Tuff Country 16958 - GM 01-06 K1500 HD 4WD 6 kit - Manual (Page 9)

71. Locate the new front shocks. Special note: New
longer front 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
23” fully extended nitrogen gas shock. Locate (2)
S10073 from hardware bag 16985SL. Also, locate (4)
PB8297 upper shock bushings and (4) S10107 upper
shock washers from hardware bag 16985PL. Working on
the new shocks, install the new lower shock bushing into
the lower eyelet and install the new S10073 shock
sleeves into the previously installed bushings. 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. Working on the driver side, install the new
shock into the stock location using the stock hardware on
the bottom mount that was removed in step # 4 and the
new hardware on the top mount. Repeat procedure on
the passenger side. Special note: Make sure to use the
new upper bushings and upper shock washers.
Torque the lower shock mount to 65 ft lbs. and the upper
hardware to 22 ft lbs. Repeat on passenger side.
Special note: 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.
72. Locate the stock front drive line and hardware that
was removed from step # 3. Re-install the stock drive line
back into the stock location and secure using the stock
hardware.
73. Locate the stock skid plate that was removed in step
# 3. Referring to photo # 18, measure 2 5/8” from the
leading edge of the stock skid plate and scribe a mark.
Carefully cut along the scribed mark.
Photo # 16 / 2 5/8” measurement
Photo # 17 / post cut view
74. Locate the (3) stock upper skid plate mounting
hardware that we removed in step # 3. Install the newly
modified skid upper skid plate to the stock upper location
using the stock hardware. Special note: Make sure to
use thread locker or lock tite and torque to 28 ft lbs.
75. Holding the stock skid plate to the front cross
member, carefully drill a 3/16” hole through the stock skid
plate and the stock front cross member.
Photo # 18
76. Locate (1) 1/4” x 1” self threading bolt from hardware
bag 14985NB. Secure the stock skid plate to the stock
cross member using the new 1/4” x 1” self threading bolt.
Photo # 19
77. Locate (2) front lateral compression arms. Locate (8)
PB2408 poly bushings from hardware bag 16985PL.
Also, locate (4) S10058 crush sleeves from hardware bag
of vice grips and secure the new torsion bar drop bracket
to the stock frame rail. Using the new torsion bar cross
member relocation bracket as a guide, carefully drill (4)
7/16” holes into the stock frame. (2) on the side of the
frame rail and (2) on the bottom. Take special care not
to drill into any stock hoses and/or lines running
down the inside of the stock frame rail. Remove the
pair of vice grips that is holding the new torsion bar cross
member relocation bracket to the frame rail. Repeat
procedure on the passenger side of the vehicle.
66. Locate (8) 7/16” x 1 1/2” bolts, (16) 3/8” USS flat
washers and (8) 7/16” unitorque nuts from hardware bag
16985NB2. Working on the driver side, secure the new
driver side torsion bar cross member relocation bracket
to the stock frame rail using the new 7/16” x 1 1/2” bolt
and hardware. Make sure to use thread locker or lock
tite. Torque to 76 ft lbs. Repeat procedure on the
passenger side.
Photo # 15
67. Locate the stock torsion bars that were removed from
step # 9. Refer to the marks that were made in step # 7.
This will allow you to re-install the stock torsion bars back
into the stock location. Example: Driver vs. Passenger
and Front vs. Rear. Working on the driver side, slide the
stock torsion bar back into the stock rear lower control
arm. Slide the stock torsion bar far enough forward so
that the stock torsion bar cross member can be re-
installed. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
68. Locate the stock torsion bar cross member and stock
hardware that was removed from step # 8. Install the
stock torsion bar cross member to the newly installed
torsion bar cross member relocation brackets and secure
using the stock hardware. Make sure to use thread
locker or lock tite. Torque to 90 ft lbs.
69. Locate the stock torsion bar keys that were removed
from step # 7. Working on the driver side, install the stock
torsion bar key back into the stock location in the stock
torsion bar cross member. Slide the stock torsion bar
back into the previously installed torsion bar key. Repeat
procedure on the passenger side.
70. Locate the torsion bar adjusting blocks and hardware
that was removed from step # 6. Working on the driver
side, attach the torsion bar removing tool to the stock
torsion bar cross member, making sure that the
unloading bolt in the center of the torsion bar removing
tool is in the small divot of the stock torsion bar key.
Adjust the torsion bar key up high enough so that the
stock small metal adjusting block and bolt can be re-
installed back into the stock location. Refer back to the
measurements that were made in step # 5, and set to the
torsion bar adjusting bolt to the stock setting. Repeat
procedure on the passenger side. Carefully remove the
torsion bar removing tool from the stock torsion bar cross
member.