Trupiano
Registered User
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2010
- Posts
- 10,981
- Reaction score
- 725
- Ram Year
- 2010 Ram 2500 6.7L CTD Crew Cab
- Engine
- 6.7L CTD
Ok dudes,
This guide is for any coil spring drop (front and rear) and install of rear shocks. This drop kit was Ground Force's 2/3 inch lowering kit, Drop Part # 9984 for 2009-2011 Hemi Quad cab/Crew cabs. Lets begin...:********:
Took me 6 hours to complete this at the base hobby shop with all the tools I would need... and that was with taking all the pictures for this guide, and having no help. I did this 100% on my own. (I don't recommend that)
Here's the Ground Force drop instructions page for page, just in case you need them. (Will upload later)
1. Start by measuring each corner of the truck from the top of the tire, to the top of the fender. Record this. Mine was 4" in the front and 7 1/8th" in the rear.
2. Jack the truck by the frame. Make sure it's securely on there. You don't want your drop to look like this.
3. Try to keep the lift only approx 4-6 inches off the ground to help with removal/installation.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/img1016vw.jpg/
Rear Removal/Installation
4. Place a floor jack under the rear axle(differential) for support. You'll need this a little later on.
5. Remove the rear tires, then the wheel well liners. You'll need them removed for the next step... TRUST ME! It's only 8-10 small bolts, then just pull like hell and it'll come out.
6. Remove the rear shocks. I believe this was a 19mm socket. The lower shock mount bolt was easy to remove, while the upper was hard as hell. The upper inner nut is almost impossible to get out without "Shady Maintenance". The shock mount is recessed in making it impossible to get a socket squarely onto the nut, and the bed rails leave almost no room for a wrench or ratchet. I used a small wratched with the socket and just smashed it onto the top part of the nut, then used an air impact gun on the bolt head. The nut will spin inside the socket a lil, cause you can't get the socket onto it squarely... but put enough pressure and it'll come off.
7. Disconnect the rear anti-lock brake sensor line plastic clip from the brake assembly so it wont be in the way. Don't over extend the brake lines, or this wire or you'll be sorry. So watch it when your lowering the truck later to remove the coils, cause it'll get close!
8. Remove the lower sway bar connecting hardware from the sway bar end link, and also it's mount, then set the them aside.
9. Now, carefully lower the floor jack under the rear differential till your coils either fall out, or you have enough room to pull them out. BE CAREFUL TO WATCH YOUR BRAKE LINES/WIRES ON BOTH SIDES WHEN LOWERING THE FLOOR JACK, AS THEY WILL HANG, AND COULD POSSIBLY RIP OUT!
10. Save the rubber pads and the insulators that were on top of your coil springs. Look how were installed, so you can reinstall them the same way on your new coils.
11. Replace the bump stops. This is easy, no explanation necessary.
12. If your kit came with coil sleeves, install them on the the new rear coils starting at the top. (end of the coil with top wraps/ Ground force logo will face up) They will only cover half the coil spring. These help with any noise or squeeks once the coils have the trucks weight on them.
13. Put the stock rubber pad/insulater onto the new coils. Make sure they the top coil ends are lined up perfectly with the insulator pad, just like they were with the original springs. Should be an impression from the old coils.
14. Put the coils onto the lower sprin seat, twist them a lil to get them to seat if needed, and ensure the upper insulator pad is still seated properly.
15. Carefully jack up the axle with the floor jack to seat the springs, stopping after every couple inches to check the seating.
16. Install the new shocks, same as the old ones were removed.
17. DRILLING PART! New sway bar mount needs to be drilled. Measure and mark with a punch 13/16" in from the rear, and 1 5/8th" from the top. Then drill a 1/2" hole for on both sides of the truck for the sway bars to mount to.
18. Mount the sway bar end links with the new spacer supplied, on the outside of the new mount hole. Then install the lower sway bar end link onto the sway bar, but this time connect the bushing from the outside, vs. the inside like it was originally installed.
(PIC LATER)
19. Look over everything you've touched, and make sure they're torque down "good'n'tight", and everything is installed correctly.
