to the rear drive shaft. Note: Make sure not to over extend brake lines or hoses.
6) Now install the new 4" tapered blocks having tapered side down going towards the front end of the vehicle for pinion correction on drive shaft.
[Illustration 14]
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7) Then you’ll have to slowly raise the axle up little by little on both sides with some additional help from someone to make sure the blocks nipple its into the leaf packs indention.
8) After axle is elevated on both sides, place the stock U bolt plate on top of leaf pack and add the new u-bolts, which will be installed using old nuts. Be sure to apply thread locker. Note: There’s two different size of U bolts in width and length. The right size is determined on the AAM 10.5 AXLE (Ram 2500) or the AAM 11.5 AXLE (Ram 3500).
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9) Tighten the old hardware like mentioned above on step 8. Distribute the torque while your or someone else is making sure that the U bolts are staying in place and not sliding away from the leaf pack/block. Check for at least 120-lb ft of torque.
[Illustration 15 & 16]
10) After the new U-bolts are in place and torque, addition thread of shaft may be removed in which our case, we used an angle grinder. Be sure to wear safety goggles and protective gear.
11) Then install shocks using old hardware @ 85 lb ft torque. Retighten every piece of hardware on the rear, as you did on the front end, that was disturbed during the lift process and re-check torque to Tuff Country’s specs. Put old or new wheels back on.
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IMAGES
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HEIGHTS
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Before
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After
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Front Ground Clearance
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16.00"
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22.00"
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Rear Ground Clearance
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27.00"
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29.75"
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Front Fender
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39.50"
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45.50"
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Rear Fender
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41.00"
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48.00"
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Center of Hub to Front Fender
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24.75"
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30.75"
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Center of Hub to Rear Fender
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26.75"
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30.50"
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Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension was incorporated over 15 years ago realizing the desperate need for quality suspension products in the after market world. As well as supplying the 4WD enthusiast with the best quality, Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension also offers you the most competitive price structure in the industry.
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Last modified:
March 07, 2005 |
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