has anybody had any expeirence with something like this it will be on a 2009 QC 2wd thanks for any input http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/05-10...3a65627fc6#ht_

 

if u were trying to post a link. it didnt work. but its about a 8-9 on difficulty of install. and you will need an alignment afterwards. i just got done doing mine. it was a pita.

 

Just had mine done last week

I have the Trailmaster 1.5 with an added 1/8" rubber washer that i made

Before
P8050205.jpg

After
IMAG0641.jpg

 

I got my leveling kit from ReadyLift. There was only one option to choose for their kit for our Daks, didn't say how many inches it was, but now after the install the front only sits about a 1/4 lower than the rear. Before there was almost a 2.5 in dif so you do the math. I can't say about other lift kits, but this one wasn't too bad, for not ever having done one before. The only issue I ran into was I could not for the life of me get the bolt off that connects the shocks to the lower control arm. I actually snapped 2 sockets trying and an impact gun didnt budge it. If I had a torch I would have used it to heat up and loosen it. If I was able to have gotten it completely off, the install would have been easy as pie. But because I couldn't, I had to do two main things. First, I had to stick a crowbar between the bolts on top of the spring and rotate it 180 degrees (which wasn't hard to do) because the holes on the top and bottom of the spacer were opposite. The issue then (because I could not remove the spring from the lower control arm) was that there wasn't enough clearance to get the spring (with bolts sticking up) back into pocket that it bolts into. To solve that I had to take two measures, first I had to pound the bolts on the top of the spacer (that were held in place by friction grooves) down, and use two crowbars to compress the spring as much as I could by hand. Even with that, I was barely able to get it back in. Once I had it mostly back into the pocket, it still took some playing to get the bolts to line up with the holes just right. Oh yeah, and also because I had like NO clearance to swing it back into place, I accidentally tore the crap out of the rubber boots that hold the grease for the upper ball joints. Good thing they are almost due to be swapped.

Overall the job took about 2 hours because of the issues I ran into. But if I had to do it over again, like I said I would first get a torch (even if its a portable one) to have on hand if the lower spring bolts don't budge. Cuz if I had gotten those off and was able to take the whole spring out, it would have taken less than 30 minutes.

Knowing now what it takes to do a level kit, if you had to take it to a mechanic, it should take 1/2 and hour maybe, but no more than one hour. So, if you went that route, don't let'em try to say that it would take more, maybe even see if they would do a flat rate, not matter how long it took.

 

Those bottom bolts are what is keeping me from attempting to do it myself. Bobby tookk his to a shop and they had such a hard time with it and it took so much longer than expected he spent like twice as much (or something like that) to have his spacers installed. Just ordered mine tonight, getting 2.5" rough country. Will attempt to install myself first by first attempting to remove the bottom bolt. If I cant get it out I'm going to take it somewhere since I also got new struts. I'd like to take them out ad have a shop just replace the struts for me.

 

JKeaton,

The first time I heard about heating up bolts to loosen them was when I was installing my brush guard and could't loosen the bolts to connect it to the frame. Since then, I have seen it done a few times and not just on vehicles.

Maybe you can get a torch and see if that helps. Also, I have been told that instead of using WD-40 to break up rust and seizing, to try straight up Penetrating Oil cuz it can soak into the metal a lot better. Just don't do both around the same time, I'd feel real bad if you set your truck on fire.

If you don't have a blow torch, I'd get one regardless. It's getting warmer and almost time to fire up that charcoal grill!

 

my advice sir and im saying this from experience, PB BLASTER!!! its important. my bottom bolts were being a bitch, but pb blaster took care of them.

 

Oh, those good ole bottom bolts. Please keep in mind everyone that my truck has spent its life in WI and gone through some harsh winters, and there was over 110k miles on it when I went for the struts. They were factory struts, and nothing was soaked in penetrating lube prior to going to the shop. I ended up spending a little over $400 for labor and an alignment; I brought my own struts and leveling kit.

I suggest definetly soaking it down in the penetrating lube. I recommend a product called "AeroKroil" which is an industrial strength penetrating lube. In fact, its not even labeled for resale in stores so you have to find a small hardware store that carries it or order it online. I get it at the hardware store where I work. Be very careful with heat on the bottom bolt as its in a rubber bushing and people have set these on fire. If you destroy that bushing, you need a whole new lower control arm. The bushings are not sold seperatly. The shop I went to just spent 4 hours using a hammer to push the bolt out ..... and that killed my original quote of $200 for a strut install.

 

I've looked and amazingly there is very little rust on those bottom bolts. Maybe I'll get lucky...(thats what HE said)

 

if you order the full kit and have a 9,25 diff you have to tell them so they swap the u bolts.