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How to Install Rough Country 1-2 in. Front / 4 in. Rear Lowering Kit on your Sierra

Installation Time

3 hours

Tools Required
  • 24mm Wrench
  • 22mm Wrench
  • 21mm Wrench
  • 18mm Wrench
  • 15mm Wrench
  • 13mm Wrench
  • 12mm Wrench
  • 10mm Wrench
  • 8mm Allen Wrench
  • Drill Motor
  • Drill Bit 11/32
  • Drill Bit 15/32
  • Vise Grips
  • Die grinder
  • Floor Jack
  • Jack Stands
American Muscle
Shop Parts in this Guide

FRONT INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lift the front of the vehicle using a jack and support the vehicle with jack stands, so that the front wheels are off the ground
2. Remove the front tires/wheels., using a 21mm deep well socket
3. Loosen the sway bar link with a 15mm wrench and socket. See Photo 1.
4. Loosen the (3) nuts on top of the strut using an 18mm wrench as shown in Photo 2. Do not remove nuts completely.


5. Remove lower strut bolts using a 15mm wrench as shown in photo 3.
6. Now you can remove the upper strut nut and remove the strut from the frame pocket.
7. Place the strut in a strut compressor and put tension on the coil spring. Use a 18mm socket to remove the center nut holding on the strut hat. See Photo 4.


8. Remove the bump stop, bump stop hat, and coil spring seat from the strut. See Photo 5.
9. Install the new supplied coil seat on the strut body. This will lower the front of the truck 2 inches. If you only want the truck lowered 1 inch in the front add the two shim plates. Note one is thicker than the other. One 3/8” plate and one 5/16” plate per
strut. See Photo 6. **Note** Only fits a 2.0” strut body.


10. Install the bump stop hat and bump stop back onto the strut. See Photo 7.
11. Using a strut compressor install the spring and strut hat onto the strut body. Tighten the factory strut hat nut with a 18mm socket.
12. Next place the strut back into the frame pocket and install the 3 factory nuts on top. Hand tighten. Install the lower strut factory bolts and tighten with a 15mm socket. Now tighten the upper nuts with a 18mm wrench. See Photo 8.


13. Tighten the sway bar links with a 15mm socket and wrench.
14. Install tires and wheels and tighten with a 21mm socket.
15. Jack up the truck and remove the jack stands. Then lower the truck to the ground.


REAR INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lift the rear of the vehicle using a jack and support the vehicle with jack stands, so that the rear wheels are off the ground.
2. Remove the rear tires/wheels., using a 21mm deep well socket.


3. Remove bump stop. Using a cutoff wheel, cut all 4 sides of the bump stop and remove as shown in Photo 1.
4. Using the 2 existing “underneath” welds on the frame, measure to center and mark for new bump stop location. Photo 2.
5. Drill a 11/32” hole and install the stock bolt along with the factory bump stop.
6. Using a 21mm socket and wrench, remove the shocks. Retain hardware for re-use with new provided RC shock. Photo 3.
7. Remove the bolt holding the brake line bracket to the rear-end. Photo 4.


8. Supporting rear axle, use a 21mm socket and remove the u-bolts on both driver and passenger side. Photo 5.
9. On the passengers side, using a 24mm wrench for nut and a 12mm for bolt on front 21mm for nut and 10mm for bolt on rear, remove the leaf spring bolts and remove from vehicle. See photo 6 *note* If equipped with tow hitch, this must be removed


10. Using same wrenches as passenger side leaf, remove the rear bolt in the frame mount and the shackle on the drivers side. Only loosen the front bolt only. Do not remove!
11. Carefully slide the rear end toward the passengers side keeping the axle firmly on the stands for support.
12. Swing the drivers side leaf out and under the axle.


13. As shown in Photo 7, using a 15mm wrench and vise grips on the end of the pin, remove the ubolt plate and bolt.
14. After removing plate, flip bolt in insert on the opposite side as shown in Photo 8.
15. Using a 15mm and vise grips, re-tighten pin into the shown position in Photo 9.


16. Install Socket Head Bolt and nut into the plate as shown in Photo 10. *note direction of plate when placing bolt*
17. Using a 9/16 wrench and 5/16 Allen wrench, tighten bolt in place. Photo 11


18. Using 21mm socket and wrench, remove the stock shackle and retain stock hardware. Photo 12

19. Using a die-grinder or air chisel remove the three factory rivets on the hanger bracket. See Photo 13.
20. Use a 15mm socket to remove the top rear bolt on the hanger bracket. See Photo 14.


21. Drill out the three rivet holes to 15/32” (clearance for a 7/16” bolt). See Photo 15.
22. Install the new hanger bracket on the frame, insert the factory bolt in the top rear hole and hand tighten. Use the supplied 7/16” x 1 1/4” long bolts, washers, and nuts for the other three holes in the hanger bracket. Tighten 7/16” bolts with a 16mm and
17mm socket and wrench and the stock bolt with a 15mm socket. See Photo 16.


23. Reinstall the driver leaf spring using the stock bolts with axle on top side of leaf. You will need the 24mm wrench with the 12mm on end and the 21mm wrench with 10 mm on end. Tighten to correct torque spec.
24. Install the factory shackle in the lower hole of the hanger bracket, using the stock hardware and previous wrenches used. See Photo 17. The lower hole is a 4” drop in the rear and the upper hole of the hanger bracket is a 4.5” drop.
25. On the drivers side frame, remove the e brake cable hanger using a 13mm socket.
26. Install the provided axle saddle with the spring hole positioned to the front of the truck .. See Photo 18.


27. Place the u-bolt plate with bolt head side in axle as indicated in Photo 19.
28. Install the provided u-bolts and new bottom plate as shown in Photo 19 and Photo 20.


29. Using a 22 mm socket, install and tighten nuts to the u-bolt to correct torque. See Photo 21
30. Repeat steps 3-25 for passenger side.
31. Reinstall the brake line bracket to the axle using a 13mm wrench.
32. Reinstall the bolt in the e-brake hanger on the drivers side frame using a 13mm wrench.
33. Install the new 2.0 shocks with existing hardware with a 21mm wrench and a 21mm socket. Photo 22 & 23.


34. If truck was equipped , reinstall the factory hitch.
35. Install the rear tires/wheels., using a 21mm deep well socket.
36. Remove all jack stands.
37. Lower vehicle and follow post installation instructions below.


POST INSTALLATION

1. Check all fasteners for proper torque. Check to ensure there is adequate clearance between all rotating, mobile, fixed and heated members. Check steering for interference and proper working order. Test brake system.
2. Perform steering sweep. The distance between the tire sidewall and the brake hose must be checked closely. Cycle the steering from full turn to full turn to check for clearance.
3. Re torque all fasteners after 500 miles. Visually inspect components and re torque fasteners during routine vehicle service.
4. Readjust headlights to proper settings and take truck in for a front-end alignment to a qualified alignment professional.

Kit Contents
728.20
Strut Lowering Coil Spacer-2
5/16” Thick Coil Shim Plate-2
3/8” Thick Coil Shim Plate-2
Spring Hanger Relocation Brackets-2
Axle Flip Bracket-2
U-bolt Plate-2
U-bolts-4
9/16BAG-1
1721BAG1-1
720BAG3-1

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