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Tools Needed:
- ⅜ & ½”” Drive Ratchet
- 10mm, 12mm, 27mm Sockets
- 10mm, 12mm, 27mm Wrenches
- Hammer
- Loctite
- Cutoff Wheel
- Welder
- Grinder
- Plasma Cutter
- Paint Pen
- Tape Measure
- Floor Jack and Jack Stands
- Level
- Straight Edge
- Punch
- C-Clamps (2)
- Drill
Installation Notes:
- 1. Read all instructions completely and carefully before you begin.
2. Check to make sure the kit is complete and that no parts are missing. If anything is missing, please contact Trail-Gear at (559) 252-4950.
3. Park vehicle on a clean, dry, at, level surface and block the tires so the vehicle can not roll in either direction.
Installation Instructions:
1. If you have a 3.4L motor, remove the O2 sensor above
resonator and follow step 2, otherwise, skip to step 3.
2. Remove the resonator to give yourself room to cut out the frame rail for the shackle mount.
3. The body mount modification is located under the floorboard
for the shackle mount. Mark 2 1/4” up from the bottom of
the front side of the body mount bracket. Mark 2 1/2” from
the outside of the body mount towards the centered of the
body mount. Follow factory edge and draw lines as shown.
4. Cut along the lines and remove the bracket as shown.
Grind the frame clean.
5. Measure from the inside of the face of the front hanger
mount 45 7/8” and mark the frame. The mark should be
in the center of the big hole in the template. Align the
frame jig as shown with the large hole facing the
outside of the vehicle. Make sure the rear of the jig is in
contact with the frame. Tack weld it in place.
6. A small gap between the frame and the front of the jig
is normal due to frame curvature.
7. Mark the frame through the holes in the bottom of the jig.
8. Outline the jig on the inside of the frame as shown.
9. Cut the larger hole on the outside of the frame with the jig in
place with a hole saw or plasma cutter and then remove the jig.
10. Use a straight edge to connect the lines made with the
jig like the image below.
11. Cut the frame with a plasma cutter along the inside of
the line, clean slag off of the frame.
12. Cut the internal frame support to be flush with the
previous cut and grind clean.
13. Remove the brake line clip from the frame on the
driver’s side above the shackle location.
14. Install shackles into the shackle mount and clamp
into frame with alignment bar installed to make sure
the shackles are square. Make sure the shackles are
29” center to center. Note: Manual transmissions can
run the alignment tube through shackle box mount.
15. Below is an example of incorrect fitment. Notice the mount
sticking out below the frame.
16. Below is the correct fitment of the mount. Notice how
the bottom of the mount is even and almost flush
against the bottom of the frame.
17. Below is an example of incorrect fitment. The shackles
need to be parallel.
18. Below is the correct fitment of the shackles. Notice how
they are parallel.
19. Once the shackles are straight and at the correct
distance apart (29” center of shackle to center of
shackle), tack weld the tube into the frame.
20. Once the shackle mount is tacked into the frame,
clamp the support plate to the frame and tack it into
place.
21. Weld the support plate to the frame.
22. Remove poly bushing and weld the shackle tube to the
frame.
23. Install the shackle mount boxing bracket on top of the
shackle mount and weld it into place.
24. Weld the shackle mount to the bottom of the frame.
25. Grind the weld smooth.
26. Place the bottom frame support bracket on the bottom of
the frame and tack the rear portion to the frame.
27. Clamp the front portion of the support to the frame to
form it to the frame curve and tack it into place.
28. Finish welding the bottom support plate.
29. For 3” springs we recommend starting off with the
front hanger 44 1/2” from the shackle bolt center to
bolt center and move it approximately 3/8” forward for
4” springs and 3/4” forward for 5” springs. Note, these
are only recommendations to verify location.
30. Tack weld the spring hanger into place, centering it
upon the mount.
31. Install springs and axle. Place the weight of the vehicle on
the springs to ensure proper shackle angle is achieved. We
recommend a 90° shackle angle during initial setup to allow
for spring break-in.
32. Tack weld the body mount gussets into place.
33. Fully weld the body mount gussets to the frame and
body mount bracket.
