The Chevrolet line of trucks is designed to work hard, whether it be on or off road. To do that, they have a higher ground clearance, making it easier to drive over objects. Some people though, want the truck to sit even higher so that they can install larger wheels and tires to go over larger obstacles. To do that, you have to install a lift kit. Installing one takes a few hours to do.
Park the Chevrolet and lift it with the jack so that the truck sits on four jack stands placed under the frame and the rear axle. Take off the wheels with the tire iron and put them away from the workspace.
Sit in front of the front suspension. Unbolt the tie rod end on the steering knuckle with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket and strike the side of the knuckle to remove the tie rod end from the knuckle. Unbolt the upper control arm from the steering knuckle with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket, then strike the side of the steering knuckle with the hammer to separate the two components.
Unbolt the strut from the lower control arm with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket, then unbolt it from the frame with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Pull the strut out of the suspension. Place the spacer from the lift kit onto the upper strut cap. Place a mark on the strut cap bolts where the spacer intersects with the bolts using the permanent marker, so that the bolts will not sit above the spacer. Remove the spacer cap.
Cut off the tops of the strut cap bolts with the 4 1/2-inch angle grinder and metal cut-off wheel at the marks you made in Step 3. Reinstall the spacers onto the strut caps and make sure that the bolts don't sit higher than the spacer. Trim the strut cap bolts with the angle grinder if necessary.
Install the spacer onto the strut cap with the hardware from the kit and the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Torque the bolts to 45 ft/lbs with the 3/8-inch torque wrench. Reinstall the struts onto the front suspension with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket and an open-end wrench. Reinstall the upper control arm and the tie rode end to the steering knuckle with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Reinstall the front wheels with the tire iron.
Move so that you're sitting in front of the rear axle. Unbolt the U-bolts holding the leaf spring to the axle with the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket. Lower the rear axle off the jack stands with the jack, then reposition the stands lower so there is a gap between the leaf springs and the axle.
Install the blocks from the kit in between the leaf springs and the axle and install the new U-bolts from the kit using the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket. Reinstall the rear wheels. Lower the truck off of the jack stands with the jack.
