Need Forum Help! Rough Country 2" Level Kit

maverick32 · July 17, 2008

Hey, I have been looking at the fourm since I started thinking about a new truck. I bought an '08 Z71 Crew Cab LT2 last week and loving it. The forum opinions have been a huge help, I really appreciate you all. I have seen a lot of you guys posting about the rough country level kit and I am very interested. Is this something that I can install myself? I see that many members have installed them and it dosen't seem too hard, but the instrucitons on the rough country site are pretty intimidating, talk of griding bolts down, etc. I am pretty handy, have a garage full of tools, and do lots of remodel work on my house, but I haven't done too much auto mechanic type of work. I guess my bigger question is can I do any serious damage to my truck but attempting this install and not doing it perfectly. If anyone has step-by-step directions and/or photos of the install I would be very grateful. Thanks again, I have really enjoyed the forum!

JWAJR1 · July 17, 2008

I have also been thinking of getting the RC leveling kit.

Does it reduce the amount of suspesion travel?

Vmax225 · July 17, 2008

The instructions they give you are step by step and have pictures. It is not that bad at all....only trouble i had was beating the control arm loose.

maverick32 · July 17, 2008

OK, I just realized that the kit that you guys are talking about on the forum, Rough Country, is a different one than I have been looking at... TUFF country. It installs on top of the strut, which makes install much more involved. This is why I couldn't understand why people were making the install seem so simple when the directions are so complicated. Now that I have seen ROUGH country's website, the install does seem much more simple with great pictures.

With that out of the way, is there any disadvantage to installing below the strut that you guys have come across??

Thanks again!!!

sillywillie07 · July 17, 2008

kit goes in easy just time consumeing. I did mine a couple of times, started with 1.5 then put 2" in, it rode prety stiff. so i took out a spacer and put it back to 1.5". I have a 07 silverado ext car, mabey it will be better in a crew cab. Hardest part was looseing the ball joint from the knuckle. Follow the directions in order and you will be fine. I sanded the coating off where the spacers set against each other, so there is less chance of movment or looseing up.

03blackz71 · July 18, 2008

kit goes in easy just time consumeing. I did mine a couple of times, started with 1.5 then put 2" in, it rode prety stiff. so i took out a spacer and put it back to 1.5". I have a 07 silverado ext car, mabey it will be better in a crew cab. Hardest part was looseing the ball joint from the knuckle. Follow the directions in order and you will be fine. I sanded the coating off where the spacers set against each other, so there is less chance of movment or looseing up.

I started with the 1.5" and then install the 2" kit like he did but on my crewcab it rides fine. I have had it on my truck for about a year with no problems.

For installing it I didn't take any of the suspension apart. What I did is jack up the truck and put on jackstand, than remove the rims. Then I just loosened the sway bar end links all the way so the nut is just on it. then I removed the two bolts from the strut and removed the clip nuts that the bolts go into. Then I just pushed down on the A-arms to get the suspension to drop as low as I can get it. Then I just used a prybar and put that under the strut to compress it a little and slid in the spacer and lined up the front hole and install the bolt from the top down. Then on the back hole I installed the bolt from the bottom up and then tightened the bolts and then retightened the swaybar end links and reinstall the rims and tires and then get an alignment!!!

brif · July 18, 2008

I installed a rough country on my silverado and a on top of the strut on my previous non gm truck. Unless it's a version that requires you to remove the spring and install a spacer, there really isn't too much involved with installing either one. I tried to do the pry bar trick like others mentioned, just after alittle bit of time I was able to see it was just easier to do the recommended way and be done with it. With hand tools in your driveway you should be able to do it in under 2.5hrs by yourself the first time easily.

03blackz71 · July 19, 2008

for me with the prybar it took me about an hour from start to finish. That includes removing the tires and reinstalling them and clean up.

cdmm151 · July 19, 2008

Love them. I've installed 3 kits now and it has gotten easier every time. I loosened the lower A arm at the nuts only and that lets it drop easier. Makes the truck look tons better. Use all spacers on the trucks and only 1.5 inch on the tahoes. Do it yourself it is not as intimidating as is looks.