Hi guys,

i have bought a 2" Skyjacker Add-A-Leaf Kit ( SJA-R222 ) for my rear axle.
( by the way: 6 days of shipping from USA to germany - that´s awesome !! )

Now i have opened the package and laid down the leafs next to each other on a flat surface.
I remember, that one leaf is curved just a little bit more than the other.
It is just a touch, i think round about 5mm at the ending of ONE side - at one side only.
( hope you understand what i mean )

Is this a normal production tolerance ??

Then i would like to know, how i shall install the leafs ?
Is it recommended to remove the stock leaf package completely from the truck, disassemble it separately and add then the additional leaf ?
I think this way is more safely then the disassembly and assembly under the truck.



What do you think ?
Can you give me some detailed instructions ?
What kind of tool do you use to keep the leafs together, when the centerbolt is removed ?
I want to beware of an explosion around my head :-)

thanks for help.

 

The instructions may answer your questions about the difference otherwise it doesn't sound like that big a deal. If one is arched more put that on the drivers side as that side sags.

Here are instructions. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SJA-R222/?rtype=1

When I added my 2.5" superlift AAL i just did one side at a time. I didn't bother removing the leaves from the truck either. I did need a BFH to get the blocks back in though.

I would suggest getting new U-bolts as I believe they stretch when torqued down. Someone correct me if im wrong.

 

there shouldnt be an explosion. but yes fully remove the leaf spring is the best way. once the leafspring is out your gonna probably need a torch to heat up the spring bracket also when you take it apart inspect all u bolts and hardware. goodtime since its out already.also grease the spring back when assembling.

 

I have the same AAL's you do, but I guess I never compared them like that. I think that is probably acceptable. They will sag down after you install them anyway, so will probably even out. I'd put the one with more arch on the driver side since that side usually starts to sag first (constant weight of the driver on that side).

Here is a write-up I saw once, and I used it as a guide when I did my AAL's, and it worked good. Use this at your own risk though. This has you do it one side at a time with the spring pack still inplace, but I think you could drop the axle on both sides at the same time. I did mine one side at a time though. And I think I had to disconnect the shock at the axle too, which wasn't in this write-up. Also, it doesn't address the fact that you should replace your u-bolts with new ones. You will probably find that your stock ones may not be long enough anyway once you get the AAL in. But secondly, u-bolts stretch when torqued, so reusing them is not recommended.

Hope this helps.

"Add-a-leaf Install

Parts/Tools List
-----------------
-3/4 and 13/16 deep sockets. Other size sockets may be needed depending on year.
-Heavy duty jack stands
-Bottle or floor jack
-2 large strong (emphasize strong) c-clamps
-Long screw driver or steel rod, approximate diameter of the leaf pack center pin

I recommend just breaking loose the u-bolts nuts (do not loosen) while the pickup is on the ground. Makes it easier/safer then trying to do it while it is jacked up. Break loose the lug nuts on the wheel, jack up the back of the truck on one side, and place jack stands under the frame to support it. Put a jack under the axle. Remove the wheel. Put c-clamps on the leafs, one on each side of the u-bolts. Make sure you have all the leafs in the clamp.

CAUTION: Leaf pack is under a very large amount of pressure. Use extreme caution when you disconnect the u-bolts and remove the center pin.

Remove the u-bolts. With the jack, slowly lower the axle away from the leaf springs. Remove the very small plate on top of the leafs that goes around the center bolt. Undo the nut on the center bolt. You may need to hold the bottom with vicegrips. Remove the center bolt. Slowley loosen your c-clamps so the leafs begin to spread apart. Continue until the leafs no longer have pressure to them and you can remove the c-clamps. The block may fall out at this point too. Just make sure you note the direction it was installed, or look at the other axle if your not sure. Insert your add-a-leaf above the bottom smallest leaf. Leafs should always go from smallest to largest. Not that the bolt hole is not in the center of the add-a-leaf. Measure the bottom (smallest leaf) to see which side is the long side, install the aal in the same manner. Make sure the stabilizer plate (flat plate with 2 tabs, one up and one down) is installed the same way it came out. Insert a steel rod or large screw driver into the center bolt hole from the top. You don't want to insert the center bolt yet because the threads can be stripped from it as you clamp the leafs back together. Place the c-clamps around the leafs again making sure they will not be in the way of the u-bolts that need to go back on later. This can be difficult since they are so spread out. Begin tightening them down equally on both side. Make sure the steel rod or screw driver you inserted into the center hole stays loose. If it binds up because the holes are shifting, you will not be able to get your center bolt in later. Also keep an eye on the tips of the aal and leafs to make sure it is centered with the other leafs, and not turning laterally. Continue to clamp the leafs until the are all pulled together snug. Remove the steel rod or screw diver, and replace with the center bolt, inserting from the bottom. Put the nut on it and tighten to the torque spec. Leave the c-clamps on. Make sure the lift block is in its correct place. Jack the axle back up. Make sure the head of the center bolt goes into the hole in the block. Once the axle, block, and leafs are jacked back together, reinstall the u-bolts, upper plate, and bracket. Tighten snuggly. Once the u-bolts are in place, remove the c-clamps. Put the wheel back on, lower to the ground, and torque the u-bolts to spec."

 

wheres the pics

 

When I did AALs on my 2000 Ram 1500, I thought it was a pain. I left the springs on the hangers and completely disassembled the leaf pack. It was a bear getting the steel bands open to slide the AAL in. As far as new U-bolts, I got mixed views. I didn't receive new u-bolts and I called Tuff Counrty since I ordered the lift from them, and they told me any time they install AALs, they reuse the original u-bolt. So I did and everything seems fine and have rechecked the torque on the bolts.

 

IIRC you have to drop the tank to remove the springs. When I installed mine, I left the spring packs in the truck, use big C clamps to hold the packs together. I also reused my U bolts. 3 years, 30,000 miles later, absolutely no issues.

 

The AAL doesn't go inside the banded leafs, it goes beneath the banded leaf pack and above the overload leaf. There is no reason to take the leaf pack bands off.

 

But aren't the leafs suppose to go longest to shortest (starting at the top)? The AALs were from Skyjacker and in order for the leafs to be orienta correctly, the AALs I had needed to be installed inside the banded leafs. Believe me I wouldn't have done it that way if I didn't have to. Too much aggravation.

 

Well, here's a picture of mine from back when I first installed it. You can see directly above the block is the overload spring. Next is the new AAL (shiney black) followed by the rest of the spring pack still banded together. This is exactly as the Skyjacker install instructions recommend. I wonder if they sent you the wrong AAL gipperkid.

Also, note in this picture what the original u-bolts looked like when I tried to reuse them. The weren't long enough anymore, so there is no thread sticking out of the nuts. I never drove it anywhere like this, I just put them on until my new u-bolts were made, then I swapped them out.