Tuff Country 12710 - GM 73-87 1/2 ton 2 box kit - Manual (Page 3)

catch the brake fluid that will leak out. After the
installation is complete, the brake lines will need to
be bleed. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
See Illustration # 1
4. Place a pair of hydraulic floor jacks under the front
axle. Place one hydraulic floor jack on the driver side and
one on the passenger side.
5. Working on the driver side, remove the stock U-bolts
from the stock location. The stock U-bolts and hardware
may be discarded. Repeat procedure on the passenger
side.
6. Carefully lower down on both hydraulic floor jacks at
the same time approximately 3”. This will allow enough
room for the new front springs to be installed into the
stock location.
7. Working on the driver side, remove the stock spring
from the stock location. The stock front spring, stock
front spring hanger hardware and stock front spring
shackle hardware may be discarded. Repeat procedure
on the passenger side.
8. Locate the new front leaf springs. Working on the front
and rear eyelet’s of the front springs, remove the new
sleeves and bushings from each end and set a side for
later re-installation.
9. Locate the new polyurethane lube packs. Spread the
new polyurethane over the new bushings that were
removed from step # 8 and re-install them back into the
new front spring assembly. Make sure to re-install the
new sleeves. Special Note: Make sure to use the new
polyurethane lube packs prior to inserting the new
bushings back into the new front springs. This will
increase the life of the bushing, prevent squeaking
and help with ride quality.
10. Locate the new front spring eye hardware. Working
on the driver side, install the new front spring into the
stock location and secure using the new spring eye
hardware. Make sure to use thread locker or locktite
on these bolts. Torque the front spring eye hanger
hardware to 120 ft lbs. Special Note: Do not torque
the front spring eye shackle hardware at this time.
Once the vehicle is lowered to the ground, the front
spring eye shackle will be torque to 40 ft lbs. Repeat
procedure on the passenger side.
See Illustration # 2 / Front Spring Hanger
See Illustration # 3 / Front Spring Shackle
11. Carefully raise up on both hydraulic floor jacks at the
same time until the newly installed front springs seat
properly to the stock front spring perches.
12. Locate (2) new 5/8” x 3” x 7 5/8” Round U-bolts, (4)
5/8” U-bolt High Nuts and (4) 5/8” U-bolt Washers.
Working on the driver side, install the new U-bolts into
the stock location and secure using the new U-bolt high
nuts and washers. Torque to 130 ft lbs.
See Illustration # 4
13. Locate (1) new 5/8” x 3” x 7 5/8” Round U-bolt, (1)
new 5/8” x 3 1/2” x 9 5/8” Round U-bolt, (4) 5/8” U-bolt
High Nuts and (4) 5/8” U-bolt Washers. Working on the
passenger side, install the new 5/8” x 3 1/2” x 9 5/8”
round U-bolt into the stock location around the stock
front differential inside location. Secure using the new U-
bolt high nuts and washers. Secure the new 5/8” x 3” x 7
5/8” round U-bolt into the stock outside location. Secure
using the new U-bolt high nuts and washers. Torque to
130 ft lbs.
See Illustration # 5
14. Carefully remove both hydraulic floor jacks from
under the front differential.
15. Locate (2) larger brake line relocation brackets, (2)
5/16” x 1” bolts, (4) 5/16” flat washers and (2) 5/16”
unitorque nuts. Working on the driver side, secure the
new brake line extending bracket to the stock location
and secure using the new 5/16” x 1” bolt and hardware.
Torque to 18 ft lbs. Make sure to use thread locker or
locktite on these bolts. Repeat procedure on the
passenger side.
16. Working on the driver side, move the stock hard
brake line located in the inner part of the frame rail under
the stock frame. Reconnect the hard line and the soft line
together back together around the new brake line
extending bracket that was installed in step # 15. Repeat
procedure on the passenger side.
See Illustration # 6
17. Working on the driver side, install the new front
shocks absorbers using the stock hardware removed
from step # 2 . Special Note: Shocks are not included
with this suspension system, shocks need to be
ordered as a separate part number, Tuff Country EZ-
Ride Suspension recommends using a 20” fully
extended nitrogen gas shocks. If the vehicle that you
are working on has the dual shock option, Tuff
Country EZ-Ride Suspension recommends using a
23” fully extended cellular gas shock for the auxiliary
shock. Repeat procedure on passenger side.
See Illustration # 6
18. Install the tires and wheels and carefully lower the
vehicle to the ground.
19. With the weight of the vehicle on the ground, torque
the top and bottom spring eye shackle bolts on the driver
and passenger side to 40 ft lbs.
Front End Installation Complete