When adding a 30mm spacer to rear spring...do I have to unbolt shocks or will the axle drop down far enough to pull spring out? Sway bar gets unbolted from what I read.
Thanks
Thanks
Spring spacer install
- Thread starter DOGMARLEY
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Unbolt the lower shock mount and have someone step on the hub. Careful if you use spring compressors, most of them don't have a lip big enough to get around truck springs.
Yes, as Trunk Monkey said, you'll have to unbolt the lower shock. I put a jack stand under the axle on the opposite side I'm working on, that keeps it up so the side you're removing can droop further. You'll need to unbolt the emergency brake cable retention bracket from the cross-member as well. Regarding the sway bars, unless you like dealing with broken bolts, I've found it easier to remove the single nut on top of the end link, or remove the bolt that secures the end link to the sway bar, rather than remove the sway bar brackets from either the frame or the axle housing. Ask me how I know...
Just did the spacer install ...I also needed to unbolt the breather hose and the rear brake hose retainer from the frame to get the needed amount of drop to avoid damage to the hoses.
- Thread starter
- #5
Good info. Thanks.
- Thread starter
- #6
So I have given up for this week...even with springs compressed, I could not get them back in with the spacers placed. The axle was dropped as far as possible without breaking the brake fluid line. I tried to articulate the axle with no luck. At 12am I didn't think to just remove the brake line bracket. I finally got it back together without the spacers at 2am so I could leave for work at 5am. Oh well, I'll give it another try next week.
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I did mine a few weeks back. Vehicle was hanging on a lift and rear lower shock bolt was removed but that was it since I used spring compressors. It took some twisting and repositioning of the spring compressor but nothing else had to be disconnected or articulated. The main thing was getting the spring compressor positioned correctly on the spring for re-entry so they didnt get hung up.
My $0.02:
1. Definitely unbolt brake line brackets.
2. Definitely unbolt antisway bar (the single bolt at the eye end is not meant to be removed. Ask me how I know).
3. Definitely have somebody stand on the hub. This is the key.
1. Definitely unbolt brake line brackets.
2. Definitely unbolt antisway bar (the single bolt at the eye end is not meant to be removed. Ask me how I know).
3. Definitely have somebody stand on the hub. This is the key.
Just remove the bolt that retains the the hard line and the breather and let it flex down. Should be no need for a spring compressor. I have had my rear spring out twice in the last two weeks on my 06 LX. One should be able to remove and install the spacers in under 2 hours alone.
Just remove the bolt that retains the the hard line and the breather and let it flex down. Should be no need for a spring compressor. I have had my rear spring out twice in the last two weeks on my 06 LX. One should be able to remove and install the spacers in under 2 hours alone.
Agreed.
If you have to use a spring compressor, something is wrong.
- Thread starter
- #11
Got it. The only thing I didn't do was remove brake line and breather hose brackets. How many more inches will that give? I needed at least 2-3" more for it to work without compressing springs.
Trust us it will give you enough
I have the same year and model. Like Hayes said if you need spring compressor something wrong.
I also remove the lower panhard bolt, use a flat pry bar and a wood wedge block too to help start the coil over the perch hump. I'm experimenting with 40mm of spacers (got nice low rear AHC pressure ) and didn't have any trouble getting the coils back in. Definitely lift the opposite side with a baby jack to get the end your working on to drop as low as possible.
Edit. Dog, are you using 80 series REAR spacers? 80 fronts have a smaller ID/OD and would not seat properly, hence shorten the free space to reinstall your spring, making it too tight, make sense? Just a thought.
) and didn't have any trouble getting the coils back in. Definitely lift the opposite side with a baby jack to get the end your working on to drop as low as possible.Edit. Dog, are you using 80 series REAR spacers? 80 fronts have a smaller ID/OD and would not seat properly, hence shorten the free space to reinstall your spring, making it too tight, make sense? Just a thought.
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Question for yall who have installed the spacers: Do you notice any difference in ride quality?
thanks
thanks
Once AHC system is balanced, zero
AHC absolutely, 30mm dropped my rear 0.7MPa (from 6.4) and front 0.9MPa (from 6.9) which significantly under loaded my front at 6.0MPa. So after backing off TBs four turns I've settled at 6.8 front and 6.1 rear which is damn fine. Before 6.9/6.4, add 30mm gave 6.0/5.7 then rebalance by backing off front four turns bought pressures up to 6.8/6.1.
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Don't underestimate the extra downforce you'll have to put on the hub. Gravity alone won't be enough to create slack in the spring, even if the other side is on a stand (remember, you removed 60-80 lbs of tire/wheel weight that's normally on the end of the axle when you're out wheeling and see all that droop. You're also doing a little bit of fighting against the twist in the control arm bushings.1. Unbolt all the bits, and loosen the lugs. Shocks, e-brake, sway bar, etc. Have yet to need to undo the panhard bar in over a dozen times of doing this. (same procedure for spring swap, lift install, air bag install, air bag removal, etc. etc.)
