Leaf spring upgrade tips, 2016 Tundra

I just did the Boise Spring upgrade (this removes the overload and adds 4 leafs per side) in my gravel driveway with no prior experience, and thought I'd mention a few things while they are fresh in my mind. This is not a comprehensive guide!

1)Unbolt the guides for the brake lines, ABS wires, and emergency brake lines at the start. And never forget to keep an eye on these when you drop the axle and jack up the truck. Breaking a wire or brake hose could ruin your day...

I dropped the axle on both sides; didn't do one at a time.


2)The center bolt was the most annoying thing. This is only true if you are modifying an existing pack that is mounted to the frame, I think. The bolts I was given were way longer than they needed to be, and there was no way I could jack up the truck enough without damaging some hoses. I cut the bolt down as much as I dared, and there still wasn't space to insert the new leafs with bolt, between the axle perch and the existing leafs.

So... I realized that the axle is only attached to the driveshaft, and the axle assembly can pivot around that point. I grabbed one of the tires and turned it so that the axle on that side moved forward, and the center bolt hole was behind the perch. With some wrestling and use of the jack, I was able to thread the bolt in through the leafs and get the nut on. Then roll the tire back to get the axle in the proper position under the center bolt/pin.

3)The first center bolt wasn't lined up quite right laterally but some shoving and turning of the axle got it where it belonged. The second one also didn't line up though (needed to be pulled in), and I couldn't use that technique since the axle was constrained by the other leaf pack. I remembered how useful a ratchet strap was for doing the front shock install a couple years ago, so got one of those out and pulled the packs towards each other, and it was easy.

Doh... mods, you can put this in the Suspension forum if you like...