Tips for Installing Lift? (1 Viewer)

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Denver, CO
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303perspective.pixieset.com
Hey All! I'm pretty new to Ih8mud and the 100 series world! I'm looking into buying a 2" ironman foam cell lift right now, for those (I'm sure many) of you who have done the lift installation yourself, are there any tips or things to look out for? I did coil overs on my old Subaru with little to no issues but figured going up versus lowering could be different.

Any insight or things to look out for are much appreciated, thank you!
 
Some tips that are not specific to the Ironman Foam Cell (nor to the 100-series necessarily) would be:
  • Soak everything in PB blaster a day or two in advance
  • Use jack stands to safely hold the vehicle higher than you think you need so that you have more space to work and space for down travel
  • The factory jack works well for pushing down one side the rear axle when removing/installing coils (use the floor jack to support pumpkin while doing so to create a lever motion)
  • Be careful of over-extending brake lines, especially in the rear, disconnect some mounting bolts if there is tension on the lines
Other than that, pretty much just follow the instructions and other install guides here on Mud. And welcome!
 
I did an install of the foam cell pro kit from ironman a year or two ago. I used the information I got from this forum. Huge help.
One thing that was a giant pain was getting the stock rear shocks off. I'd definitely look at those threads. I think there was also an OTRAM youtube video that I went by. I was glad I bought a ratcheting wrench for that job.
 
Mark the torsion bar tightening bolts with a sharpie or something and count the number of turns. Also, if I remember correctly, the Ironman torsion bars have “gaps” in the splines to help with alignment.

Also, I can’t remember what size but the upper mounting nuts on the rear shocks are a pain. Make sure you soak them prior to removal and use a ratcheting wrench.
 
Mark the torsion bar tightening bolts with a sharpie or something and count the number of turns. Also, if I remember correctly, the Ironman torsion bars have “gaps” in the splines to help with alignment.

Also, I can’t remember what size but the upper mounting nuts on the rear shocks are a pain. Make sure you soak them prior to removal and use a ratcheting wrench.
Agreed, the ratcheting box wrench helps a lot in that tight space. Some people cut a hole in the floor to access it from above, but with penetrating oil and the wrench it wasn't too much trouble. You'll need a strap wrench or something to hold the body of the shock so it doesn't twist. I just put a pipe wrench on it because I was throwing the old one away. Some people stab a screwdriver through it...

If you're going to add any more weight to the front (bumper, winch, etc), you may want to offset the torsion bars another tooth or two to get more pre-load before it bottoms out. I added an ironman bumper and winch and I think i added a tooth or two, and I baaarely had enough to get the droop. As noted above, droop matters more than ride height, so don't be fooled by going for the look of the height, stick to the recommended droop. Droop gets you the articulation, and the IFS already is sad in that dept.

I had to adjust the TBs SO many times to get it leveled out. Drive a bit between each adjustment to let it settle. One thing to keep in mind is that if you adjust one side it will affect the other side. Not as much, but it does affect both sides, so as you're getting it close to where you want it to be, you may actually need to add more tension on one side and reduce the tension on the other. It's a game of guess and check. I would do, say, 1/2 turn up on one side and 1/4 turn down on the other. The height settles a lot, don't be surprised if you have to adjust 6 or 8 times.
 
what suspension parts would help or hinder this?
It’s not exactly the parts but how you adjust the torsion bars. By driving the adjuster “in” you will in turn increase the amount of preload on the torsion bar and create “lift” in the front. You will want to measure your static height, hub to fender, then raise the front tires off the ground with a floor jack and measure your droop. Too much droop and your truck will sit too low in the front, too little droop and you will bottom out the shocks going over small bumps and create a stiff ride.
Your lift manufacturer should specify what kind of measurement you should be shooting for.
 
what suspension parts would help or hinder this?

If you disconnect the shock and spring, and cycle the front suspension, the limit is the UCA hitting its mount.

You can gain or lose a bit of droop, based on the fully extended length of your shocks, but in my experience you’re still limited to about 2” of lift (21.5” center of hub to fender lip) due to steeper LCA angles (effectively changing spring rate), less than ideal compression/droop ratio, and you don’t want to be continuously topping out the shock. I’ve chased “extra droop” to get a little better ride quality, with a little lift. In my experience, if you’re chasing droop to get more lift (on the IFS 100 series), you’re going to be disappointed.
 

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