Many thanks goes to my son for his help in doing this install... it is much easier I think with 2 people. 1 person could do it but 2 is better.
Installing rear Leaf Packs
The kit...
what your replacing is the thick leaf or overload spring in this spring pack. You will reuse 1 or
all of the 3 blocks that are under the overload spring depending on any lift you want. each block is
approx 3/8 of an inch thick. I installed 1 and gained over 1 inch of lift overall.
Put truck on Jackstands positioned under the frame rail, this will have the axle is suspended and
easily moved with jacks.
Remove both wheels
support the rear axle with 1 (2 is better) jacks
Remove both shocks from the lower mounts
cover rear disks with clean towel or large cloth.
spray liquid wrench (or equiv) onto the ubolt mounting plates (both sides) and let them soak
remove the ubolts and mounting plate. this will expose the leaf pack nuts.
Spray the Leaf Pack nuts with Liquid Wrench (or equiv) and let them soak.
Drop the axle some to expose the bottom plate which has the pin and the other end of the pack bolts.
these bolts do not have a hex head on them and will require a pair of channel lock pliers to hold
them while you unbolt the nuts.
once you have it removed, you will need to lower the jacks & axle to give clearance for the bolts &
overload spring to come out.
****BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERSTRESS THE E-BRAKE LINES ON BOTH SIDES WHILE DOING THIS.
This is how I setup my rear (gave me about 1" of lift) and what was left from the original setup.
This pic shows my setup prior to isntallation.
make sure you install the spacer at the end of the spring so they slide easily when compressed. and
the spacer on top of the leafe pack
We used a block of wood & a small jack to lift the spring up to help with the installation of the new
assembly. this proved to cause grief as once the springs are lifted up, the alignment holes dont
line up the way they should. We used the wood & floor jacks to move it in such a way that we were
able to get the holes lined up & the bolts thru. once they are thru, add the nuts but do not tighten
them down yet.
make sure everything looks like it's lined up right (should be with the new brackets on the sides of
the new spring packs) and using the channel lock pliers, hold the bottom of the bolt & tighten the
nuts down to 75 ft lbs. (skip this part for now if your going to check ride height).
Insert the bolt/pins thru the clamps & bolt tighten them down. I dont have a spec, I just made them
tight with a wrench & ratchet. You may need a C clamp to pull the sides together...
reinstall the new ubolts but do not tighten them down yet. Once you have them installed loosely, you
now have the option of dropping the truck & looking at the ride height. If your happy with them,
tighten them down using a wrench (instructions say 75 ft lbs with a deep socket which I dont have) as
tight as you can get them w/o going gorilla on it.
Repeat for the other side.
Reinstall the shocks.
Remount the tires.
Lower the truck back down off the jackstands and your done.
Let me know if something does not make sense... and I will fix it.
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Steve,
Do these leaf packs increase the weight capacity any? I can only imagine that they create a bit of a stiffer ride. My 3500 is a little rough on some roads. I've been trying to vary the air pressure to soften the ride some.
I may possible benifit from these leaf packs if the add to the capacity. When hitched up to my 5th wheel, she sinks more than I'd perfer.
Thanks for all the great DIY posts, I found them helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions[/align]We're sometimes asked, "What leafs should I go with if I want a soft ride?"
Bar-none, the Dual Purpose Leafs will give you the best ride. The Full Replacement Dual Purpose Leafs will give you the most noticable change in ride quality. The Mini Packs will kill the "kick" when encountering anything larger than a speed bump. The Mini Packs rely on the OEM primaries for the initial 1-3" of travel, they will transform the ride at speed and when bigger events are encountered.
The ride quality in the first 1-3" is what is felt on the freeway, and when crawling slow through smaller obstacles like rocks and wash board, rutted roads. Dual Purpose Leafs will ride like silk in these situation and they're the best off-road Rear Leafs in the Industry.
The Dual Purpose Leafs will make your truck ride better than a 2wd mini truck in the rear, yet they can transform into leafs with a 3/4 ton capacity.[/align]
[/align]Dual Purpose Leafs [/align]Dual purpose leafs are designed to provide a softer ride than the OEM's without the bump stops installed. When the truck is loaded up, and the bump stops are installed, the Dual Purpose Leafs will not sag like the stock leafs, they will reduce sway and will carry a load better. Dual Purpose Leafs are inteded for use up to the GVWR that is set forth by Chrysler.
Here’s how they work:
The Dual Purpose leafs are separated into two distinct parts; Primaries and Secondaries. The Primaries are the first 6 leafs that have the eyelets on them. These guys have a spring rate that is very light and pliable. Any small force will move them and allow them to react. This makes them great for daily driving when you want a small event/bump to vanish into the suspension rather than being transferred into the chassis, through the seats, and into your back side. The Primaries allow for flex, and enormous amounts of deflection. The OEMs can’t do this because they’re made with thick material to carry a load.
Add the secondaries; These guys are along for the ride. They are the 5 leafs that are arched “backwards”. They don’t engage with out the bumpstops installed. With the bumpstops installed they will engage with the Primaries to dramatically increase the spring rate. When both Primaries and Secondaries are engaged your truck will have a higher spring rate than the OEM units. Removable bumstops are key. By separating the Primaries and secondaries with the removal of the bumpstops, and also having the ability to combine the two sets of leafs (by installing the bumpstop) your truck will have dual personalities. Adjustable Spring rates are the ticket to the “best of both worlds.” A soft ride WITH a 3/4 ton weight rating. Thus, the “Dual Purpose Leafs” name.
[/align]
yeah the bolts were long, they do not hit anything however so it is not an issue. the springs distribute the load just like the single overload spring does except it does it progressively, just like a normal leaf spring does. the ride over the rough freeways is improved significantly. No more white knuckle driving in the screwed up lanes. Firemansdodge has the same rear setup if I'm not mistaken, they definately soften the ride and improve control in the rear end. I like them alot and cant wait to get it off road. Kersten (another elk grove resident who visits different forum)& I are planning on a trail run or two or three after I get my tranny fixed.
Tonight we're gonna go hit a local rough road to compare the Kore system he has vs my hodge podge setup. I almost dont want to drive his truck as I think I'm gonna love the way it rides. anyways, time will tell... well about 30 minutes should tell, he should be here any time now.
thanks! I have another one for the front springs coming later this week...
I did a comparison of a kore setup vs my hodge podge setup and they are pretty close... I think if I had the shocks that were on the other truck and a good steering stabilizer you would have a hard time telling the difference between the two...
DIY Leaf Pack Install (56K warning)
1998.5 Ram Cummins 24 valve turbo diesel
