AAL installation

Direct me to right place if this has been covered, but has anyone documented the installation of their AALs. I'd like to do it myself, but I don't want to screw anything up. What is involved? What equipment/tools will I need? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Check Mosi's instructions at www.pnwx.net

Thanks, man!

This looks pretty self-explanatory. Am I right in noticing the jack/stand is on the front of the spring hanger? This looks like the perfect time to add the longer Bilsteins as well, correct?

You might as well do the shocks at the same time. If I remember right you need to have the truck supported at the frame, as well as have a scissor jack to lift the axle and compress the leafs into position.

Originally posted by Schludwiller
You might as well do the shocks at the same time. If I remember right you need to have the truck supported at the frame, as well as have a scissor jack to lift the axle and compress the leafs into position.

Mosi's instructions do not mention supporting the axle, and none of the photos show th axle supported. Do you need to support the axle?

I was planning on puting in my AAL this weekend since I got my new 31" BFG MT KM's today :)

Bryan

Originally posted by wqbang


Mosi's instructions do not mention supporting the axle, and none of the photos show th axle supported. Do you need to support the axle?

I was planning on puting in my AAL this weekend since I got my new 31" BFG MT KM's today :)

Bryan

From what I remember we didn't want the axle to drop after removing the u-bolts. You need the scissor jack to get the leaf-pin back in place. It won't just slide in, unless you compress the leafs.

C Clamps are probably your best bet for compressing the springs. We did it at an NJAX mod day. We jacked up the truck, and put it on jackstands. Put the tires underneath just in case. Then follow the instructions. When it comes time for compressing the spring pack, use the C-Clamps. Makes things SO much easier. We had 4 large clamps to do it.

Originally posted by Dayspring
C Clamps are probably your best bet for compressing the springs. We did it at an NJAX mod day. We jacked up the truck, and put it on jackstands. Put the tires underneath just in case. Then follow the instructions. When it comes time for compressing the spring pack, use the C-Clamps. Makes things SO much easier. We had 4 large clamps to do it.

Maybe we're talking about different things. I did use C-clamps to hold the leafs together, but used the jack to change the arc in the leafs so that the pin could fit in between them.

Nope. We compressed the spring and put the bolt on underneath, then attached the plate underneath. The only time a jack was used was to raise and lower the truck.

ChuckH and I have done quite a few of these over the past few months and here is our procedure.

1. Lift the truck by the frame, just forward of where the spring connects to the frame, so the tire clears the ground and remove the tire. the spring eyebolt is where you want to place the jackstand. Let the truck down onto the jackstand.
2. Now disconnect the the shock at the spring plate, 17mm socket. Then undo the 4 nuts for the U-bolts, 17mm socket. Remove the U-bolts and spring plate.
3. Now lift the axle off the spring pack with the floor jack. You should see the centerbolt and be able to grab it with the vise-grips. Clamp the leafs together with two C-clamps, excluding the load leaf. 14mm socket on the centerbolt. Remove the load leaf.
4. Grease up the AAL(s). Install new longer center bolt if neccesary. Install AAL(s) and use more C-clamps to squeeze the pack together so you can tighten down the center bolt. Make sure you have the longer ends of the leafs to the front. Tighten center bolt! Remove the C-clamps.
5. Now you can lower the axle onto the spring pack. This is the fun part! The axle will move fore and aft and the spring pack will move left and right. Usually it takes two strong and patient people!!! Line it up so the center bolt falls into the hole in the axle. Release the pressure of the floor jack so the axle sits on the springs. But keep the jack there.
6. Now that axle is resting on the spring, on the center bolt, place the U-bolts back in position and the spring perch and tighten all 4 nuts equally, 72 - 80 ft lbs. Reattch the shock!
7. Try to reinstall the tire. If it's to low raise the axle with the floor jack. Lower the axle and tire. Remove the jack entirely.
8. Now you have to remove the jackstand the is sitting on the spring eyebolt. Torque your lug nuts to 85 -105 ft lbs.
9. Done.........Now do the other side!