Suspension Tech General discussion of suspension for the Ford Ranger.

So u want to install an add-a-leaf??

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Old 07-26-2010
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So u want to install an add-a-leaf??

well i put an aal in my bronco II the other day and took alot of pics, so i thought i would make a write up. But if u get hurt or fawk up your rig, its not my fault. Take your time!

First thing u do is jack up the rear and support the frame with jackstands, its easier to do one side at a time, then try both at the same time.

Second, take the wheel off, and loosen the ubolts that hold the spring on the axle


Some people choose to take the whole leaf out, but i chose to leave them in to do the aal, it is alot easier with them removed and using a vice.

Next undo the rear sway bar link if so equiped


Now place a jack under the side of the axle you are working on(i put it under the shock mount), and lower the axle. Then take the right size socket and vice grip pliers and remove the centering pin, its usefull to use a c-clamp to hold the springs together( DO NOT PUT YOUR HANDS BETWEEN THE SPRINGS AND AXLE WHILE DOING THIS)


The pack will start to come apart


This is the pack removed from the main leaf

Here is the main leaf, still on the vehicle


Ok now the fun part. put your aal in with your other leafs where it is the correct length with the others in the pack (top longer, bottom shorter), then run your new centering pin through the holes up through the main leaf


If your centering pin isnt long enough use a c-clamp to pull the leafs together far enough to get it through and get a nuts length threaded on

Here is the finished product


Now reinstall the ubolts

and reinstall the sway bar links and do other side

Hope this helps, ive seen some instructions that come with aal's that have no pics, and i figured this would help out some noobies :thefinger:
 
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Old 07-26-2010
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good write-up! thats exactly how I did mine!
 
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Old 07-26-2010
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ive musta dont it a hundred times, on different rigs, and helping out my buddies, and came to the conclusion that for a first timer the directions suck
 
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Old 07-26-2010
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nice write-up

but you never re-use u-bolts

always use new 1`s
 
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Old 07-26-2010
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ive always reused them if they were long enough, i locktite my junk with blue locktite, never had a problem, even when serious hardcore wheeling in my old jeep

they should have at least a enough threads to come up through the top of the nut when tightend. mine had 2 aal's (dunno y) so i took them both out a while back, and decided to put one back in, which made it even harder to get the nut on the centering pin, because it had already been cut down after the install
 
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Old 07-26-2010
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the u-bolts stretch when you torque them down

to the point of failure if you continually re-use them
 
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Old 07-26-2010
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Originally Posted by cheese_man
the u-bolts stretch when you torque them down

to the point of failure if you continually re-use them
hes got a point.
ubolts arent cheap either...but there is a point to it.

also, i find it like 10x easier having the leafs out of the truck...makes the retorquing process easier to deal with.

and id use two clamps...if that one clamp broke...you'd be screwed.
 
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Old 07-27-2010
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i used 2 of them, i just did that for the pic, although it wont go flying apart and shoot everywhere like a coil spring would
 
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Old 07-30-2010
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Originally Posted by The_Dealer
i locktite my junk
jajajajajajajajaajaa im imature sorry
 
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