3" SL questions

[Weerez935]

I already have done a pml with HD tie rods and idler arm brace.
So would I just need ucas and ball joints or would I also need new torsion bars.

Also there are a lot of steering problem threads, are those related to the 3" SL or 33s

 

[NismoFire]

You're halfway done with the SL with the PML. The IAB doesn't have anything to do with the lift- it just strengthens the weakest part of the steering.

New TBs aren't necessary, but recommended. I'm running a PML with 32s on aluminum wheels and have zero issues. The bars haven't sagged at all, and I did my PML a year and a half ago.

Ball joints are definitely recommended. When I complete my SL, I'll be doing this and TREs as well.


Not sure which steering problems you're referring to. The truck is going to handle differently with the 33s as well as the lift, regardless. Specific ones in mind?

 

[Weerez935]

I was looking at the 4x4 parts kit (the 395$ not the long travel) or the calimini.

Also wouldn't I need new leaf springs or AALs?

 

[Prime]

The 3" lift is completed by installing aftermarket upper control arms and cranking the torsion bars in the front. As Nis said, new torsion bars are not required...but recommended. In the rear, lift shackles and an AAL are traditional. There are other ways to go. You can do completely new leaf packs if you want to drop the coin.

 

[Weerez935]

Add a leaf
Or the 3 leaf?

 

[Prime]

The AAL pack is two leafs from Calmini. Thats what I have in mine. There are so many options when it comes to rear leafs. a 2-Leaf AAL and lift shackles are the standard. There is thread upon thread of information about the leaf packs. SO many options from completely new leaf packs, to 3-Leaf add on packs, to anything else that will give you the lift you need. Regardless of how you structure the leafs, I'd still recommend the lift shackles as it gives you extra droop and high flex situations.

 

[Weerez935]

I have 4x4 lift shackles from my pml

I'll check out the calimini. Currently I'm looking for the cheaper route.

There both about the same any preference between AC or calimini?

 

[Prime]

Okay, so all you need to do is re-arch your leafs. Either from the calmini 2-Leaf AAL or one of the options that AC provides.

 

[Weerez935]

Would you guys trust a local shop to do a bl or SL?

I'm not comfortable doing it myself and I'm out here in northeast texas lol

 

[caseycamby]

I would say go with AC. I've never bought from Calmini but I've read some nightmare stories on things taking several, several months to ship. I would say it wouldn't be as bad with just the leafs but you never know.

ACs customer service is top notch. I've ordered several things from them and I've never had one bad experience.

 

[Xterrafauss]

Would you guys trust a local shop to do a bl or SL?

I'm not comfortable doing it myself and I'm out here in northeast texas lol

If you aren't comfortable doing it yourself then don't do it man. It's a lot easier to screw something up when you are doing something you aren't totally confident with than to get it right. Shop it if you must, but remember you get what you pay for. Don't send it to a shop for cheap price, send it to the one you trust.....


What you may save in labor now you might end up paying double for in repairs later....just my 0.02

 

[TKDx00]

I got the AC UCA's and installed them w/o any problems other than rusted on bolts. Got their HD TB's as well but haven't installed them yet (lazy). I'm one of those horror stories with Calmini. In fact I'm still fighting with them, well my lawyer is. I'll never do business with them again.

 

[drbandkgb]

I can share bad stories from bit AC and Calmini..

I ended up with the single leaf to finish out my rear.. Had it on and done in 30mins.

Either UCA options are good. When you do this I do recommend changing out the bottom ball joint. You are already there so it doesn't take too much more effort.

 

[TKDx00]

... When you do this I do recommend changing out the bottom ball joint. You are already there so it doesn't take too much more effort.

Now you tell me...lol ...Wish someone had told me this when I did mine.

 

[Prime]

Now you tell me...lol ...Wish someone had told me this when I did mine.

Lulz. I thought that would just be logical

 

[TKDx00]

:uhhh: UHHH I did look into replacing the entire LCA/LBJ but got the impression that there was no HD replacement part, just stock for the LCA. Also that the LBJ had to be pressed in. I didn't have the $ nor a press. Is the LBJ just a bolt in part?

 

[Muadeeb]

LBJ is a 'bolt' in replacement. A press helps to remove it, but there's only a huge 1 7/8" nut holding it in place.

 

[Xterrafauss]

It's coming out anyways just beat the piss out of it :bmmd:

 

[Intender]

Just did my lbj the weekend before nxm. It was much easier to beat the old ones out with a hammer than to press them out with the little hand press I rented, but the press made them much easier to put in. You can just put them in far enough to get a thread on the nut and then keep tightening them up till they are in the whole way. I bought a 1 7/8 wrench and a socket from northern tool and couldnt get the socket on the nut far enough to get a bite, but the wrench worked perfectly. I paid less than $30 for both of them from there. I got the lbj from NAPA. They sell two different lines of parts, a cheap one and a better one, I went with the high dollar ones which were about $80 each. There are a handful of other tools you will need to do the job, but its really not that hard, just time consuming.

As for the uca and ball joints, those just depend on how much rust you have. My cam bolts came out with ease. Only hard part was getting the ball joint out, tried the pickle fork with no luck, but with a torch and 5lb sledge the popped out pretty quick.

 

[Xterraforce]

I went with the UCAs and three leaf AAL from AC. Since I was also adding Revolver shackles which add 3/4 inch lift I decided on leaving out the lower (shortest) spring from the AAL pack and also removing the stock overload, hoping for just less than three inches of lift since I already had a two inch body lift. It ended up giving me more like four inches more lift. I prefer a level stance and I'm now at roughly a factory rake with the front turned up as high as I can go and still have a decent ride and proper spacing at the upper bumps. I plan to pull the the upper (longest) spring from the AAL and see how does with just the middle one, since that one has the extra spring clamps riveted to it. If that drops the rear too much I'll try putting the short AAL leaf back in. I've been loving the extra clearance but with right around six inches of total lift it's just a bit too much for my 33s.

 

[NMTerras]

Only as to the shackles, I prefer the Calmini to the AC. AC is huge, and has that center pin brace in it that seems unnecessary and maybe counterproductive. That said, I had my leafs re-arched, added another leaf at the spring shop, plus the original AAL that came with my SL kit, took out the overload spring, and kept my stock shackle. --> 3" of rear lift.

 

[lbishop]

Im running a deaver 2nd gen aal + revolver shackles in the rear. Im setting about inch or inch and quarter rake.