So after messing around all afternoon because I didn't have the right tools I just finished up lifting the front of my truck 1" and doing my outter tie rod ends. I ended up renting a fork from Autozone for $16 bucks and a front end suspension kit from Advanced Auto for $95 bucks that finally got the job done. I didn't realize how much it took to get those suckers out. I thought I had broken the tool when both the tie rod ends finally broke loose. After that I cranked up my tbars about an inch so I can fit 32x11.50 Goodyear MTR's with Kevelar whenever my friend orders them for me at the 20% and free ship discount he gets from tire rack. I went for a quick spin around the block to make sure I had everything right and the steering wheel is a little off but I love how it rides with the front up. A little stiffer and i can just feel that its not raked as much I love it. Its goin to the Dodge dealer because somehow they were the cheapest where I goto school on Monday for an alignment. Just figured Id show you guys some pics and if anyone has any questions about the tbars or tie rod ends I now know what I'm really talking about haha If I had that kit from advanced right away I woulda been done in at least half the time. It also took a few whack and lots of liquid wrench to get the tie rods and torsion bars done. Here are some pics! Oh yeah I got my tie rod ends from Rock Auto their made by Deeza and seem to be really good quality and are greasable.
edit: i also backed the overshift bolt stops on my hurst shifter out because I think they are what is making the shifter so noisy and the horrible noise I hear when i'm bogged down going up a hill and its to high for 2nd or to low for 3rd or 3-4 so if anyone is interest i haven't driven it yet but only time will tell with this.
before the torsion bar lift:
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after the torsion bar lift:
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again before:
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again after:
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one more before (not from today haha forgot to take a front shot):
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one more after:
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some tie rod end pics, new and old:
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this was the first one i annihilated trying to get off without the kit haha but it was only a little better than that before I started:
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how easy was it for the tie rod ends, one of mine is like that and i need to get new ones?

 

if you have the tie rod end puller its easy, if you have a hammer and hope you can beat it out your screwed...this is what you need and just remember you gotta get it aligned after you do this...http://www.etoolcart.com/ProductImages/otc/OTC-7503.jpg

 

Thats just a generic gear puller no? We have some of those at work and I can steal one to do it if I need to.

Next summer its tb crank, wheels, tires, and tie rod ends. That way I only need one alignment.

 

How hard was it to crank the tb's? I would like to do it sometime. Maybe a little write up on how you did it? Or is it just as simple as crank on those bolts?

And man it looks a LOT better. Especially from the front. It sits so proper now.

 

night and day. i think it looks way better. the rake on mine is pissing me off. i just unloaded 800#s of brcks and it looked so much better level.

i think i've read a write up, and you gotta mark the bolts so you crank each side the same. but a new write up and some close ups would help.

 

yeah its just lots of turning climbing out from under the truck measuring, turning, measuring...at first I thought i didn't have a big enough breaker bar but a hard first turn with all my muscle and weight into it seemed to break it loose then it turned a little easier. i did put ear plugs in tho because it was so loud haha. i did it with out the front end jacked up because then i didnt have to let it down to see where i was at. it might be easier if you jack it up but then you gotta let it down and measure...basically its a little harder to turn but worth it to just not jack up the front. i sprayed the front and back of the torsion bar for about 2 days before hand and right before i did it with liquid wrench. and in that kit i got from advanced said that that tool was a tie rod end puller. i tried it with a piece of crap weak gear puller and one it kept sliding off and two it bent it haha but if what you get looks just like that with the cap that goes over the top of the bolt on the part that screws down so it doesn't slide off it should work out. like i said i thought i broke the tool when they broke loose so it takes a good amount of force

 

i didnt mark the bolts i just bounced the front end to get all the tension out got the passenger side up to 36.5" from 35.5" from the ground to the bottom of the fender flare and then did the same on the other side. in the pic it looks and when i drive it like the pass side is lower but from the ground to the fender flare its actually .25" higher somehow so idk if im gonna leave it or not like that. their is another way that you can measure to get them exactly the same as far as control arms to frame wise or something like that but you'd have to look it up

 

thanks to theeplaymaker i finally cranked my tb's up for an inch of lift. it was way easier then i thought and only cost 3 bucks for the pb 500 blaster. i let it soak for a few minutes and they poped free. 4 turns on the bolts and now the bumper, door and my steps are all 1'' higher now. raining now, pics tomorow

 

I was going to do mine the day before my alignment but I couldnt get the bolts to break free my rake isnt to bad anyway.