So this is a very popular mod, and there are a ton of threads asking questions about it, yet there doesn't seem to be any how-to thread. We've got how-to's for everything, but this somehow slipped through the cracks.
So since I was at it I took some pictures. I'll attach them, add tips and some basic instructions.
Safety first. Park it somewhere secure, set the e-brake and chock the rear tires. Next, loosen the lug nuts on the front tires. Then jack it up, put some jack stands under it, and remove the tires. Now you can get to work.
I'm going of memory here, so please don't hate me if I get a wrench size wrong. I know the sizes are accurate, but the size may be for a different nut than I though.
1. Unbolt the sway bar using 16mm wrench/socket. Take the nut, bushing and washer off. I've found that taking both sides off the truck makes things easier. Everything else will be done one side at a time, though I guess a buddy could work on the other side simultaneously if they really wanted to.
2. Free up some slack in the ABS cable. It's clipped to the suspension in 2 places, and once to the brake line. Loosening these gives you A LOT more room to work with for the reinstall of the strut assembly.
3. Take the caliper off, and set it aside. I think this is a 21mm wrench/socket, but it may be the 24. Once you take the 2 bolts out that hold the caliper on set it somewhere safe. I hung it from the frame with a bungee cord, and let it rest on an overturned bucket, so I didn't damage the brake line. You don't have a lot of room here, which is why I take it off. Between this and the ABS line, you gain enough room to install the extended strut assembly without the need to use a pry bar.
4. Unbolt the tie rod with 21mm wrench/socket. I had to use a deep well to initially start it, because the stud is too long for a standard socket. As it loosens you may need a wrench to hold the nut, and a smaller wrench to hold the stud, because the ball joint will likely spin once it's loose.
5. Remove the lower strut mount. The nut takes a 24mm and the head takes 21 mm. The nut will require a deep well to start for the same reason you needed one for the tie rod. I then used a rubber mallet to gently tap the bolt out the other side.
6. Unbolt the 3 upper strut mount nuts, with a 15mm wrench/socket.
7. Remove the upper ball joint nut with a 24mm wrench/socket. Just like the other 2 I started with a deep well. And just like the tie rod, you may need to use two wrenches because it will probably spin too.
8. To easily release the upper ball joint, put a jack under the knuckle (I used the factory one from under the seat). Raise it up just a little to take some of the pressure off and give the ball joint a tap with a mallet. By taking pressure off I don't mean you need to do so much that you raise the truck off your jack stands. I mean the suspension is hanging at this point, and the ball joint will be held with friction from all that weight pulling down on it. By supporting it, you allow it to easily pop out.
9. Now you remove the jack and let the suspension sag again. Push down a little on the lower control arm, grab the bottom of the strut assembly and pull it out.
Sorry no pictures from here on, since I didn't really think anyone needs visual aid to pull the assembly off the truck, or to put the spacers on top of it.
10. Install your spacer. It only goes on 1 way so put it on the way it fits.
11. Turn the strut assembly 180° (unless you bought a Daystar kit that has stud extensions instead of new studs), and put it back in. This is the part where taking the caliper off, and loosening the ABS line helps you out. You'll need to push down pretty hard on the suspension to get the strut assembly back in, because its longer since it has a plate bolted to the top of it now. If you did steps 2 & 3 it will move down enough that it only takes a push or two. No need for a pry bar or anything like that. This is one of those things you learn after doing a few kits (we're up to 6 or 7 by now).
Now you just need to bolt everything back together.
12. Loosely secure the top strut bolts (the 3 from step 6).
13. Wiggle the lower control arm up/down as you push the lower strut bolt back into place. Once it's in run the nut onto it (not that it's going to fall out, but it needs done at some point and it might was well be now).
14. Put the jack back under the knuckle to raise it up, so you don't have to try to lift it up, and tighten bolts.
15. Reconnect the upper ball joint, and tie rod.
16. Tighten everything down. No I haven't forgotten the sway bar, it's still loose so we can do the other side easier.
17. With everything back back on, you can re-install your calipers, and ABS line.
Repeat everything for the other side. Once that side is done, reconnect the sway bar. This is kind of a bear. I found it easiest put the wheels on, lower the truck to the ground enough to get them started. If your torque wrench fits with the wheels on just tighten it this way. If it doesn't (like mine) raise the truck back up once you have the nuts started, take the wheels back off, and then tighten the sway bar nuts back down. Or you could simply tighten them down to what feels good and say to bad for the specs, but that's not the right way to do it.
