My Leveling Kit Nightmare

[LoneRNGR]

A big thanks to everyone who has posted tips or links to help others avoid this. That is what I was hoping this thread would do.

Here. I post this every few months when someone breaks their truck.
https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxwaBaCnQVg3XK5FdE0nEgqUxT5rLT8c4U

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[airline tech]

To back up to the 1st post, I think it's possible that the over extension can from pulling the Axle Nut, before the truck was raised and the weight of the wheel pulled the Axle Outboard when it came off the ground or when you pulled the wheel off of the hub. A trick to get it back in place is rotate the CV Axle to aid in getting the inner parts aligned again, and sometimes you have a vacuum effect within the boot fighting you as well.

 

[ylwjacket]

To back up to the 1st post, I think it's possible that the over extension can from pulling the Axle Nut, before the truck was raised and the weight of the wheel pulled the Axle Outboard when it came off the ground or when you pulled the wheel off of the hub. A trick to get it back in place is rotate the CV Axle to aid in getting the inner parts aligned again, and sometimes you have a vacuum effect within the boot fighting you as well.

I loosened the nut on the ground, but didn't take it off. All I can figure is the axle slid back into the hub, then stretched out the inner boot when I was leaning on the LCA.

It looks like vacuum effect might be happening.

 

[driverdenali]

Stage 3 has a great guide on YouTube following there way i was Able to do both sides in under an hour, no hubs, no rotors, just pulled the brake caliper off dropped the lca put a crow bar in to seperate the lca and bam slid in new suspension easy.

 

[ylwjacket]

I kept my stock wheels and just replaced the tires. They only had 900 miles on them so I sold them on Craigslist and recouped some money towards the new ones. If you're planning on going off road I'd try and get new tires soon as the Hankooks aren't the best for off roading.

I have the same Eibach kit and while I use to do just about everything myself I paid a shop to do mine. Honestly it was easier to just drop it off and go to a job I know how to do and work to pay for it. lol As I get older I find myself not enjoying working on vehicles like I use to. Hopefully you get it straightened out and can enjoy driving it soon. Good luck!

What tires did you get?

 

[AzScorpion]

What tires did you get?

I got Nitto Ridge Grapplers 265/70/17. But I'm already due to replace them as they really didn't wear all that great. The edges are fine but the centers are really worn and I rotate them every 5,000 miles when I get the oil changed. I'm pretty sure I'm going with the Toyo Open Country AT3's next. Seems like everyone here (and others I know) who have them really like them.

 

[ylwjacket]

Ended up today popping the axle out and repairing the cv joint. Getting the axle out was way easier than I expected.

The issue with the joint was the bearings were pushed hard up against the axle, so they wouldn't go back into their tracks in the end piece. Had to push them back out to give them some play, so they'd slide back in.

Put it all back together, and it's all good.

Will go back and put the leveling kit in next weekend.

 

[Bob902]

Ended up today popping the axle out and tepairing the cv joint. Getting the axle out was way easier than I expected.

The issue with the joint was the bearings were pushed hard up against the axle, so they wouldn't go back into their tracks in the end piece. Had to push them back out to give them some play, so they'd slide back in.

Put it all back together, and it's all good.

Will go back and put the leveling kit in next weekend.

Good to hear you got that fixed. Hopefully the rest of the job will go easy for you.

 

[ylwjacket]

Thanks Bob, and for your help last weekend too. I had up on jackstands all week, as I was traveling for work.

Glad to have it back for sure. I think the install will go much easier next time, as I'll make sure not to overextend the cv joint.

I wish I had taken a pic of how the ball bearing thingies had seized up in there, but I was in the moment, and up to wrists in grease.

 

[Bob902]

Thanks Bob, and for your help last weekend too. I had up on jackstands all week, as I was traveling for work.

Glad to have it back for sure. I think the install will go much easier next time, as I'll make sure not to overextend the cv joint.

I wish I had taken a pic of how the ball bearing thingies had seized up in there, but I was in the moment, and up to wrists in grease.

After all this, you will now be our resident expert on cv joints / front suspension!

 

[ylwjacket]

After all this, you will now be our resident expert on cv joints / front suspension!

ha! you are in trouble my friend.

 

[BettaRanga]

We took off the axle nut and removed LCA for my bilsteins. This was the easy part. The harder part was compressing the spring enough to fit on the bilsteins at 1.8 inch. We had two different spring compressors and just had a lot of issues here. I don’t think I could have done it at 2.5 without another option for compressing the spring. It just did not cooperate.

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