20. Install the rear wheel well liners, and wheels.
21. Lower the floor jack and remove from the area.
See next post for Front Install! :********:
This guide is for any coil spring drop (front and rear) and install of rear shocks. This drop kit was Ground Force's 2/3 inch lowering kit, Drop Part # 9984 for 2009-2011 Hemi Quad cab/Crew cabs. Lets begin...:********:
Took me 6 hours to complete this at the base hobby shop with all the tools I would need... and that was with taking all the pictures for this guide, and having no help. I did this 100% on my own. (I don't recommend that)
Here's the Ground Force drop instructions page for page, just in case you need them. (Will upload later)
1. Start by measuring each corner of the truck from the top of the tire, to the top of the fender. Record this. Mine was 4" in the front and 7 1/8th" in the rear.
2. Jack the truck by the frame. Make sure it's securely on there. You don't want your drop to look like this.
3. Try to keep the lift only approx 4-6 inches off the ground to help with removal/installation.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/img1016vw.jpg/
Rear Removal/Installation
4. Place a floor jack under the rear axle(differential) for support. You'll need this a little later on.
5. Remove the rear tires, then the wheel well liners. You'll need them removed for the next step... TRUST ME! It's only 8-10 small bolts, then just pull like hell and it'll come out.
6. Remove the rear shocks. I believe this was a 19mm socket. The lower shock mount bolt was easy to remove, while the upper was hard as hell. The upper inner nut is almost impossible to get out without "Shady Maintenance". The shock mount is recessed in making it impossible to get a socket squarely onto the nut, and the bed rails leave almost no room for a wrench or ratchet. I used a small wratched with the socket and just smashed it onto the top part of the nut, then used an air impact gun on the bolt head. The nut will spin inside the socket a lil, cause you can't get the socket onto it squarely... but put enough pressure and it'll come off.
7. Disconnect the rear anti-lock brake sensor line plastic clip from the brake assembly so it wont be in the way. Don't over extend the brake lines, or this wire or you'll be sorry. So watch it when your lowering the truck later to remove the coils, cause it'll get close!
8. Remove the lower sway bar connecting hardware from the sway bar end link, and also it's mount, then set the them aside.
9. Now, carefully lower the floor jack under the rear differential till your coils either fall out, or you have enough room to pull them out. BE CAREFUL TO WATCH YOUR BRAKE LINES/WIRES ON BOTH SIDES WHEN LOWERING THE FLOOR JACK, AS THEY WILL HANG, AND COULD POSSIBLY RIP OUT!
10. Save the rubber pads and the insulators that were on top of your coil springs. Look how were installed, so you can reinstall them the same way on your new coils.
11. Replace the bump stops. This is easy, no explanation necessary.
12. If your kit came with coil sleeves, install them on the the new rear coils starting at the top. (end of the coil with top wraps/ Ground force logo will face up) They will only cover half the coil spring. These help with any noise or squeeks once the coils have the trucks weight on them.
13. Put the stock rubber pad/insulater onto the new coils. Make sure they the top coil ends are lined up perfectly with the insulator pad, just like they were with the original springs. Should be an impression from the old coils.
14. Put the coils onto the lower sprin seat, twist them a lil to get them to seat if needed, and ensure the upper insulator pad is still seated properly.
15. Carefully jack up the axle with the floor jack to seat the springs, stopping after every couple inches to check the seating.
16. Install the new shocks, same as the old ones were removed.
17. DRILLING PART! New sway bar mount needs to be drilled. Measure and mark with a punch 13/16" in from the rear, and 1 5/8th" from the top. Then drill a 1/2" hole for on both sides of the truck for the sway bars to mount to.
18. Mount the sway bar end links with the new spacer supplied, on the outside of the new mount hole. Then install the lower sway bar end link onto the sway bar, but this time connect the bushing from the outside, vs. the inside like it was originally installed.
(PIC LATER)
19. Look over everything you've touched, and make sure they're torque down "good'n'tight", and everything is installed correctly.
20. Install the rear wheel well liners, and wheels.
21. Lower the floor jack and remove from the area.
See next post for Front Install! :********:
Last edited: