If you already have coils in the back then you prob have the isolators. You can try and look on the inside of the spring and you may see the lip of the Isolator tucked up in there.

 

starting about a week before, hit all critical bolts with PB Blaster several times.

make sure you have an 18" breaker bar.

18mm and 13mm speed ratchets are nice.

 

Ok dont laugh...
So i was watching the Lucky 8 video for the 21st time and the thought struck me, that i dont know for sure how i would get the towers out after the truck is up on stands. Do you just jack it back up, remove the stands, lower it, remove the towers, jack it back up and reapply the jack stands? Or do you guys skip the stands all together and just use a rolling jack and a bottle jack?? I know this is some basic crap but i have never used jack stands and it seems to me that it would be way easier to skip them?

 

what? hell no you cant skip the stands.

the stands arent that tall...its not like it's difficult to access the towers.

in fact one crux is to make sure that stands are actually tall enough...if you don't extend em far enough you can jack down the axle far enough to get the springs out.

 

Thanks! See that i why i need to vet out these stupid ideas that are floating around in my head! So you just leave them up on the stands the whole time? You just put the stands on the frame itself or is that a spot for them on the frame that i dont know about? That isnt too tall to work in the engine bay? What size stands do you need (I will have to pick up a set?) What do you need to move/take apart in the engine compartment to get the towers out? Also when removing the sway bars is it easier to remove the top or the bottoms or does it matter?

 

yes, you leave the truck on the stands. never work on a suspended truck with only jacks. you put the jack stands under the frame.

you need to download the RAVE manual asap. it shows you where to put the jack stands. it gives you instructions on the spring install (tower removal). it shows you how to pull off the sway bars.

i have to say, though, that from your post....you might think about paying someone to do the labor. especially if you dont have an experienced partner to help. doing the job by yourself with little experience would be quite an undertaking...

 

 

are you planning on doing the job by yourself?

 

there is a good chance, or i found someone that will do it for 200$... but i would rather learn how to do it myself

 

do it! save the money anybody that can drive a vehicle could do this if they really wanted