Tuff Country 16959 - GM 99-05 K1500 4wd 6 kit - Manual (Page 13)

Working on the driver side, remove and discard the stock
rear block. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
108. Working on the driver side, place a pair of “C” clamp
vise grips on each side of the stock centering bolt. Carefully
remove the stock centering bolt and nut and discard.
Carefully remove the “C” clamp vise grips that are holding
the stock springs together. Special note: Be very careful
when removing the “C” clamps, the stock springs are
under tension and can be dangerous. Repeat procedure
on passenger side.
109. Locate (2) new rear add-a-leaf, (2) 3/8” x 6” centering
bolt and (2) 3/8” fine nut from box kit 81350. Install the new
rear add-a-leaf into the stock spring assembly. Secure the
new rear add-a-leaf to the stock spring assembly using the
new 3/8” center bolt and nut. Torque to 28 ft. lbs. Special
note: If the new add-a-leaf that you are installing into the
stock spring assembly has an offset center hole
location, place the longest side of the add-a-leaf
towards the rear of the vehicle. Also the new add-a-leaf
should be installed into the stock spring assembly in
progression in order, from longest to shortest. The new
add-a-leaf should be installed between the stock over-
load and the stock spring pack. The stock overload is
usually the un-arched spring at the bottom of the stock
leaf pack. Also, Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension
recommends not using any air tools when installing the
new add-a-leafs into the stock spring assembly. If air
tools are used the centering bolt may strip, causing the
stock spring assembly to come apart. With a suitable
cutting tool, cut off the extra thread from the new centering
bolt. Repeat procedure on passenger side.
110. Locate (2) new 4” lifted blocks. Working on the driver
side, install the new 4” lifted block into the stock location.
Special note: The new 4” lifted block has a slight taper
to it, the small end of the block needs to be installed
towards the front of the vehicle. Repeat procedure on the
passenger side.
111. Carefully raise up on both hydraulic floor jacks at the
same time until the stock spring assembly sits flush with the
newly installed 4” lifted block.
112. Locate (4) 9/16” x 2 3/4” x 12 5/8” square u-bolts.
Locate (8) 9/16” U-bolt high nuts and (8) U-bolt washers from
hardware bag 916NW. Also, locate the stock upper and
lower u-bolt plates that were removed from step # 106.
Working on the driver side, install the new u-bolts into the
stock location and secure using the new 9/16” high nuts and
washers. Special note: Make sure to re-install the stock
upper and lower u-bolt plates into the stock location.
Torque to 120 ft lbs. Repeat procedure on passenger side.
113. Locate the new rear shocks. Special note: New longer
rear shocks are needed, if you have not already ordered
shocks, please contact Tuff Country or your local Tuff
Country dealer and order the proper shocks. Tuff
Country recommends using a 30” fully extended
nitrogen gas shock. Locate the new lower and upper poly
bushings and proper shock sleeves that are packaged with
the new shocks and install the new lower and upper shock
bushings and proper shock sleeves into the lower and upper
eyelet of the new shocks. Special note: Make sure to use
a lithium or moly base grease prior to inserting the new
lower shock bushings and sleeves into the new lower
shock eyelet. This will increase the life of the bushing as
well as prevent squeaking. Locate the upper and lower
shock hardware that was removed from step # 102. Working
on the driver side, install the new rear shock into the upper
and lower stock location and secure using the stock
hardware. Torque to 80 ft lbs. Make sure to use thread
locker or lock tite. Repeat procedure on passenger side. Tuff
Country EZ-Ride Suspension highly recommends that
the shocks are installed with shock boots. If shock
boots are not installed, damaged my occur to the piston
of the new shock.
Photo 104 / complete installation of the
rear add-a-leaf, blocks, u-bolts and shocks.
114. Locate the (2) 1/4” USS flat washers from hardware bag
16955NB1. Also, locate the stock rear bracket line hardware
that was removed in step # 105. Working on the driver side
rear shock bracket, re-install the stock brake line bracket to
the stock rear shock bracket using the stock hardware and
the 1/4” USS washers as spacers. This will ensure that the
shank of the bolt will not rub on the new shock.
115. Locate the new rear brake line relocation bracket from
hardware bag 16955PL. Also, locate the stock brake line
bracket hardware that was removed in step # 105. Install the
new brake line relocation bracket to the stock rear
differential cover and secure using the stock hardware. Do
not tighten at this point and make sure to use thread locker
or lock tite.
116. Locate (1) 5/16” x 1” bolt, (2) 1/4” USS flat washers and
(1) 5/16” unitorque nuts from hardware bag 16955NB1.
Install the stock brake line bracket to the newly installed
brake line relocation bracket and secure using the new 5/16”
x 1” bolt and hardware. Make sure to use thread locker or
lock tite. Torque the new 5/16” x 1” bolt, hardware and the
stock differential cover hardware to 18 ft lbs.
117. Carefully remove the (2) hydraulic floor jack from under
the rear differential.
118. Install the tires and wheels and carefully lower the
vehicle to the ground.
Step # 119 and # 120 needs to be performed with the
weight of the vehicle on the ground.
119. Working on the driver side, move back to the new 5/8”
hardware attaching the stock lower control arms to the newly
installed front and rear cross members and add some thread
locker or lock tite and torque to 125 ft lbs. Repeat procedure
on the passenger side.
120.Working on the driver side, move back to the newly
installed sway bar end link bolt and add some thread locker