Has anyone installed strut spacers on their own? Any advice?

[ayo_wrt]

I am gonna attempt to install strut spacers this weekend on my own and I think I have all the tools mainly just worried about torque specs. I am trying to follow both the goat offroad instructions and the rough country instructions. Any advice for while I am down there?

also I have a good spring compressor dont worry.

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[jordantii]

Do you have a torque wrench that goes to 400 lb/ft?

 

[ayo_wrt]

Do you have a torque wrench that goes to 400 lb/ft?

Thats the thing that lost me I found different torque specs so I didnt know which one to use but I do have one that can hit that. Which screw needs that high of a spec is it the 21?

 

[jordantii]

I'm pretty sure it's the lower nut and bolt on the front coil overs. Look here:
https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/threads/the-ultimate-guide-to-lifting-your-ranger-raptor.20481/page-9

 

[yerkool]

I am gonna attempt to install strut spacers this weekend on my own and I think I have all the tools mainly just worried about torque specs. I am trying to follow both the goat offroad instructions and the rough country instructions. Any advice for while I am down there?

also I have a good spring compressor dont worry.

It’s pretty simple, and also there’s lots of YouTube vids out there but make sure you get the right proper torque specs and wrench.

Personally, I would go full on coil over leveling kit in the front, much more natural to the front suspension and with all that work one has to do, it would be better to do a coil over especially if one goes out trail riding ones a month. Much better and safer for suspension, just my two cents.

 

[ayo_wrt]

It’s pretty simple, and also there’s lots of YouTube vids out there but make sure you get the right proper torque specs and wrench.

Personally, I would go full on coil over leveling kit in the front, much more natural to the front suspension and with all that work one has to do, it would be better to do a coil over especially if one goes out trail riding ones a month. Much better and safer for suspension, just my two cents.

I mean hey i would like to go to the 3.2s but doing coilovers is much more expensive and something id like to do down the line.

 

[Dillon M]

I did top hat spacers a couple months ago. Rears are easy, just make sure you have your jack in a good position, once the shock is out nothing is holding the axle up, so you can't adjust the jack position. The fronts take longer because of the bars and taking the upper arm out of the knuckle.

The biggest thing with the struts is making sure that the upper bolts are in the correct orientation before re-installing the strut. The struts are awkward to hold and if the bolts are off by even a couple degrees, it won't fit.

What torque specs are you looking for? I have the Ford workshop manual for the 24 RR and can look up torques specs/ removal procedures. Although, you can't really get a torque wrench on most of the bolts.

 

[ayo_wrt]

I did top hat spacers a couple months ago. Rears are easy, just make sure you have your jack in a good position, once the shock is out nothing is holding the axle up, so you can't adjust the jack position. The fronts take longer because of the bars and taking the upper arm out of the knuckle.

The biggest thing with the struts is making sure that the upper bolts are in the correct orientation before re-installing the strut. The struts are awkward to hold and if the bolts are off by even a couple degrees, it won't fit.

What torque specs are you looking for? I have the Ford workshop manual for the 24 RR and can look up torques specs/ removal procedures. Although, you can't really get a torque wrench on most of the bolts.

That was another difficulty I was thinking it would be tough to get a torque wrench down there but my 3/8 wrench is not that big I am mainly worried about my 3/4 for getting to 550nm. These are the torque specs I was able to find I am just hoping I got them right.

 

[PatrickT]

Yes, those are the right torque specs. The biggest challenge on tightening them is you are supposed to torque them down while the suspension is loaded( on the ground). To accomplish that I put the nuts on there somewhat loose and then lowered the truck and drove it up on ramps. Once on the ramps I torqued it down using a long cheater bar on a 3/4” racket and torque adapter that could go that high. It was difficult but I was able to do it. Without the ramps I don’t know how you could torque those down while the truck is on the ground. Just no room to work. I did the same thing you plan to do (using both sets of directions). It worked for me but figuring out how to torque everything down while the suspension was loaded was important. I didn’t do that at first and I had some clanking noises. I loosened and retightened everything while it was loaded and that fixed my noise issues.

 

[ayo_wrt]

Yes, those are the right torque specs. The biggest challenge on tightening them is you are supposed to torque them down while the suspension is loaded( on the ground). To accomplish that I put the nuts on there somewhat loose and then lowered the truck and drove it up on ramps. Once on the ramps I torqued it down using a long cheater bar on a 3/4” racket and torque adapter that could go that high. It was difficult but I was able to do it. Without the ramps I don’t know how you could torque those down while the truck is on the ground. Just no room to work. I did the same thing you plan to do (using both sets of directions). It worked for me but figuring out how to torque everything down while the suspension was loaded was important. I didn’t do that at first and I had some clanking noises. I loosened and retightened everything while it was loaded and that fixed my noise issues.

Thanks for the advice hopefully my torque wrench can fit and i can figure something out but its like 42” long or something so i might just do what you did if it doesnt and find a torque adapter at harbor freight day of.

 

[PatrickT]

Yep, that is what I did. Harbor Freight torque adapter and their cheapest 3/4” drive ratchet. I used the handle off of a floor jack as a cheater bar for it.

 

[Apexrcr]

I just did mine Saturday. Fairly straight forward. Things I'd say are worth noting. The cap instructions they refer to on the rear shock top bolts is only on the driver's side and is there to protect the has tank rubber line. Used stock nut and socket big enough to go over the press bolt to press out easily using a vice. Used dremel tool to cut off the ride height sensor ball. (if you bought the upgrades) torque for lower shock bolts I hit with an impact and just asked the shop that did my alignment to make sure they are at spec and they did it for me. Got that spring compressed on Amazon. Much better than the cheap scary ones. Ride height calibration is easy following there directions.

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