You guys can easily just lift it on the side of the ladder frame... Just the ladder frame. Anywhere.

Why bother doing more work by removing parts you don't need to?

EDIT:
Think about it. When you want to change the tire, do you take the skids off just to raise it to take the tire off?

 

I ended up taking off the skid plate so I could remove the sway bar. Why? I don't know, the directions told me to. I am so tired and my back is a mess ... I cannot believe how tight those bolts are ... I had to jump on them and push and pull and cry and use all my muscles.

My truck is sitting unassembled in the garage, and I may never walk again.

My troubles are with getting the strut out.

Here is what I have done so far:

- jacked it up, placed 6 ton jack stands on both sides at the frame side rails
- left the jack partially up just in case (i'm paranoid about it falling on me)
- removed wheels
- removed skid plate
- disconnected and removed sway bar
- took the top three bolts off from the housing
- took the bottom bolt off the strut
- used bottle jack to press the upper a-arm down

However, I still cannot get the strut out, because the center bolt doesn't have enough room to descend far enough ... plus, I just could not for the life of me figure out how to separate the ball joints / tie rod end. The pickle fork is an ass, and I felt like crippling myself with it just so I wouldn't have to admit that I am a failure and incapable.

My back!!!! The bolts!!!! The ball joints!!!! The pickle fork!!!! Advice/help is so welcomed at this point ...

 

Send a picture(s) of the assembly, as you have it now? DId you seperate the ball joints?

 

Oh take a deap breath and relax first, sometimes a problem gets easier if you step back first.

 

no ... that's the thing, I can't seem to separate the ball joints. Hell, I'm an idiot.

 

In posting these, maybe one of you with a graphics program can draw a little star or an arrow to what exactly needs to be disconnected and how, as I am finding it impossible to separate all the damn ball joints and tie rod ends and ... ugh. Just need some help, that's all

 

Is there still tension in the strut assemly i.e. is the strut spring still compressed??

 

Suspension guys!!

DOes 4route need to seperate the highlighted ball joint??? ANswer quick please thanks

 

SOme experienced help would be great

 

I think that area you circled is the upper ball joint ... and I think I am supposed to separate it ... but the damn pickle fork ... grr.

Oh, and I think I answered this in an email to you, Bulldog, but those pictures were from early on this evening, before I got discouraged enough to stop taking pictures and contemplated quitting. By now, all the bolts are off of the strut assembly (well, except for the top center bolt) ... and I'm just trying to figure out a way to have enough room that the strut will come free from the housing. I am having a hell of a time. I used the bottle jack to push the upper a-arm down, but even that didn't seem to be quite enough to free the strut and coil.

 

Need to figure out a way to get that loose, without destroying anything. Just put the bottom bolt back on the strut for support till the ball joint gets out.

 

Please do not remove the ball joint. You'll have a hell of a time trying to reinstall it.

I was able to remove the front assembly w/o even touching that thing so don't bother trying. Unless you plan to change your top a-arm I don't recommend it.

Also, I've never seen anyone remove the ball joint to install a lift in the front....

4Route:

As for the top center bolt/nut, if you use your bottle jack and press down the upper a-arm down enough it'll give you enough play to remove the top. I would first suggest you to use the coil compressor to compress the coils and then giving it a try removing the top nut.

If ya have any q's just hit me up. I"ll be home all weekend trying to fix my truck

 

You should not need to take the ball joint apart.. Using the jack on the upper A-arm pressing down, you should be fine..

 

Thanx guys, good to know!! WOnder why 4route cant get the strut out then??

 

the strut is definitely not easy to take out. It'll take some work and play. There is where you can actually damage the bottom of the xreas line. Thus the reason to be careful. Actually she should just start compressing the coils so it'll be easier to remove the top nut of the center of the shock. Once the nut on the center is off, she can then press the a-arm all the way down (until it starts to pinch but don't let the rubber piece pinch though).

Once that is done, she should be able to slide the bottom of the shock out of the bottom socket area and then try to move the shock. This part will require 2 people as 1 person must always make sure the shock does not move too much damaging the xreas line.

Hopefully this all will make sense. Crossing fingers.

 

Yep lets cross fingers. Seems like a little spring compression is the way to go then to get the strut out?

 

Okay, because I am an idiot, I believe I injured the ball joint boot ... what should I look for in order to determine whether I punctured it? I think I did ...

Yeah, I have otherwise been very careful, especially around all the lines. I hate that all the directions from RevTek and DayStar tell me to separate the ball joints ... grrrr.

Tomorrow I will start by compressing the coils.

Lance ... when you say:

Which rubber piece are you referring to pinching?

Definitely glad to be resting my back right now. Bulldog says it's due to back form, but actually I know it's due to all the different ways I had to try to break loose the bolts! Those things are ROUGH to loosen!

 

4route:

The red circle is the balljoint part. You can tell if you made a hole by touching it to see if grease comes out.



As for getting nuts/bolts lose, try using a breaker bar or a pipe to give you some more leverage so you don't have to blow out your back trying soo hard

 

okay, well, i tore the lower ball joint at the tie rod end. i'm screwed.

 

white lubricant came out.