Help!!! Leveling "kit"

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FLINTSTONE

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Nov 15, 2008
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I Just Got My Truck Back From The Shop Where He Attempted To Install A 2" Leveling Kit Into My 98 3500 Ram 2 Wd.
He (the Mechanic) Informed Me That It Appears That I Need Lengthened Upper Control Arms, Or Something To Make This So Called Kit Work, He Spent A Full 8 Hours On This Project, And I Felt Bad For Him And Paid Him For His Tome Even Though He Was Unsuccessful.

Is There Anyone Out There That Has Experience With This Procedure, And Has Any Advice?????
 
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Unhook the upper controll arms, unhook swaybar links and unbolt shocks from the towers. Now unbolt the three nuts that hold the shock tower on, Then just simply jack up the frame, its easier to do one side at a time so if you use a jack with a couple blocks on the frame horn right where the bumper attaches it should work. Using this method you should be able to get the spring dropped low enough to get the lift spacer in..... If not go to Vatozone(autozone) and barrow a spring compressor. Pull the spring pad and metal ring with the studs on out, place the spring pad back on the spring and bolt in your leveling spacer and reassemble making sure you have the spring set in the knotches top and bottom. Hope this helps, i've done a few of them, one just a week ago with a floorjack, a log and basic hand tools. Caution when using spring compressor: watch your fingers, it would be a shame to ruin your sexlife.:hehe:
 
i did my 07 without a spring compressor , we used a two post lift and tall jackstands and a couple of prybars took about an hour.good luck
 
yer mech is an idiot..i did mine by myself ina few hrs w/o takin off the control arms either. unhook everything and theyll drop low enough to get the spacers in...pita job but not difficult. any mech that couldnt do this job needs to go back to shop class...you paid him for being stupid
 
x2 I did mine in my driveway in a few hours w/ the tools I carry in my truck. Get a new mechanic
 
No, the steering wheel was a little off center but thats it. My truck has the cross-over style of tie-rod/drag link though. If yours has the "inverted Y" an alignment would be needed.
 
You can do them by yourself very easily. The easiest way is to put a jack between the axle & frame of the truck & jack it up. The spring will just fall out, stick the spacer in & release the jack. Very easy job & no pry bars needed. Just be sure to follow the advice from above, unbolt the shock & 3 bolts on tower + sway bar before jacking.
 
You do not need to unhook the control arms for a leveling kit.

Make sure you unhook the sway bars.

If you cannot get the springs in and out, take out your factory bottle jack.. There is a nice flat spot on top of the upper control arm where you can set it. Then, use the jack to go up against the frame and push down on the upper control arm.

This will give you more then enough room to pull the old springs out and install the new ones..

I've done 4-5 trucks like this. I got a little carried away on my pickup and bent the very top of the little metal top that holds the control arm to the axle itself. A few good smacks with a sledge, and it was as good as new.

And I just noticed that cummins724 already said the exact same thing.. So it works pretty darn good. :)
 
I think just about everyone here missed the 2wd part.

Support the truck on jack stands.
Remove the front tires.
Unbolt the sway bar links
Remove shocks veticaly through the engine bay.
Place a floor jack under the lower control arm and jack up until the truck lifts from the stands. Be extemely careful.
Insert and attach a spring comressor to hold the springs.
Rmove the bole holding the lower control arm to the knuckle.
Slowly lower the jack with the compressors attached to the spring.
BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL, THE SPRING HAS THE POTNTIAL TO MAME AND KILL YOU IF THE COMPRESSORS "POP OFF".

If you leveling kit is specificaly for a 2wd, insert the spacer and jack the control arm back up. Then tighten the nut holding the lower control arm to the knuckle.

You may have to pull the spring out to ge the spacer in.
you may have to tighten the spring compressors to get the spring back in.

Reassemble

On my dad's truck we noticed that his shocks were a 1/4" from full extesion sitting in the lot. He just took the kit back out. You may need to look into longer shocks.
 
roachie said:
I think just about everyone here missed the 2wd part.

Support the truck on jack stands.
Remove the front tires.
Unbolt the sway bar links
Remove shocks veticaly through the engine bay.
Place a floor jack under the lower control arm and jack up until the truck lifts from the stands. Be extemely careful.
Insert and attach a spring comressor to hold the springs.
Rmove the bole holding the lower control arm to the knuckle.
Slowly lower the jack with the compressors attached to the spring.
BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL, THE SPRING HAS THE POTNTIAL TO MAME AND KILL YOU IF THE COMPRESSORS "POP OFF".

If you leveling kit is specificaly for a 2wd, insert the spacer and jack the control arm back up. Then tighten the nut holding the lower control arm to the knuckle.

You may have to pull the spring out to ge the spacer in.
you may have to tighten the spring compressors to get the spring back in.

Reassemble

On my dad's truck we noticed that his shocks were a 1/4" from full extesion sitting in the lot. He just took the kit back out. You may need to look into longer shocks.
Click to expand...

Good eye, somehow overlooked that.:bang

cummins724 said:
Great minds.:Cheer:
Click to expand...
:doh:

Ring another DUUUUHHHHH! up for me.:hehe:
 
cummins724 said:
Good eye, somehow overlooked that.:bang

:doh:

Ring another DUUUUHHHHH! up for me.:hehe:
Click to expand...
Thanx for the help guys, I copied this and sent it to my mechanic. In his defense this is not his area of expertise, he is a body man and mostly drops vehicles, but I am sure he'll get it done.

I don't need the kit in the winter since I have a yard of sand in the bed and it sits pretty level and digs like H#LL.:thankyou2:
 
My dad and i installed a leveling kit on my 02 2500 in about an hour + it wasnt bad, we used two spring compressors and a couple good pry bars.. have fun!
 
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