I'll see if I remember everything.
-Jack up truck so rear tires are off the ground.
-Remove tires (makes it easier).
-Jack up the axle (I jacked it on the rear dif, but if you don't want to that's fine but you need to jack the axle somewhere to take off some pressure on the plate that the U-bolts bolt to). Also I used some wood so it was a little softer instead of the metal jack.
-Remove U-bolts/plate.
-Lower axle a little to give room.
-Knock out blocks.
-Jack axle back up.
-Put on 4x2 U-Bolts.
-Put tires back on and lower jack

Finished.

I think that's everything. I have a word document with pics on how someone installed lowering shackles. Most of the steps are the same. Leave your email if you want a copy.


Wait.
If you are talking about what I think you are talking about those don't come off. Just need to take off the 8 (4/side) U-bolts

 

Make sure you only have one side loose at a time in order to keep the axle correctly positioned. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

Why couldn't you just re-thread the ones you have ? Take a die and cut an inch and a half more threads on them.

 

Tical, when you jack the axle up so the tire is off the groud, do you lower it back down a tad to sit on jack stands? or do you just have the axle resting on the jack and knock the block out? and the two bolts you thought I ws talking about, yea I meant the two that hold the guide plate for the U bolts. It sounds like I got everything right but the block didn't come out. Is is suppsoed to be loose? or do you bang it out with a hammer? How d oyou know you have jacked it up enough to knowck the block out? I'd appreciate the word document and phots. My e-mail is dbrakus@westfield.com.

Thanks again,
Dan

 

Tical, when you jack the axle up so the tire is off the groud, do you lower it back down a tad to sit on jack stands? or do you just have the axle resting on the jack and knock the block out? and the two bolts you thought I ws talking about, yea I meant the two that hold the guide plate for the U bolts. It sounds like I got everything right but the block didn't come out. Is is suppsoed to be loose? or do you bang it out with a hammer? How d oyou know you have jacked it up enough to knock the block out? I'd appreciate the word document and phots. My e-mail is dbrakus@westfield.com.

Thanks again,
Dan

 

Sorry for the double post.

 

If you can excuse the surface rust and my 25 year old apartment carpet. This is what the blocks look like. Notice the notches. Once you have the truck jacked up, taken the u-bolts off you must lower the axle far enough to get those notches out of the plate.

Top:


Bottom:


P.S. I sent the email. You should remove your email now to prevent spammers.

 

Amen!!! I liked to have never got the axle straight again.

 

Thanks for the help guys, I finally got them off, and it was well worth the effort. And you were absolutely right about the axle being really tough to line back up just right to allign the tabs in the axle bracket. Took me a couple hours, an episode of Two and a Hlaf Men, 2 beers, and a chair to get through it. THanks again for the help. Rich.