3" Strut level - Install Directions

[edwardlynch]

Here is a quick write up about the Rough Country, 3” strut change out:

So, the rake was 4" and it looked terrible in my opinion. I looked at all the options and decided to go with the Rough Country, 3" strut replacement.
The install was very easy. There is a video showing a short cut without having to remove everything like the instructions show and it took about 2 hours, start to clean up.
Here are the steps:
remove wheel (duh)
remove 10mm bolt holding brake lines
loosen 21mm bolts on upper control arm (just loosen)
loosen 18mm bolts on top of shock tower
remove lower shock bolts
remove 21mm sway bar end link bolt (gives a little more room)
remove 27mm nuts from lower control arm (on very tight so you will need a breaker bar or long extension
remove bolts and let lower control arm drop down
remove shock tower bolts and allow strut to twist down and out (pretty easy)
install new strut by going above lower control arm, dropping down and then raise into position and attach oem bolts
reverse the rest of the steps and torque (lower control arm nuts are 200)
get aligned
I did it by myself and it was a very easy install. It helps to have use a jack to get the lower control arm back in. I found that it was easier to do the rear first.
Do not hesitate to do this. The ride is a tiny bit tighter, which I like. In the end, it is completely level and all 4 corners measure 42 1/4" but I am sure the front will drop down 1/2" or so.
Here it is after the strut swap out:

Hope this helps.

 

[Yeti]

Thanks for this!

 

[Mc5601]

Here is a quick write up about the Rough Country, 3” strut change out:
View attachment 5354
So, the rake was 4" and it looked terrible in my opinion. I looked at all the options and decided to go with the Rough Country, 3" strut replacement.
The install was very easy. There is a video showing a short cut without having to remove everything like the instructions show and it took about 2 hours, start to clean up.
Here are the steps:
remove wheel (duh)
remove 10mm bolt holding brake lines
loosen 21mm bolts on upper control arm (just loosen)
loosen 18mm bolts on top of shock tower
remove lower shock bolts
remove 21mm sway bar end link bolt (gives a little more room)
remove 27mm nuts from lower control arm (on very tight so you will need a breaker bar or long extension
remove bolts and let lower control arm drop down
remove shock tower bolts and allow strut to twist down and out (pretty easy)
install new strut by going above lower control arm, dropping down and then raise into position and attach oem bolts
reverse the rest of the steps and torque (lower control arm nuts are 200)
get aligned
I did it by myself and it was a very easy install. It helps to have use a jack to get the lower control arm back in. I found that it was easier to do the rear first.
Do not hesitate to do this. The ride is a tiny bit tighter, which I like. In the end, it is completely level and all 4 corners measure 42 1/4" but I am sure the front will drop down 1/2" or so.
Here it is after the strut swap out:
View attachment 5355Hope this helps.

Looks awesome. How are the CV angles with this level?

 

[Griff]

Great write up. Having to his done on Thursday. Good to hear about the ride quality. LOVE the way the truck rides stock so I am a bit concerned that I am going to screw that up going with the RC leveling kit and 35’s. Haven’t really seen a true ride quality comparison with those common mods. How much ride quality will I be giving up? City and highway differences are appreciated!

 

[edwardlynch]

Here is a quick write up about the Rough Country, 3” strut change out:
View attachment 5354
So, the rake was 4" and it looked terrible in my opinion. I looked at all the options and decided to go with the Rough Country, 3" strut replacement.
The install was very easy. There is a video showing a short cut without having to remove everything like the instructions show and it took about 2 hours, start to clean up.
Here are the steps:
remove wheel (duh)
remove 10mm bolt holding brake lines
loosen 21mm bolts on upper control arm (just loosen)
loosen 18mm bolts on top of shock tower
remove lower shock bolts
remove 21mm sway bar end link bolt (gives a little more room)
remove 27mm nuts from lower control arm (on very tight so you will need a breaker bar or long extension
remove bolts and let lower control arm drop down
remove shock tower bolts and allow strut to twist down and out (pretty easy)
install new strut by going above lower control arm, dropping down and then raise into position and attach oem bolts
reverse the rest of the steps and torque (lower control arm nuts are 200)
get aligned
I did it by myself and it was a very easy install. It helps to have use a jack to get the lower control arm back in. I found that it was easier to do the rear first.
Do not hesitate to do this. The ride is a tiny bit tighter, which I like. In the end, it is completely level and all 4 corners measure 42 1/4" but I am sure the front will drop down 1/2" or so.
Here it is after the strut swap out:
View attachment 5355Hope this helps.

Update: I took the struts off of my blue truck and installed them on my new white truck. Same process. The only thing that I would add to the write up is to use the existing marks from the LCA nuts and bolts as a guide to reinstall them in exactly the same spot. That will eliminate the need for camber kits.

