singleshot67

I decided to do the Autospring leveling kit install myself. Afterall, my son and I installed one on his 4runner, so I'm already a pro at it. I talked to the guys at Autospring, and they suggested the 1.5" kit for my 2014 FX4 SCrew.

I should have known things were going to go bad when it called for an 18mm deep well socket and of all the socket sets I have in my workshop, none had an 18mm. So, after a trip to Advance Auto, I got started.

Lower sway bar link nut removed, upper and lower strut nuts removed, upper ball joint spindle nut removed. No problems. Then, on the 2014's, you have to remove the 2 large bolts that connect the lower control arm to the frame. This scared me a little bit, but it was obvious that the strut wasn't coming out unless you removed those bolts so the lower control arm could go lower. This is where my problem is. I'm not a small guy (6', 225) and I could NOT get the nuts on either of those bolts to break free. I had to use a crescent wrench because I didn't have a socket big enough for them, so I couldn't get a cheater bar on the wrench. I tried for 30 minutes and finally gave up. I didn't want to round the nuts off. I talked to Autospring and there's no other way to remove the strut.

So, I guess I'll be taking it to my local mechanic for the install. I just didn't have the capability to do it in my garage.

I'm curious if anyone else with a '14 has done a leveling kit install themselves. I'd welcome any tips that I overlooked.

On a positive note...the FedEx guy delivered my Pop&Lock tailgate locking kit while I was struggling with all of this. I guess I'll tackle that install tonight.

smcnich

I just installed Bilstein 5100s on my wife's Sequoia this past weekend and I never would have even attempted it without an air compressor and a decent impact gun.

vozaday

I had to loosen one of the nuts on my lower control arm. Definetely go and buy a breaker bar and some larger sockets.

Also if you go to a tool store you can usually get a electric impact for around $100, mine is rated for 340ft/lbs and it is enough to pull off any nut or bolt I have ever tried. Just make sure it is a corded impact, I haven't found a cordless that could even remove a lug nut yet.

The_YETI

[MENTION=177965]Wiggum[/MENTION]

harrison14allen

I put a level and block kit on mine. A good impact is extremely beneficial

Thislilfishy

Yup, tried to install mine last Saturday. What a giant pain in the ****. I knew I was in trouble once I disconnected the upper control arm and tie rod, cause there was! A much different lower shock mount then anything I saw on you tube! I will also be going to the mechanic to get it done. I can get the lower control arm off, but I am extremely leery of doing that without being able to have the alignment done immediately. We live very rural, and it could easily be 1000km's of my wife driving before I could get the alignment done. So no go for me either.

Ian

Wiggum

I'm not gonna say you CANT get the kit installed w/out removing the LCA from the frame ... but what i CAN say is I installed the 1.5" kit and felt it best to remove it to get the kit installed. All of this is directly related to the way the strut mounts to the LCA. I can't imagine trying to install a 2" or 2.5" kit w/out removing the LCA.

what you CAN do right now, is mark where your bolts are on the slotted connection on the frame mounts so that you can get the LCA's reinstalled as close to possible where they were from the factory ... and driving 500 miles (1000kms) before getting an alignment won't hurt you.

sigma pi

I did mine this past weekend, 2.5" up front and 1" in the rear

HOLY CRAP it sucked. Those lower shock studs were killing me, I un did the upper ball joint and tie rod end and pried the lower arm down and the person helping me got the strut out..... thats when we knew we were in trouble, how the hell were we going to get it back in when the spacer was on?

Well there was no way that was going to happen the same way we got it out. The trick we resorted to was to hammer out the studs on the lower shock. This was a last resort but worked.

We took a nut and put it on the studs and hit it with a hammer and after a few hits they fell out. Then we could put the bottom in and then when it was in position we could put the studs back in and tighten it down.

XMP64

Yeah man, if you're going to be working on vehicles in your garage "shop" today, you need to invest in an air compressor and a few air tools. You could have knocked that install out pretty easy since you've done it before. Check for sales because you can catch some great bargains out there.

torinalth

I actually purchased a couple box wrenches just for the front suspension job :P I have air tools, but the nut closest to the sway bar needs a wrench. Thankfully the box wrench was pretty damn long so I was able to get enough torque on it. even then, getting the LCA back up took some effort. It is not fun, but it is doable. Good luck.