Tuff Country 10895 - GM 88-98 Traction Bars - Manual (Page 3)

Traction bar installation:
1. To begin installation, block the front tires of the vehicle so
that the vehicle is stable and can’t roll forward. Safely lift the
rear of the vehicle and support the frame with a pair of jack
stands. Place a jack stand on both the driver and passenger
side. Next remove the wheels and tires from both sides and
set aside for later installation.
2. Working on the rear axle, place a pair of hydraulic floor
jacks under the rear differential. Place one on the driver side
and one on the passenger side. Carefully raise up on the
hydraulic floor jacks until they make contact with the rear
axle.
3. Locate the new rear traction bar bracket. Working on the
driver side, remove the u-bolt’s from the stock location and
set the u-bolts and hardware aside for later installation. The
stock upper u-bolt plate may be discarded. Install the new
rear traction bar bracket where the stock upper u-bolt plate
was located and secure using the u-bolt’s and hardware.
Torque to 120 ft lbs. Repeat procedure on the passenger
side.
Photo # 1
4. Locate the new rear traction bars. Also, locate (4) PB2408
poly bushings and (2) S10082 crush sleeves from hardware
bag 10795NB1. Install the new poly bushings and sleeves
into each end of the new rear traction bars. Special note:
Make sure to use a lithium or moly base grease prior to
inserting the new bushings and sleeves into the new
rear traction bars. This will help increase the life of the
bushing as well as help prevent squeaking.
5. Working on the driver side, hold the all thread part of the
new rear traction bar up to the stock spring hanger and
scribe a mark. Special note: When doing this we want to
make sure that once the hole is drilled we have enough
material that we will not damaged the stock spring hang-
er. Carefully drill a 7/8” hole into the stock spring hanger.
Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
6. Locate (4) new MO3809 poly bushings, (4) S10113 over
size washers and (4) 1/2” fine nuts from hardware bag
10795NB1. On both rear traction bars, install (1) new 1/2”
fine nut all the way up the all thread on the new rear traction
bar. Slide the new over size washer onto the all thread and
then install the MO3808 poly bushing. Working on the driver
side, install the new rear traction bar to the previously drilled
hole into the stock spring hanger. Secure using the new
MO3808 poly bushing, over size washer and the new 1/2”
fine nut. Do not tighten at this point. Repeat procedure on
the passenger side.
7. Locate (2) new 9/16” x 3 1/2” bolts, (4) 1/2” USS flat wash-
ers, (2) 9/16” unitorque nuts from hardware bag 10795NB1.
Working on the driver side, install the rear traction bar to the
previously installed rear traction bar bracket and secure
using the new 9/16” x 3 1/2” bolt and hardware. Special
note: Make sure to use thread locker or lock tite. Torque
to 80 ft lbs. Also, there are (3) holes on the new rear trac-
tion bar bracket, we want to install the traction bar to the
center hole, if this does not work on the vehicle that you
are working on, install the new rear traction bar to the
hole that best fits your vehicle. Repeat procedure on the
passenger side.
Photo # 2
8. Carefully remove the hydraulic floor jacks from under the
rear differential.
9. Re-install the tires and wheels and carefully lower the
vehicle to the ground.
10. With the weight of the vehicle on the ground, working on
the driver side, tighten the front and rear 1/2” fine nut that
connects the rear traction bar to the stock spring hanger.
Torque to 45 ft lbs. Repeat procedure on the passenger
side.
Photo # 3
11. Check and double check to make sure that all steps were
performed properly.
12. Photo # 4 is a complete photo of the rear traction bar
installed on the driver side.
Congratulations, installation complete!
Special note: After the completion of the installation,
Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension recommends taking
the vehicle to an alignment shop and having a proper
front end alignment performed.
Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension recommends that a
complete re-torque is done on all bolts associated with
this suspension system. It is the customers responsibil-
ity to make sure that a re-torque is performed on all
hardware associated with this suspension system after
the first 100 miles of installation. It is also the customers
responsibility to do a complete re-torque after every
3000 miles or after every off road use. Neglect of follow-
ing these steps could cause brackets to come loose and
cause serious damage to the suspension system and to
the vehicle.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free
to contact Tuff Country or your local Tuff Country deal-
er.