Tuff Country 10890 - GM 88-98 Ladder Bars - Manual (Page 3)

Rear ladder bar installation:
1. To begin installation, block the front tires of the vehicle so
that the vehicle is stable and can not roll forward. Safely lift
the rear of the vehicle and place a pair of jack stands on the
driver and passenger side of the vehicle. Remove the rear
wheels and tires from the vehicle.
2. Place a pair of hydraulic floor jacks under the rear differ-
ential. Place one on the driver side side and one on the pas-
senger side. Carefully raise up on both hydraulic floor jacks
at the same time until the jacks come into contact with the
rear axle.
3. Working on the driver side, remove the (2) front u-bolt nuts
and save for later re-installation. Repeat procedure on the
passenger side.
4. Locate the new rear ladder bar axle brackets. Working on
the driver side, install the new rear ladder bar axle brackets
to the front legs of the u-bolts. Secure using the front u-bolt
nuts.Torque to 115 ft lbs. Repeat procedure on the passen-
ger side. Carefully remove the hydraulic floor jacks from
under the rear differential. Install the tires and wheels and
carefully lower the vehicle to the ground.
Special note: The rest of the installation will be per-
formed with the weight of the vehicle on the ground. If
the rest of the installation is not performed with the
weight of the vehicle on the ground, proper fitment may
not occur.
5. Locate the new rear ladder bars. Also, locate (8) new poly
bushings and (4) new crush sleeves that were packaged
with installer copy of the instruction manual. Install the new
poly bushings and sleeves into each end of the new rear lad-
der bars. Special note: Make sure to use a lithium or
moly base grease prior to inserting the new bushings
into the new rear ladder bars. This will help increase the
life of the bushing as well as help prevent squeaking.
6. Locate (2) new 1/2” x 3 1/2” bolts, (2) 1/2” unitorque nuts
and (4) 7/16” USS flat washers from hardware bag
10890NB. Working on the driver side, install the new rear
ladder bar to the newly installed axle mount bracket and
secure using the new 1/2” x 3 1/2” bolt and hardware.
Special note: Do not tighten at this point. Also, the rear
ladder bar will be installed with the cut out holes
towards the front of the vehicle and also the bar welded
between the 2 eyelets will be installed towards the sky.
Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
7. Locate the new front ladder bar frame mount brackets.
Also, locate (2) new 1/2” x 3 1/2” bolts, (2) 1/2” unitorque
nuts and (4) 7/16” USS flat washers from hardware bag
10890NB. Working on the driver side, install the new front
ladder bar frame mount bracket to the previously installed
rear ladder bars and secure using the new 1/2” x 3 1/2” bolt
and hardware. Do not tighten at this point. Repeat proce-
dure on the passenger side.
8. Working on the driver side, swing the new front ladder bar
frame mount bracket up until it meets the stock frame rail.
Hold the new front bracket to the frame rail with 2 pair of vise
grips. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
9. Working on the driver side, remove the ladder bar from the
frame mount brackets and save the new 1/2” x 3 1/2” bolts
and hardware for later installation. Repeat procedure on the
passenger side.
10. Working on the driver side, and using the new bracket as
a guide, carefully drill (2) 1/2” holes into the bottom of the
stock frame rail. Drill in the far forward hole and the far rear-
ward hole in the bracket. Also, take special care not to drill
into any wires and or hoses running down the inside of the
stock frame rail. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
11. Locate (4) new 1/2” x 1 1/2” bolts, (4) 1/2” unitorque nuts
and (8) 7/16” USS flat washers from hardware bag
10890NB. Locate the (2) new front ladder bar frame mount
brackets and the (2) new front ladder bar frame mount sup-
port brackets. Working on the driver side, install the new
front ladder bar frame mount bracket to stock frame rail and
secure using the new 1/2” x 1 1/2” bolts and hardware.
Special note: Make sure to install the new frame mount
support bracket on the inside of the stock frame rail.
This will increase the strength of the stock frame rail.
Install some thread locker or lock tite and torque to 75 ft
lbs. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
12. Working on the driver side, swing the newly installed rear
ladder bar up to the newly installed front ladder bar frame
mount bracket and secure using the new 1/2” x 3 1/2” bolts
and hardware. Install some thread locker or lock tite and
torque to 75 ft lbs. Repeat procedure on the passenger
side.
13. Working on the driver side, install some thread locker or
lock tite on the new 1/2” x 3 1/2” bolt that is connecting the
new rear ladder bar to the new rear ladder bar axle mount
and torque to 75 ft lbs. Repeat procedure on the passenger
side.
14. Check and double check to make sure all steps were
performed properly and check again.