I am planning on putting my rear add a leafs and front coil spacers on Saturday. Shouldn't be too bad to do other than my compressor died (NO IMPACT! ). The add a leaf instructions say to jack the truck up, then raise the axle, disconnect the shocks/vent tube/u-bolts then remove the two bolts and take the leafs off the vehicle, c-clamp the leafs, remove the center bolt. The only thing I was wondering from you guys who have done this, is would it be easiest/quickest to do it that way or would it be better to just leave the leaf springs on the truck, and slide the axle forward or back to get to the center bolt and then just add the leaf-bolt it back together? Im just trying to save some time,whichever way works best. I will need to have the truck going again by Sat. evening.Thanks!

 

i did mine in the truck. just lowered diff a few inches after i removerd the u-bolts. took about an hour.

 

That sounds great, Thanks!

 

Definetly leave the leafs on the truck. Here is a write-up I saw once, and seemed to work ok as a guide when I did my AAL. Use these steps at your own risk. This has you do it one side at a time, but I think you could drop the axle on both sides at the same time. Not sure, I did mine one side at a time. And I think I had to diconnect the shock at the axle too, which wasn't in this write-up. Again, use at your own risk.

"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 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."

 

Did you buy the spacers and AAL together as a kit? How much ??? Who did you buy them from?

 

Oh, forgot to add that the reason I left the leafs on the truck during the install is that (from what I recall) the gas tank prevents you from being able to remove the bolts that connect the leaf pack to the frame . You would have to drop the gas tank to do the driver side if you followed the instructions provided by Skyjacker.

 

Thanks guys! I appreciate the replies and the write up. White Ram, I bought each seperatley on ebay. the aal's were 30-35 and the spacers were 2.5" used for 70. By the way silver, I installed the 14" chrome breather with the 3" filter this weekend after reading your post. Great and cheap mod.

 

Cool, post some pics! Does it feel to you like it made a difference in performance?

 

My MSD 6a made one hell of a difference.... I installed my 3" lift with the AAL same as silver_dodge did... If this helpa at all ?