REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

1. Elevate and safely support the truck on stands.
2. Remove the front wheels. Remove the under covers.
3. Remove the front locknut from the strut rod.
4. Remove the two bolts holding the strut rod to the control arm. Remove the bump stopper from the lower control arm, then pull the rod rearward to remove it.

   WARNING
   Take careful note of the bushings and washers at the front of the rod. They must be reinstalled correctly. The pieces are not interchangeable.

5. If both strut rods are removed or one is being replaced, take note that the bars are different for left and right sides. The left side rod will have either an L or a white mark on the bar. Right side bars are identified by an R or no marking.

   Fig. 1: Make certain when installing the strut bar, to install the washers, nuts and bushings in the correct order — 1983–95 rear wheel drive Pick-ups

6. When reinstalling, set the rearmost nut on the strut rod to the correct distance of 3.28 in. (8.35cm) from the tip of the rod. This creates the approximately correct effective length for the strut rod.
7. Install the front of the rod with the bushings and spacers correctly placed. Install the end nut snug but do not final tighten it.
8. Attach the strut rod and bump stopper to the control arm, tightening the nuts to 51–61 ft. lbs. (70–85 Nm).
9. Install the wheels and lower the vehicle to the ground.
10. Bounce the vehicle two or three times to stabilize the suspension. Make sure the nuts on the front of the strut rod are snug. With the truck free of passengers and cargo, tighten the front and rear nuts on the strut rod to 54–61 ft. lbs. (75–85 Nm). Tighten the rear nut's lock nut also to 54–61 ft. lbs. (75–85 Nm).
11. Reinstall the under covers.
12. Have the alignment checked at a reliable repair facility.