j

i just ordered my leveling kit (steel spacers) made by tough country. is this a pain to install. i have a coil spring compressor, but i dont know if it will squish the coils enough. any ideas if it doesnt work? i think it will, but dont want to wait til the last second to ask. i figured i would plan for the worst and hope for the best.

UTAH

J - I've used the 2&quot; Daystar spacers on two prior HD Ram CTD's - both 4x4.<br><br>Yes - they are a pain to install. Even if you have the right equipment - the HD front end takes a lot of strength and effort to get the springs in and out. It was worth it for me to have the guys at the 4x4 shop do it for $80 dollars.<br><br>The nice thing is, installing the front leveling kit does not change your suspension geometry so your alignment (etc.) are O.K. It does increase the front driveline angle a bit but I have not seen problems from it. Depending on what tires/wheels you run - you may need to drop down your bump stops to match.<br><br>Best to y'all<br>Bill

BigBlue

What about swapping in all new coils? How hard is that?

UTAH

[quote author=BigBlue link=board=7;threadid=6767;start=0#64058 date=1036775061]<br>What about swapping in all new coils? How hard is that?<br>[/quote]<br><br>Same process. <br><br>Now, I'm not saying it can't be done - it's just not an easy job. These HD front suspensions are built tough and heavy - you'll work HARD, my friends.<br><br>Best to y'all<br>Bill

ridofpwrstroke

I installed them on my 02 and it took me about 2 hours. It actually is pretty easy if you have a coil spring compressor. The key is to unbolt the sway bar in the front. This will let the axle slide down further and it wont bind up. The first side I didnt unbolt them and I really had to compress the spring. On the other side I unhooked the sway bar and it came down further and made installation real easy. My opinion is that I would save the 80 bucks and do it yourself. If it takes 2 hours like it did on mine, thats 40 bucks an hour. Thats worth it. What takes the longest is unbolting everything. Thats easy work. If you have anymore questions, email me.

Fillerupsonny

j,<br><br>I installed spacers on my 01 2500 and the job was easier by sitting down the evening before and completly figuring out the instructions. By doing this, I was able to refigure the install and it only took an hour and 15 minutes. There were two items that I did differently than the instructions: 1. I did not remove the upper shock mounts. (you will if you are replacing them) 2. I used a small bottle jack to force the axle down thus not needing to compress the springs at all, in fact there was plenty of room to slide the coils out and back in. Put the bottle jack between the plate on the swing arm and the tab welded on the frame.<br><br>On the driver's side, you can remove the lower shock mount, unbolt the shock tower and lift it up as far as you can and work it around until you can get the coil out. On the passenger side simply lift the tower and shock clear out. <br><br>This worked perfectly on my 01 and should on your 02 unless your front end is different. Didn't have to unbolt the sway bar or control arms either. My kit was made by Tuff Country as well.<br><br>Hope it goes well for you!

Fishin2Deep4U

I agree with above. Use a bottle jack to seperate the parts, springs will fall out.<br><br>Also, If you guys know anyone that is looking for leveing kits, I have found a guy that makes then from solid C1018 bar stock. The have a<br>360 degree full filet weld on the inside for strength and durability. He has a sell price around $100 and needs to have orders for 10 sets. I am buying one for myself and one for my dad as a gift for Christmas. So, I need at least 8 other guys to commit to this. I don't know the guy making them, but they are CNC machined and he seems to be a pretty reasonable guy.<br><br>He has told me to expect freight in the $10-$15 range.<br><br>Let me know if this interests any of you, I am going to order, just would like to save some money!

UTAH

;D So... O.K. - maybe I'm old and lazy. I thought it was tough. (shrugs). ;D

phox_mulder

[quote author=Fishin2Deep4U link=board=7;threadid=6767;start=0#64172 date=1036792653]<br>Also, If you guys know anyone that is looking for leveing kits, I have found a guy that makes then from solid C1018 bar stock. The have a<br>360 degree full filet weld on the inside for strength and durability. He has a sell price around $100 and needs to have orders for 10 sets. I am buying one for myself and one for my dad as a gift for Christmas. So, I need at least 8 other guys to commit to this. I don't know the guy making them, but they are CNC machined and he seems to be a pretty reasonable guy.<br><br>He has told me to expect freight in the $10-$15 range.<br><br>Let me know if this interests any of you, I am going to order, just would like to save some money!<br>[/quote]<br><br>I'd jump in on that offer with you, <br>but,<br>after carefull consideration I've decided to go with leveling springs instead of spacers, due to the fact I want to get a nice solid front bumper, then put a winch on there as well.<br>I'm thinking 300-400 extra lbs of weight up there, and I don't think it will sit level anymore with that weight.<br>If the new springs get squished too much, then I might add spacers to make up for it.<br><br><br>phox

pop99

Sign me up for a set. Mine sits way up in the back.

Amish hauler

I thought this was going to be a real pain before I started my leveling project. I came to find out that it was WAY easier than it appeared and way CHEAPER than I at first thought. First I called to have springs custom made because of the Ranch-hand Bumper and Myers Snow-Plow. The companies in the back of the four-by mags. wanted $1200.00+. <br>Seen them spacers but I also realized my stock springs were sagging and probabley were going to go on sagging further.<br>I ended up calling Natl. Tire and Wheel in Wheeling W.Virg.<br>Mark there ended up selling me a pair of V/10-Diesel Replacement springs from a 2-1/2&quot; lift by SkyJacker. I think I paid $115.00 for the set. Sky Jacker dose not reccommend this. Off camber driveline angles or something like that....I don't know what that is but I can tell you that with a new set of shocks and just these springs my truck LOOKS better and handles better. I took the new springs to a spring shop and had them compress and band them. They only need about 1-1/2&quot; compression. Unbolted my shocks.(stock is GARBAGE replace with good Quality.) Disconected elect. plugs at front axle. Removed front wheels and jacked up the frame until the front springs fell out. I slid the new ones in reassembled the truck and and cut the bands. The hardest part I thought was taking the wheels off. :P :P Of course you may want to take it in to get the headlights re-aimed.

phox_mulder

[quote author=Amish hauler link=board=7;threadid=6767;start=0#64376 date=1036851688]<br>Of course you may want to take it in to get the headlights re-aimed. <br>[/quote]<br><br>I was wondering where the headlights are aimed from the factory.<br><br>They would have to be somewhere in the middle of empty and fully loaded wouldn't they?<br>Or does Dodge aim them empty, as that is probably where most people would be doing their driving?<br><br><br>phox

bdog

I just got through putting the D25's and Rancho 5000 shocks on my truck. It was a piece of cake. Took about 1.5 hours. I lifted the truck from the front grill guard and then did one side at a time. Only things I unbolted were the sway bar links and of course the shocks. I did not remove the top shock towers I just pulled the old ones out and put the new ones in with the springs. As mentioned above I used a bottle jack to gain clearance between the axle and frame. I was able to use an impact on all the bolts so things went real quick.<br><br>The truck rides much better and it lifted it a noticable amount(I did not measure before) but afterwards I measured and the front fender is still about 1&quot; lower than the back.

PapaSmurf

I too installed a leveling kit.<br> It was a pain, mainly due to me not liking the compressing the coil spring to make it fit. I have alot of respect for coil springs, brake chambers and such.<br><br> If I did it over again I would get the new springs.<br> The job isn't real hard but just be carful.<br>I took my truck to the shop for a alienment, I figured I moved things around down there and the price of tires are much more than the $35.00.<br>See Ya<br>Chris