RTV Lift Kit Installation

bczoom

Senior Member
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Since some people have installed the Essex lift kit and others are about to, let me mention that the installation procedures provided by the mfgr. don't seem to work for everyone. Honestly, I haven't heard from one person that said using the provided instructions actually got anything accomplished other than smashed knuckles, lots of swearing...</P>


So, if you have a kit, please post your installation technique (the one that worked).
If you're going to install one, you may want to consider/try one of these.</P>


(Font increased for easier printing/reading).</P>


<FONT size=4>OK, here's what I did.
First - the back.
Use their directions with these couple hints/thoughts.
If you're working alone, it may be hard to do the prying noted in the instructions.
I put a jack & 2x4" as an extension and lifted on the bed (right behind the tail lights). This removed a lot of the manual prying out of the equation.
If you have a hyd. dump, you'll need to remove the lower hyd connector to get the one bracket into place.
You'll find the replacement bolts that slide inside the rubber grommets are larger than OEM.
Using soapy water or petroleum jelly (I used PJ), things will make it into place. You'll need to do the outside of the grommets as well to get them back into the frame and springs.

The front ones...
These were a bit more difficult.
You WILL need a spring compressor. I rented/borrowed one from the local car parts store.
On the first one, I tried everything to get it to fit (mfgr's instructions as well as thoughts from others) but had little success. Somehow, I did get it together but it took about 2 hours.

On the 2nd one, I tried something different that worked well. Yep, a lot of steps but I'm trying to provide detail. It took about 15 minutes total to do it this way.

1. Jack up that end of the front lifting from the lower control arm, near the tire.
2. Remove the tire.
3. Install spring compressors.
4. Tighten spring compressors as far as you can.
5. Put some jack stands under the front grill guard. (Don't lower the jack that's under the suspension yet).
6. From under the hood, remove the 3 nuts that hold the strut in place. No need to do anything with the center bolt that holds the strut to the bracket.
7. While guiding the spring/strut, slowly let the jack down. The jack stands will hold the RTV up but you need the suspension to fall as low as possible.
8. Swing the strut/spring assembly out of the way so you can access the upper hole.
9. Put the foam gasket in place on the lift kit then slide into place. My bolt holes were off just a tad so it was able to stay in place so I could go to the top and install the nuts. If yours might fall, brace it up or have someone else start the nuts on top.
10. Install and tighten the 3 nuts removed in step 6 and started in step 9.
11. Now pivot the strut assembly so it's on the outside of the new bracket (outside being toward where the top of the tire would be).
12. Push in as far as possible (it probably won't go all the way in) and while doing so, keep the bolts on target for the holes in the lift kit bracket.
13. Mine didn't go all the way (step 12). I just tapped on it with a hammer and it went into place.
14. Install and tighten the nuts between the top of the strut and the lift kit. The one in the back is in a tight spot so it'll take a couple minutes and you'll probably need to flip the wrench over for each grab of the nut.
15. Put the jack back under the lower part of the suspension and start to lift it back up. Watch to make sure the coil springs fall back into their rests (top and bottom).
16. Once the springs are in place, jack it up until the jack stands are no longer holding it up.
17. Remove your spring compressors.
18. Re-install wheel.
19. Lower everything.
20. Take it for a ride then visually inspect to make sure everything is in place (mainly the coil springs).

Hope this helps. Let me know what worked for you. Each person I know tried a different approach with varying success.
Brian
</FONT></P>
 

bczoom

Senior Member
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Bump.

Just wanted to push this near the top since some members may soon be installing the kit.

Brian
 

Chandler

Member
I read where someone got an oem lift kit. I assume this is from kubota. Can you tell me what is the difference between it and the essex version? If it is price do you know what the difference is? Also, is there any difference in the installation?</P>


Thanks in advance!</P>


</P>
 
G

Guest

Guest
The kit from Kubota is just heavier springs to compensate for added weight from the cab and/or windshield. It does nothing to increase your ground cleareance.
 

MRBASS

Member
bczoom,,,Appreciate the bump.. </P>


After much research and several opinions it seems the lift is not needed for 27" tires, And the results seem to be very dissapointing for the cost and work involved. Guess i will just take my chances on the bigger tires and if clearance becomes an issue i will reconsider the lift kit.!</P>
 

TWO GUNS

Senior Member
Site Supporter
MRBASS,</P>


Just a note, don't know this for a fact, but I thnk the 27" ITP Mud-Lite Radials, are a true 27 inches tall , where I do know for a fact, that the 589's, are 27 1/2" tall >>>>> So, if you are really worried about 27" rubbing, you might want to think about the radials, for that will give you a one-half inch more clearance >>>>> thought I'd pass that along >>>>></P>


[:O]</P>
 

Captain

Member
Is the Essex lift kit the only after market kit made? I have not found another. My dealer speaks of HD struts. Would this be only the HD springs (V4219) from Kubota. How difficult to install the V4219 springs? Thanks and Happy New Year to All. Have a safe and prosperous year. Captain
 

bczoom

Senior Member
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
To my knowledge (which doesn't say much), Essex is the only place that makes them.

Captain - Yes, it's only the HD springs. Although I haven't installed them, to my knowledge, you just do the first 8 steps or so I listed for replacing the struts (compress springs, remove and replace).

For those of you running 27's in the front, I see most of you have gone with 9" wide. As best I could tell, the rubbing I got (under the most extreme of conditions which is the only time I would get a rub) was due to the width as I'm running 10". With 9", you're probably never going to get a rub, even without the kit.
 

jdh1

Member
Captain, I recently installed the V4219 HD springs on my 2006 rtv. The job went smoothly, took about 2 hours. You will need a spring compressor, I purchased an inexpensive one on e-bay, worked OK. You remove the tire and wheel, loosen the a-arm, disconnect the tie rod end, disconnect the knuckle assembly from the a-arm and disconnect the strut assembly from the knuckle and the top from under the hood. I put the strut assembly in a vise, compressed the spring, loosened the top center nut, and removed the spring. compress the new spring and reverse the order to replace. There is a small locating tab on the bottom of the strut to position it properly in the knuckle. The biggest problem I had was seperating the tie rod ends since I didn't have a fork, I had to improvise,I would recommend you try to have one handy. It definetly stiffened up the front end, especially using the snow plow. The kit came with detailed instructions. I'd be happy to answer any more questions if needed. jdh1
 
Top