2" Leveling kit and Add-a-leafs

**mjalstad** · 03-04-2009, 12:22 AM

I started installing my leveling kit today. I got the rear done but did not have time to do the front. I got a Tuff Country kit from suspensionconnection which included torsion bar keys for the front and an add-a-leaf for the rear for just under $200 after shipping. I figured I better start in the rear since if I didn't have time to finish, it would look a lot better to have a jacked up rear than a jacked up front. It was a little bit of a hassle and required a lot of elbow grease but I got it done in abut 3.5 hours in my garage. I made the mistake of thinking I could do it one side at a time, so I jacked up the passenger side and disconnected the rear U-bolts, got the leaf pack loosed up and started clamping the leaf pack with the new leaf back down when I realized there would not be clearance to put the aligning bolt in from underneath without doing the other side at the same time. So I wasted about a half hour trying to make it work because I only had one jack but I ended up using a big block of wood as a small jackstand while I moved the jack around and got the other side going. I only had one other hang up and that was removing the bolt from the driver's side shock, but after hammering, heating, PB blastering and wrenching I got it out after about a half hour. Afterwards, it looks awesome, I cannot wait to get the front done! It went from looking like a normal everyday half ton truck to looking like a manly heavy duty truck, well the rear half anyways. I have some before and after pics that I will have to get posted up and will add some more when I get the front done. I luckily had sme 6" C-clamps which I thought would be excessively big because the stock leaf pack is only a few inches thick but when you add the curve from the new leaf, a 6 inch is neccessary to get it in to place. I would definitely recommend this to anybody looking for a little more agressive stance, I think it's by far the best bang for the buck for $250 (after cost of parts and alignment), even better than an intake or programmer.

**Pete95Sierra** · 03-04-2009, 01:20 AM

nothing ever seems to go perfect while wrenching haha, be sure to post pics!

**mjalstad** · 03-04-2009, 02:32 AM

Well here is before and after the Add-a-leafs. Hopefully I will have time tomorrow to get the front done. I must say that driving to and from work tonight, the add-a-leafs themselves definitely tightened up the suspension a little bit. I wouldn't say the ride is too hard though, I like it a lot more, there's not as much body roll now. I do kind of fell like I am riding at an angle though, I almost had to recline my seat back another notch.

Update, I added the third pic here of the AALs and the keys on. 1st pic is stock, second pic is only the AALs, and the 3rd pic if the AALs and the Keys.

**adampaul1964** · 03-04-2009, 07:24 AM

looks awesome, can't wait to see the front, I'm especially interested to hear how the installation went since I have a set of keys that I'm going to put on my truck.

**TRPLXL2** · 03-04-2009, 10:29 AM

Looking good, now your starting to look like a 2500HD!

**mjalstad** · 03-04-2009, 02:54 PM

Well, I tried to get the keys in today and I failed. Autozone didn't have a 2 jaw puller so I went to Sears and got a 7 ton 2 jaw puller for only $40 so I thought things were going my way since I figured it would be a lot more than that. Unfortunately when I got to the step of "tap the torsion bar forward so the key drops out, it would not slide forward. I looked at where it connects to my lower control arm and it is twisted in the socket so it won't move freely (kind of like when you use a socket that is just a hair too big for the bolt and it twists in there just a bit and the bolt gets stuck in the socket). So I think I am going to have to remove the crossmember and hopefully that will do it but I didn't have the right size wrench to get the crossmember off so it will have to wait until another day.

**MWright936** · 03-04-2009, 03:58 PM

It's never as easy as it sounds, lol! I know that from experience (installing coil spring spacers). Good luck getting it finished up!!

**TRPLXL2** · 03-04-2009, 04:11 PM

That sucks, I can't even count on all my fingers and toes how many things I have bought that supposedly "bolt right on" But you will get it working I know it, your ambition to finish the truck will help you a lot. Either that or your going to have to ride with the seat leaned back all the time!

**adampaul1964** · 03-04-2009, 06:36 PM

You're not exactly filling me with confidence.....

I have read that you can tap the torsion bar towards the rear of the truck in order to free it up, maybe thats worth a try, good luck I'm sure it will all come together!

**CarpenterGuy** · 03-04-2009, 08:03 PM

i've been wanting to do what your doing. i've been looking at 2" leveling keys in the front and add a leafs in the back. make sure to put up some pics after you've got the full thing put togather!