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Tools Needed:
- ⅜ & ½” Ratchets
- 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 17mm, 18mm, 19mm, 21mm Sockets
- 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 17mm, 18mm, 19mm, 21mm Wrenches
- Loctite
- Cutoff Wheel
- Welder
- Grinder
- Plasma Cutter
- Paint Pen
- Tape Measure
- Floor Jack & Jack Stands
- Hammer
- Level
- Straight Edge
- Punch
- C-Clamps (2)
- Gasket Scraper
- Drill & 5/16” Drill Bit (2.4 Engines Only)
- Allen Set
Installation Notes:
1. Read all instructions completely and carefully before you begin.
2. Check to make sure the kit is complete and that no parts are missing. If anything is missing, please contact Trail-Gear at (559) 252-4950.
3. Park vehicle on a clean, dry, at, level surface and block the tires so the
vehicle can not roll in either direction.
Installation Instructions:
1. Remove spare tire. Spare tire mount will need to be
relocated.
2. Trim exhaust just behind axle housing.
3. Remove brake pressure linkage.
4. Disconnect e-locker and ABS connectors if present.
5. Remove brake line and brake line clip.
6. Disconnect e-brake linkage.
6. Remove shocks.
7. Remove drive-line.
8. Using a plasma cutter, cut the factory shock mounts
off.
10. Factory mount is welded on the outside of the frame on the
driver’s side only.
10. Remove stock brake line bracket.
11. Move load sensing proportioning valve out of the way
for future installation of frame boxing kit.
12. Remove e-locker vent from frame.
13. Mark the 3 purge lines to ensure proper re-installation.
14. Remove purge canister from vehicle.
15. Mark center-line of axle housing for future reference.
16. Remove axle housing by removing u-bolts and then leaf
spring bolts.
17. Mark center of stock front leaf spring bolt.
18. Mark center of stock rear shackle bolt.
19. Remove front spring brackets from frame. Note: On
driver’s side, bracket is close to the gas tank. We recommend
removing the gas tank before cutting and welding.
20. Remove the spare tire crossmember. Be sure to leave
bumper bolted up to keep frame from spreading.
21. Remove shackle mounts and grind frame smooth.
22. On the front most part of the body mount, above
where previous mount was removed, measure up 1”
and remove to make room for new bracket.
23. Measure 4” forward from original mark and tack new
mount into place.
24. Make sure mount is square before tacking into place.
25. Install spring into front mount.
26. Assemble shackle, leaf spring, and mount.
27. Tack shackle mount to frame 2.5” forward of previous
mount (bolt center to bolt center).
28. Remove all electrical components from housing.
29. Remove brake lines from housing.
30. Remove factory perches from housing and grind clean.
31. Remove brackets from housing.
31. Continued
32. Install new perches without welding , u-bolts, and
plates to leaf spring and housing and tighten to a snug
fit. Center pin to center pin should be 39 1/2”.
33. Place rear axle on jack stands with weight of vehicle on
suspension. Ensure shackles are at a 90° angle. If so
continue to step 34.
34. Rotate housing to achieve desired pinion angle. Once
desired pinion angle is achieved, tack perches to
housing. Remove u-bolts and weld perches into place.
34. Continued - Perches welded.
35. Using wire wheel, clean frame to allow frame boxing kit
to be welded.
36. Place frame boxing plate in frame rail and clamp into place. Due to frame variations, you may need to clamp
frame to ensure a proper fit.
37. Tack plate to frame and remove clamps.
38. Tack rear support tube onto frame plates as desired.
We recommend placing it as far back to the rear of the
plate as possible.
39. Weld plates to frame and weld the support tube to the
plates.
40. Re-install purge canister, ensuring that the 3 lines are
connected in their original locations.
41. Measure approximately 3 1/2” from leaf pack and tack
shock mount as shown. Do same for both sides.
42. Place vehicle on jack stands to compress the suspension.
Position shock tube above axle on frame plates
and approximately 1” behind axle center-line and tack
into place.
43. Measure shock length eye to eye with desired amount
of shock shaft showing. We recommend 50/50.
44. Measure from lower shock mount to upper tube and
mark where shock bolt will be as shown in the following
2 images.
44. Continued
45. Drill previously marked spot out with 3/4” drill bit or
hole saw.
46. Place sleeve into tube and weld into place. At this time
you can also weld the shock tube into place.
47. Place load sensing proportioning valve on frame and
mark holes.
48. Either tack bolts to the frame as shown or drill and tap
plate to mount the valve to the frame.
49. Mount valve and install brake lines.
50. You may need to straighten your brake lines to reach
the valve.
51. Install supplied freeze plug in housing using ultra grey
if need to block off ABS hole.
52. Install shocks.
53. Install supplied rear brake line.
54. Remove bracket from e-brake cable.
55. Install e-brake cable to housing.
56. Trim stock brake line bracket.
57. Weld brake line bracket to housing.
58. Re-install brake lines.
59. Re-install parking brake.
60. Remove e-locker harness from loom with ABS wires
and tape together.
61. Re-install e-locker harness in truck.
62. The load sensing proportioning valve line will need to
be reattached. This can be done by fabricating a
bracket, or sometimes by stretching out the assembly.
63. Below is an example of how your load sensing proportioning
valve line should look. Adjust the mounting
location at the housing. At ride height, the valve should
be in the center of its throw.
64. Install drive-line. The drive-line may need to be lengthened.
65. Bleed brakes.
66. Torque all hardware.
67. Grease suspension at greasable bolts.
68. Install tires and test drive.
69. Re-torque u-bolts.