installing spindles?
 

so i ordered my spindles from my buddy at fabtech so instead of paying a huge cost for labor somewhere else, i was thinking about installing them myself. I was wondering if I am way over my head here or if it's not really that bad. I have a whole weekend. Any tips?

They are not hard if you have ever replaced your rotors. I dont know about the rear. Just remember to regrease your wheel bearings before using them agian.

Cool. Any ideas of how long the process takes or any special pullers of any sort? I just wanna make sure I have everything set before I start so I can just knock it out rather than get half way through and realize i need something. thanks

air tools are definatly a plus if you have access to them. I also believe your gonna need a fork thingy to disconnect the lower ball joints (you can rent the tool at autozone). Also your gonna need longer brake lines, or what people do is dissconect it from the frame and move it lower but im not sure. Have fun and take lots of pics

When were you thinking of doing it? I know I won't be home from school until Thanksgiving, but If you were going to wait that long anyway you could bring it to my house and we could have it done in a day.

well i was thinking about getting it done this weekend, but the guy never got the part so he told me he would get it monday. I work full time and then also work evenings at ups, so my time during the weekdays are strapped. I need my truck next weekend so head out to barstow to go camping... blah blah blah. I was just thinking about dishing out some extra $ and just pay the labor to have it done somewhere.

They're fairly easy. You absolutely have to have a good jack and jack stands. You don't need any special tools unless you're going to replace the ball joints. The pickle forks are fine and well but it screws up the boots on them sometimes. Loosen the ball joint nuts to the end of the stud and take a sledge hammer to the side of the spindle where the ball joint is and it will jar itself loose. Then slowly remove it so you don't kill yourself. When you put the new spindle on put it on the upper ball joint first and start the nut on it and then with that side lifted in the air and the lower control arm under a jack stand lower it until that ball joint goes in the hole and you're set. It's probably 2 or 3 hours a side if you've never done it and you have no clue, but if you've done them before it's a 30 minute job.

30 minutes? That's pretty darn fast John. I've lifted 5 Rangers now and the whole lift takes me ~4-5 hours (rear included). You must be workin' very fast to get done in 30 minutes a side.

http://www.fabtechmotorsports.com/pd...on%20Sheet.pdf

These are the instructions to that set of spindles. Is the cutting necessary and is there anyone on here that has done it a different way?

i would be willing to bet tommy reff could do it in 30 minutes/side...(that is just the front)... not counting the rear.. would be diff, depending on what you are doing on the rear...

I highly doubt that. I haven't even seen shops with complete air tools and supplies do it in under that.

Nice Lift
 

My friend put a fabtech left on his truck he did it himeself, I am planning on getting one for my truck...if u dont mind me askin about how much did u pay for it??? The ones I have been looking at with shocks and everything is runnin about 900-1000, Dont know if that is a good price or not. My friend said that air tools are a big plus, it took him about 6 hours to do the whole truck and that was his first time...good luck...but if you dont mind can u tell me about how much u paid so i can get a better idea of what i will be out...

900-1000 is a ton of money for a lift. With shocks, spindles, aal's, camber kit, and other hardware I only paid about $550 on my last truck.

Lift
 

Thats what I thouhgt about it but my friend said thats what he paid for his fabtech lift...havent got one yet, trying to save up some money first so I can get one...

his price would be skewed also he got hooked UP by a buddy so its worthless info except for boasting ya lucky sumamabish lol

yea that kinda suck...i have hook ups on tires and stuff but not on lifts which SUCKS!! LOL ohhh well make me work a little harder to get it!!!!

yeh my price wouldn't be accurate since I know a guy at fabtech. I paid 400 for spindles, aal's, shocks, and cam kit plus all hardware.

u SUCK...lifts are the only things I dont have connection on!!! LOL oh well

yeh... my buddy is pretty pissed at me for it right now too. he just spend 1200 for a 5.5 kit and i could have saved him big. But expect to pay around 7 or so for the whole kit.

thanks

Well I have all air tools and when you work against the clock at a dealership you get pretty good at them. The most time consuming part is gathering exactly the tools you need for a job and after that it's all easy unless you own a Dodge Caravan.

True, air tools are a commocity I don't have, though I wish I did. Old school mechanics' tools take too much elbow grease, haha.