Im getting ready to do a leveling kit on my 2011
2500. Does anyone have any pics or tips on the
best way to remove the front coil springs without
using a spring compressor?

 

Maybe you saw my post: https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...00&postcount=1

My advice is to pay the $100-$150 to have a good shop do it (might even include the alignment?). It kills me to say that because I really enjoy an occasional wrench session with my truck- plus I like to save $$.

The problem is, on mine the only way I could've done it without a spring compressor is if I would've jacked it up even higher than I did (probably run out of jack stand though) and disconnected the brake lines and possibly the trailing links. I had the brake lines stretched to the max and there was no way that spring was coming out of there without a compressor- let alone go back in with the 2.5" spacer. You're right- don't use a compressor! I hope somebody else has a safe/clever way of doing it but as for my advice: take it to the shop.

 

Yeah I think that's what I'm gonna do
is bring it to a shop. I can't find any info
online about how to go about removing
them unless someone else wants to chime
in on this thread with some insight.

 

Mine fell out easily. I had tall jack stnds under the front of the truck, I removed the wheel only on the side I was working on. Disconnect the track bar and the sway bar end links. Once I pulled the shocks, the coils fell out with no effort. I did have to work the spring back in w/ the spacer, but it wasn't hard. The only hard part was lining the track bar back up, I used a jack to lift the drivers side up and down until I worked it back into place. Total job took less than 2 hours.

 

Did you disconnect the whole track bar or just one side?
I have jack stands but there only rated for 3 tons and I
beleive only go as high as 14".

 

I only disconnected the drivers side. 3 tons is fine, but I dont think that 14" will get it.

 

How high do you think it needs to be? Cause I have railroad
tie blocks I can put underneath the stands.

 

I did a 2" leveling kit on mine. I used harbor freights 6 ton jack stands lifted all the way up under the frame. I then started on drivers side and removed wheel whith jack underneath shock mount. Remove shock and sway bar end link. Lower jack and spring will come right out without fighting. Passenger side on my truck was little more difficult but 1.5 hrs total time and I was complete. It took longer jacking my truck up then doing the install becauce of my 22.5 Alcoas

 

I put the 2.5 Hell Bent Steel leveling kit and steering brace on mine. Easily done in the driveway...took me 1hr and a half. I jacked the truck up on both sides jack stands under the frame rails in the flat just behind the front axle. Removed both wheels....removed both shocks and coil towers. used two floor jacks to be able to raise and lower the front axle driver and passenger side independently. I dropped the sway bar and took out the drivers side track bar bolt....be mindful og the brake line and abs line tension...but the coils came right out and the spacer and coils went in with just a little fight. Be sure to mark the coils locations before removal so you can put them back in the original spots. I did it by myself without help so it is very doable...and you dont need an alignment necessarily the castor changes slightly but its not really a big deal in my opinion....good luck....i run 35's now no problem and the truck sits nice and level. Its a crew cab 8 foot bed 2011.5

 

I'm gonna do it this Friday me and a friend.
I will let you k ow how it went, thanks for the tips!

 

When taking out the drivers side track bar and putting it
back on due I have to torque that nut and bolt? Should I use
Loctite?

 

As long as you disconnect the track bar you'll have plenty of "wiggle" room to remove the coils. As far as re-installing the track bar....no loctite in my opinion......just snug that sucker down tight.

 

You can remove the track bar bolt from the axle. It on the passenger side. I had to loosen up my upper/lower control arms on my 02 for the springs to fall out. The longer springs that used took abit of work to wiggle into position. The dodge fsm will have the torque for the bolt. For loctite use the blue stuff.

I used my tall 5 ton axle stands for the frame just by the control arms mounts and used my 2ton hydraulic jack for lowering the axle. No need for spring compressor for these trucks.

Might want to look into getting a longer track bar. The front axle will shift off more to one side if you don't. You also will loose some turning radius.

 

When I remove the front shocks do I need to take out
the batteries and also remove the three bolts on the
shock tower?

 

You dont need to take the batteries out....yes the shock towers need to come off, you can get to them from the wheel well on two of the three and with a long extension for a socket on the other.....snug the track bar bolt down tight....no lock tite in my opinion....when you jack the axle back up the track bar will go right back into place....good luck