Thuren Fabrication 1994-2002 Dodge Ram Long Travel Leaf Conversion Kit Instructions

Thuren Fabrication 1994-2002 Dodge Ram Long Travel Leaf Conversion Kit

Product Information

The Thuren Fabrication 1994-2002 DODGE RAM LONG TRAVEL LEAF CONVERSION is a kit designed for trucks within the specified range. It provides improved suspension performance and allows for longer travel. The kit includes front and rear hangers, shackles, leafs, shock drop brackets, boogie bumps, and necessary hardware.

Product Usage Instructions

1. Disassembly: The recommended approach is to remove each leaf, shackle, and hanger combo as one piece.
2. Front Hanger: Install the front hanger.
3. Rear Hanger: Install the rear hanger.
4. Installation – Front Hangers: Stack the brackets on top of the front hangers. Take note of the driver side’s fuel tank, as it may require additional attention. Use a template if necessary and refer to provided pictures for guidance.
5. Installation – Rear Hangers: Install the rear hangers on both sides. Use 4 bottom OEM nuts per side and torque them down.
6. Shackle and Leaf: Place the HEX plate towards the frame. Ensure correct orientation (left and right). The HEX plate compensates for limited access to tighten the bolt due to proximity to the frame/brackets. Insert a 5/8 x 5 bolt/washer from the outside in. Prepare the 5/8 nut on the backside.
7. Boogie Bumps: Install the boogie bumps as instructed.
8. Shock Drop Brackets: If necessary, use a 7/16 drill to open up one hole. Ensure 1/8 clearance behind/inside the designated line. The shock mount can be adjusted to provide clearance for larger body shocks if needed. Install new upper bracket holes with a 3/8 drill and secure with appropriate hardware.
9. Shocks: Use shocks that are no longer than 18.5 inches when compressed.
10. Bumper: Most OEM bumper brackets may not clear the swinging shackle. Estimate the swing range and modify the brackets accordingly. Remove the forward 2-stud plate and replace it with provided button-head bolts outside-in to allow for swing clearance.
11. Re-install Bed: Reverse the removal process of the bed. Make sure to perform a final torque check on all bolts.

You are now ready to enjoy your upgraded suspension!

These instructions are applicable to the following Trucks:

• 1994-2002 Ram 2500
• 1994-2002 Ram 3500

Available Part Numbers:

LTLF1CONV-9402

Disassembly

• Remove the bed. This kit install will be almost impossible to do if you don’t.

  • R emove the 3 screws holding in the filler cap
  • Unplug the wire harness connections. 2 total/One each near each tail-light.
  • 6 vertical bolts with 15mm socket heads, into the bed from the frame underside, need to be removed.
  • 1 ground strap from bed to cab.
  • 4 people can lift the bed off easy, or use a strap and an engine hoist or something to lift.

• Jack truck up and support nice and high by the frame.
  • You will need the height as the leafs have a huge arch in them compared to stock.

• Support axle with jack stands.

• Remove:

  • Wheels
  • Axle U-bolts
  • Shocks
  • Drop axle a little and remove the OEM blocks.
    note
    Plan is to remove each leaf, shackle, and hanger combo all off as one piece.

Front Hanger

• Work on front hanger removal first, removing only the heads from the rivets.
  • Center punch then drill through about 1/4″ deep using a small bit, then step up roughly 3 times to the final 1/2″ bit size.
  • Air hammer with chisel to pop rivet head off, the switch to a punch and air hammer the rivets through.
  • Use a cutoff wheel or sawzall to cut through the front hanger top support plate deal.

Rear Hanger

• Now move to rear hanger, and you can only get to 3 of the 4 rivets at this point. Same process as front hanger, drill + air hammer these 3.
• Lift up the front leaf half to gain access to the 4th rivet. Drill + hammer the last one.
• Remove the 18mm head bolt holding shackle to frame, and lift off entire leaf and hangers together.
• Same process on the other side!

Installation

Front Hangers

• Remove the 4 x 18mm nuts under the frame where the hitch bolts up. Our bracket will stack on top here.
• Install front hangers using the factory rivet holes and 1/2″ flange hardware. Driver side is tricky with fuel tank.
  • If the front hanger does not clear the body mount, trim the body moun per-template. It will make sense if needed.
  • Let us know if you need to remove your E-brake bracket rear of the driver front mount (and send pictures).

Rear Hangers

Slide rear hangers up over the OEM hitch mounting studs, install 3 Flange bolts per side and 4 bottom OEM nuts, and torque down.

Shackle and Leaf

• Install shackle onto the rear of the new leaf spring (small non-Military Wrap end), and make sure the shackle HEX plate goes towards the frame. There is a left and a right. This HEX plate is there as there is no access to tighten the bolt as it’s so close to the frame/brackets.
• Install 5/8″x5″ bolt/nut and make sure the bolt head sinks into the HEX Plate.
• Lift leaf and shackle into place, and mount the front leaf mount hanger with 5/8″ x 5″ bolt/washer from the outside in.
• Lift shackle into mount and using 5/8″x5.5″ bolt slip it through but not all the way yet, and have the 5/8″ nut on the backside in place ready to go, as you need to thread the bolt into the nut together.
• Align leaf center bolt, attach U-bolts with new leaf plates, and torque everything down.
• Remove OEM bump stops, install our spacer using OEM hardware (access hole to the rear), and attach our Boogie Bumps.

Shock Drop Brackets

• Install shock drop brackets..

• Mount on axle using the bottom OEM holes using the 7/16″ hardware.
  You might need to open up one hole with a 7/16″ drill.

• Mark where you will need to cut off the protruding OEM mount and cut off about 1/8″ behind/inside that line.

• A slight curve ground into the bottom flat section of the OEM shock mount can help with large body shock clearance, if needed.

• Paint the raw steel cuts now.

• Re-install brackets, tighten bottom bolts, drill through the 2 new upper bracket holes with a 3/8″ drill, and bolt down 3/8″ hardware.

• Load/weight the axle to compress springs and install shocks.
  The proper shocks for this kit can be no longer than 18.5″ compressed.

Bumper
Most OEM bumper brackets will not clear the shackle when it swings back. Estimate the swing of the shackle, and clearance the brackets if needed. The OEM bracket bolt/plates are most likely too long, so remove the forward 2-stud plate, and install our provided button-head bolts outside-in, to provide swing clearance.

Re-install bed in reverse of removal, final torque check all bolts and you should be ready to rock!!!

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