2. Jack up a bit, and remove the tires.
3. jack the rear end up aaaaalllll the way up. As far as you feel safe, or when the roof rack hits the garage door, whichever comes first. Really, you need it way up there so there is sufficient room to droop one side of the axle. I'm always surprised how close to the floor the axle is when the spring comes loose. So forget the safety part, and just ram the roof rack into the open garage door. Then back it off 1/4". Kidding, kinda...
4. Put the 12T jack stands under the frame, just forward of the lower control arm mounts. While the jack still has the axle up, put another jack stand under one side of the axle.
5. Slooowly let the jack down, making sure the stands securely hold the frame and the axle. Check for anything you forgot to loosen...
6. Keep letting the jack down until the low end of the axle dangles.
7. Still likely not enough slack to remove the spring.
8. Do the contortionist thing (if you're 6'4" and working alone), or bribe the wife daughter to help, and put a bunch-o-weight onto the end of the axle with one leg and remove spring at same time. The axle will want to push back. Then it rotates and your foot slips off the studs, whacking you in the shin. Teach your kids new words, then try again... When the axle gets pushed to the bottom, the spring should almost fall out. Without a helper, you may almost have to "bounce" the end of the axle down and tug on the spring at the same time a few times. It's difficult to maintain the constant pressure on the axle by yourself, but can be done. You may have to rotate the spring away from the lower stop a bit to get it past everything, but it's pretty straightforward at that point. Shouldn't be any prybars, etc. needed.
9. Repeat 8 to insert the spring with spacer, only you'll have to kick the axle down oh, say, about 30mm further down. Jack up the axle until there is just enough pressure to hold the spring. Feel up there to make sure spacer is seated properly, and spring seated on spacer.
10. Jack the axle back up to where it was in step 4.
11. Make sure you didn't run the roof rack into the garage door, that rear end needs to be waaaaaayy up there...
12. repeat 5-9 on the other side.
13, make sure to hook everything back up, and you're good - except for the AHC thingy, I don't know nuthin' about that...
- Thread starter
- #19
Ha! I will give it another try and throw the kids into the mix (they're a total of 60# combined, but I'll make sure they put in 110% effort). The spacers are 30mm from Slee for the 100. Obviously I wasn't fully committed and lacked the desire to succeed. I'll knock it out after my camping trip this weekend. Thanks everyone for all the good advice.
1. Unbolt all the bits, and loosen the lugs. Shocks, e-brake, sway bar, etc. Have yet to need to undo the panhard bar in over a dozen times of doing this. (same procedure for spring swap, lift install, air bag install, air bag removal, etc. etc.)
2. Jack up a bit, and remove the tires.
3. jack the rear end up aaaaalllll the way up. As far as you feel safe, or when the roof rack hits the garage door, whichever comes first. Really, you need it way up there so there is sufficient room to droop one side of the axle. I'm always surprised how close to the floor the axle is when the spring comes loose. So forget the safety part, and just ram the roof rack into the open garage door. Then back it off 1/4". Kidding, kinda...
4. Put the 12T jack stands under the frame, just forward of the lower control arm mounts. While the jack still has the axle up, put another jack stand under one side of the axle.
5. Slooowly let the jack down, making sure the stands securely hold the frame and the axle. Check for anything you forgot to loosen...
6. Keep letting the jack down until the low end of the axle dangles.
7. Still likely not enough slack to remove the spring.
8. Do the contortionist thing (if you're 6'4" and working alone), or bribe the wife daughter to help, and put a bunch-o-weight onto the end of the axle with one leg and remove spring at same time. The axle will want to push back. Then it rotates and your foot slips off the studs, whacking you in the shin. Teach your kids new words, then try again... When the axle gets pushed to the bottom, the spring should almost fall out. Without a helper, you may almost have to "bounce" the end of the axle down and tug on the spring at the same time a few times. It's difficult to maintain the constant pressure on the axle by yourself, but can be done. You may have to rotate the spring away from the lower stop a bit to get it past everything, but it's pretty straightforward at that point. Shouldn't be any prybars, etc. needed.
9. Repeat 8 to insert the spring with spacer, only you'll have to kick the axle down oh, say, about 30mm further down. Jack up the axle until there is just enough pressure to hold the spring. Feel up there to make sure spacer is seated properly, and spring seated on spacer.
10. Jack the axle back up to where it was in step 4.
11. Make sure you didn't run the roof rack into the garage door, that rear end needs to be waaaaaayy up there...
12. repeat 5-9 on the other side.
13, make sure to hook everything back up, and you're good - except for the AHC thingy, I don't know nuthin' about that...
As someone who will be doing this if a few weeks, you're writeup is very welcome. One question though, could you take the factory jack and use that to push the axle down?