 

[ChsTremor]

@edwardlynch do you have a link to the video?

 

[freshme4t]

Do you have more pics of the spoiler?

 

[roxbury29]

Update: I took the struts off of my blue truck and installed them on my new white truck. Same process. The only thing that I would add to the write up is to use the existing marks from the LCA nuts and bolts as a guide to reinstall them in exactly the same spot. That will eliminate the need for camber kits.

How was the ride with these 3" M1 RC coilovers? I am looking to level my Tremor. Prefer coilovers, but was thinking just the AS-2.5" spacer. These however I am now leaning toward.
*update. I seen the other post you had, glad you liked them. I may go with those over the stock struts with spacers.

 

[edwardlynch]

How was the ride with these 3" M1 RC coilovers? I am looking to level my Tremor. Prefer coilovers, but was thinking just the AS-2.5" spacer. These however I am now leaning toward.
*update. I seen the other post you had, glad you liked them. I may go with those over the stock struts with spacers.

Absolutely love them and would not go any other way. I know everyone likes to slam them and pay 4X as much but I think that it is better to go coilovers rather than the spacer.

 

[roxbury29]

Absolutely love them and would not go any other way. I know everyone likes to slam them and pay 4X as much but I think that it is better to go coilovers rather than the spacer.

Thanks
I may have found a local shop to do the install and alignment for me. They prefer RC parts too.
appreciate the update !.
My last 2 trucks I leveled & used the spacers, then a year or so later went with coilovers.
Jeep - went Spacer first, then Bilstie
F150 - spacer first, then Fox all the way around ( only thing about Fox I didn't like was when it was 10 or 20 below zero they didn't perform as well ) Overall both trucks road soo much better than spacers.

Didn't really want to spend $1K-2K on coilovers, thought at first spacer to get some use out of the Tremor suspension. * But for the Cost the RC-M1 3" coilovers seemed pretty reasonable !

 

[roxbury29]

Couldn't find on a search.
Does Leveling kit affect Adaptive cruise ? Someone on youtube said it could mess it up

 

[edwardlynch]

Everything worked fine for me. No issues at all. My first tremor said to adjust headlights but that just went away. This one I did not have any issues at all

 

[roxbury29]

Everything worked fine for me. No issues at all. My first tremor said to adjust headlights but that just went away. This one I did not have any issues at all

Thanks,
Also, I suspect on your new Tremor those are Husky Mud Flaps ? Was looking for the lowest profile I could find. Those look nice ( for Mud Flaps ) Your tremor looks good

 

[FaKtor34]

Worst case scenario you have to do a camera recalibration, most haven't even had to do that.

 

[Killercat69]

Here is a quick write up about the Rough Country, 3” strut change out:
View attachment 5354
So, the rake was 4" and it looked terrible in my opinion. I looked at all the options and decided to go with the Rough Country, 3" strut replacement.
The install was very easy. There is a video showing a short cut without having to remove everything like the instructions show and it took about 2 hours, start to clean up.
Here are the steps:
remove wheel (duh)
remove 10mm bolt holding brake lines
loosen 21mm bolts on upper control arm (just loosen)
loosen 18mm bolts on top of shock tower
remove lower shock bolts
remove 21mm sway bar end link bolt (gives a little more room)
remove 27mm nuts from lower control arm (on very tight so you will need a breaker bar or long extension
remove bolts and let lower control arm drop down
remove shock tower bolts and allow strut to twist down and out (pretty easy)
install new strut by going above lower control arm, dropping down and then raise into position and attach oem bolts
reverse the rest of the steps and torque (lower control arm nuts are 200)
get aligned
I did it by myself and it was a very easy install. It helps to have use a jack to get the lower control arm back in. I found that it was easier to do the rear first.
Do not hesitate to do this. The ride is a tiny bit tighter, which I like. In the end, it is completely level and all 4 corners measure 42 1/4" but I am sure the front will drop down 1/2" or so.
Here it is after the strut swap out:
View attachment 5355Hope this helps.

So are these adjustable ? I want the monotube but i only want 2 1/2in lift so if I have to i may go with the n3 strut

 

[FaKtor34]

The M1 I think is the adjustable one. Plus the standard 3" coilovers are the same ones that only net 2.5" on the Tremor.

 

[Rkeener]

@edwardlynch do you happen to have the RC part number you installed ?

 

[GboroGator]

Looks great. Did you replace the rear shocks as well with the RC M1 monotubes?

 

[roxbury29]

Couldn't find on a search.
Does Leveling kit affect Adaptive cruise ? Someone on youtube said it could mess it up

I just installed a 2.5 leveling spacer, no issues with Adaptive cruise. Works perfect still !

 

[5ohTremor]

You ordered the 3inch strut for non tremor? Did you use the rc ucas as well?