REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Rear Wheel Drive

1. Raise the front of the vehicle, place jackstands under the frame. Place a jack under the axle.

   WARNING
   The axle must be supported on the jack throughout spring removal and installation, and must not be permitted to hang by the brake hose. If the length of the brake hose is not sufficient to provide adequate clearance for removal and installation of the spring, the disc brake caliper must be removed from the spindle. After removal, the caliper must be placed on the frame or otherwise supported to prevent suspending the caliper from the caliper hose. These precautions are absolutely necessary to prevent serious damage to the tube portion of the caliper hose assembly.

2. Disconnect the lower end of the shock absorber from the shock lower bracket (bolt and nut).
3. Remove the front spring. Loosen the axle pivot bolt.
4. Remove the spring lower seat from the radius arm, and then remove the bolt and nut that attaches the radius arm to the axle and front bracket.
5. Remove the nut, rear washer and insulator from the rear side of the radius arm rear bracket.
6. Remove the radius arm from the vehicle, and remove the inner insulator and retainer from the radius arm stud.

   To install:

7. Position the front end of the radius arm to the axle. Install the attaching bolt from underneath, and install the nut finger tight.
8. Install the retainer and inner insulator on the radius arm stud and insert the stud through the radius arm rear bracket.
9. Install the rear washer, insulator and nut on the arm stud at the rear side of the arm rear bracket. Tighten the nut to 82–113 ft. lbs. (113–153 Nm).
10. Tighten the nut on the radius arm-to-axle bolt to 188–254 ft. lbs. (255–345 Nm).
11. Install the spring lower seat and spring insulator on the radius arm so that the hole in the seat goes over the arm-to-axle bolt.
12. Install the front spring.
13. Connect the lower end of the shock absorber to the stud on the radius arm with the retaining nut and tighten to specifications.

4-Wheel Drive

1. Raise the front of the vehicle, place jackstands under the frame. Place a jack under the axle.

   WARNING
   The axle must be supported on the jack throughout spring removal and installation, and must not be permitted to hang by the brake hose. If the length of the brake hose is not sufficient to provide adequate clearance for removal and installation of the spring, the disc brake caliper must be removed from the spindle. After removal, the caliper must be placed on the frame or otherwise supported to prevent suspending the caliper from the caliper hose. These precautions are absolutely necessary to prevent serious damage to the tube portion of the caliper hose assembly.

2. Disconnect the lower stud. Remove the front spring from the vehicle.
3. Remove the spring lower seat and stud from the radius arm. Remove the bolts that attach the radius arm to the axle and front bracket.
4. Remove the nut, rear washer and insulator from the rear side of the radius arm rear bracket.
5. Remove the radius arm from the vehicle. Remove the inner insulator and retainer from the radius arm stud.

   To install:

6. Position the front end of the radius arm from bracket to axle. Install the retaining bolts and stud in the bracket finger tight.
7. Install the retainer and inner insulator on the radius arm stud and insert the stud through the radius arm rear bracket.
8. Install the rear washer, insulator and nut on the arm stud at the rear side of the arm rear bracket. Tighten the nut to 80–120 ft. lbs.
9. Tighten the stud to 190–230 ft. lbs. Tighten the front bracket to axle bolts to 37–50 ft. lbs. and the lower bolt and washer to 190–230 ft. lbs.
10. Install the spring lower seat and spring insulator on the radius arm so that the hole in the seat goes over the arm to axle bolt. Tighten the axle pivot bolt to 120–150 ft. lbs.
11. Install the front spring. Connect the lower stud of the radius arm and torque the retaining nut to 39–53 ft. lbs. on 1991–94 vehicles.