06 with newly installed recall springs - AAL question

Okay, here are my suggestions:

1) c-clamps are your friends. Use them to compress the leaf pack so you can get the new center bolt in

2) watch the hyrdraulic brake lines (2 flexible) on the driver's side. There's a clip that bolts on to the axle. Make sure it's unbolted before you drop the axle otherwise the whole axle will hang on those flexible lines (no bueno)

3) you do NOT have to take the whole leaf pack off the truck to do this AAL (if you didn't know already)

4) use the old center pin dropped into the leaf pack from the top to line up the springs and shims (make sure these don't slide around b/c if they're off by a hair, you'll never get the center pin in) The new, longer center pin will drive out the old one as you c-clamp compress the leaf pack. You might have to tap the ends individual leaf springs to get them to line up.

5) be prepared to either cut off the top of the new center pin after install so the bump-stop will sit down flush on the axle plate. I didn't cut them, I just reamed out the underside (there's a hole molded into the bump stop on the bottom side- I just made it a little deeper and wider. Didn't take but a few seconds with a drill and a properly sized bit)

That's about all I can think of. It's a pretty easy job with a good jack (or jacks) and jack stands. Please use jack stands and not multiple jacks...for the sake of safety. LOL

 

Sounds like it was a pretty successful job for you. Well done! Sense you say you don't off-road too much I doubt it'll be an isssue but for anyone reading this thread that does... I highly suggest cutting thy bolt and not reaming the bump stop. They're meant to compress a certain amount and teaming them out could lead to problems with they're compression or if the bolt is now too high in the bump and it compresses hard it could just split leaving you no bump at all and the top plate now contacting he center pin which would not be good at all!

 

Yup, that's an excellent point. I don't want to take it all apart again to trim it off, so I'll just go along as is everything is fine. LOL. I doubt I'll be off-roading where the bump stop will be in use...but every once in a while I fill the bed down with a heavy load. Guess I better be careful from now on (except the AAL will give me less sagging and better clearance- should be ok)

 

I was told many, many years ago that you're supposed to trim the center bolt a little long, a couple of threads above the nut is sufficient. Then you peen the bolt over on top of the nut to prevent it from ever backing off. So that's what I've always done.

 

OP I imagine you'll be fine with the type of driving you say you do, just something to consider

And @DaveInDenver, I didn't bother peaning the end of mine but it makes perfect sense

 

The "before" pic in the parking lot. The "after" in the driveway. Was starting to get dark-ish so the lighting sucked. Guess it helps hide the "training-wheels" look my stock alloys and stock tires give! Ha! I got about 2.5-2.75" lift outta the spacers and the AAL. Not bad. Now to save a few more pennies so I can stuff some meat in those wheel wells!

 

Dammit! Now my passenger side sway bar is in contact with the bottom of the strut (spring). Anyone have this same issue after a spacer install? Annoying!

 

Not sure why a spacer would alter your geometry enough to cause sway bar to coil contact, but you could try this. And verify that the spacer is installed correctly of course.

 

Yup, a quick TW search revealed a plethora of comments related to the swap bar relocation/spacer kit. Thanks for the link above. For $30, I'm ordering a kit tonight.

The strut is shifted down the thickness of the spacer, so it's closer to the sway bar. In my case, touching it. I remember cussing at the sway bar for being so close when I was re-installing the struts with the spacers attached. Guess it should have dawned on me that it was gunna be an issue! I ended up unbolting
the sway bar to get it the hell outta the way. I didn't notice it was touching the strut spring when I bolted it back up. Arg. Live and learn from my mistakes!

 

Skip the $30 and take it off

 

Not exactly comfortable removing the sway bar. I do a LOT of highway driving and I live in S. Florida (read: terrible drivers that I have to evade routinely). LOL

 

I wasn't at first either but I really couldn't hardly notice it gone

 

Well a buddy had some 20's (275/55/20) from a project that just happened to fit my bolt pattern. I threw those on for a test fit and to my surprise they fit like a glove. Here are some before/after pics. One of my stock UCA clearance. The only place I think I might be rubbing is the skid plate on my passenger side. Maybe I bent it out because I was lazy and didn't want to remove it when I did my sway bar relocate spacers...or maybe not. LOL I feel like my truck is settling after the rear AALs which seems to be more noticeable now after the wheel/tire change. Not sure why it seem more noticeable, but it does. I guess a 1-1.5" block will do me up if I get too annoyed.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I've got about 3/4" or so of space. Won't be able to put bigger tires unless I do the UCA upgrade.

Nice profile after the new tires/rims. I like the "flush" look.