Go ahead and laugh....I had a Hellwig sway bar, four Rancho shocks and a Belltech 2" drop shackle kit to install yesterday.
The bottom bolt comes out of the stock shackle easy enough (slides to the outside of the truck). But, the upper bolt slides twoard the frame (to the inside of the truck), and butts against the frame long before the entire bolt is exposed.
I know of the three projects I listed, this is the easiest, but I couldn't figure it out. I had the truck jacked and on stands. I jacked the pupmkin just a bit. Tried jacking the leaf spring. Nothing moved very much. How do you get the top bolt out?? lol
Note to Hellwig, don't bother enclosing "instructions" with your anti sway bar...you just emabarass yourself!
Anyway, FWIW, the sway bar installed okay, just took a while. Bar had to go under the pumpkin because of sensor wire on top. Axle clamps went under brake lines okay and are not rubbing anything. These are butted up against the housing on both sides. Kit cames with shorter links, but longs were installed. Doubt if they will need to be changed after drop shackle.
The shocks, well heck, after the shackle debacle, and the sway foray, my mechanic is going to put the shocks in.

 

All you need to do is jack the pumpkin up "higher" and the top of the shackle will raise over the frame. I did that install Friday.

 

Can I leave the truck on the ground? Would save a few minutes if I don't have to do the jackstand dance on both sides.
Thanks!

 

Not sure. I still had my frame under the jack stands. I would think you need the trucks weight OFF of the suspension at all times to do this.

 

Leave it jacked up by the frame...don't drop it down as it is easier to line up the new shackles. Then, as 02XLT said, jack the pumpkin up until the top bolts clear the frame. Make sure you put a little lithium grease on the faces of the bolts/nuts or you will soon have creaking noises.