Ta-da, you're done. Go get an alignment. It will probably track straight, but the camber is way out, so you'll eat your tires up if you don't.
So since I was at it I took some pictures. I'll attach them, add tips and some basic instructions.
Safety first. Park it somewhere secure, set the e-brake and chock the rear tires. Next, loosen the lug nuts on the front tires. Then jack it up, put some jack stands under it, and remove the tires. Now you can get to work.
I'm going of memory here, so please don't hate me if I get a wrench size wrong. I know the sizes are accurate, but the size may be for a different nut than I though.
1. Unbolt the sway bar using 16mm wrench/socket. Take the nut, bushing and washer off. I've found that taking both sides off the truck makes things easier. Everything else will be done one side at a time, though I guess a buddy could work on the other side simultaneously if they really wanted to.
2. Free up some slack in the ABS cable. It's clipped to the suspension in 2 places, and once to the brake line. Loosening these gives you A LOT more room to work with for the reinstall of the strut assembly.
3. Take the caliper off, and set it aside. I think this is a 21mm wrench/socket, but it may be the 24. Once you take the 2 bolts out that hold the caliper on set it somewhere safe. I hung it from the frame with a bungee cord, and let it rest on an overturned bucket, so I didn't damage the brake line. You don't have a lot of room here, which is why I take it off. Between this and the ABS line, you gain enough room to install the extended strut assembly without the need to use a pry bar.
4. Unbolt the tie rod with 21mm wrench/socket. I had to use a deep well to initially start it, because the stud is too long for a standard socket. As it loosens you may need a wrench to hold the nut, and a smaller wrench to hold the stud, because the ball joint will likely spin once it's loose.
5. Remove the lower strut mount. The nut takes a 24mm and the head takes 21 mm. The nut will require a deep well to start for the same reason you needed one for the tie rod. I then used a rubber mallet to gently tap the bolt out the other side.
6. Unbolt the 3 upper strut mount nuts, with a 15mm wrench/socket.
7. Remove the upper ball joint nut with a 24mm wrench/socket. Just like the other 2 I started with a deep well. And just like the tie rod, you may need to use two wrenches because it will probably spin too.
8. To easily release the upper ball joint, put a jack under the knuckle (I used the factory one from under the seat). Raise it up just a little to take some of the pressure off and give the ball joint a tap with a mallet. By taking pressure off I don't mean you need to do so much that you raise the truck off your jack stands. I mean the suspension is hanging at this point, and the ball joint will be held with friction from all that weight pulling down on it. By supporting it, you allow it to easily pop out.
9. Now you remove the jack and let the suspension sag again. Push down a little on the lower control arm, grab the bottom of the strut assembly and pull it out.
Sorry no pictures from here on, since I didn't really think anyone needs visual aid to pull the assembly off the truck, or to put the spacers on top of it.
10. Install your spacer. It only goes on 1 way so put it on the way it fits.
11. Turn the strut assembly 180° (unless you bought a Daystar kit that has stud extensions instead of new studs), and put it back in. This is the part where taking the caliper off, and loosening the ABS line helps you out. You'll need to push down pretty hard on the suspension to get the strut assembly back in, because its longer since it has a plate bolted to the top of it now. If you did steps 2 & 3 it will move down enough that it only takes a push or two. No need for a pry bar or anything like that. This is one of those things you learn after doing a few kits (we're up to 6 or 7 by now).
Now you just need to bolt everything back together.
12. Loosely secure the top strut bolts (the 3 from step 6).
13. Wiggle the lower control arm up/down as you push the lower strut bolt back into place. Once it's in run the nut onto it (not that it's going to fall out, but it needs done at some point and it might was well be now).
14. Put the jack back under the knuckle to raise it up, so you don't have to try to lift it up, and tighten bolts.
15. Reconnect the upper ball joint, and tie rod.
16. Tighten everything down. No I haven't forgotten the sway bar, it's still loose so we can do the other side easier.
17. With everything back back on, you can re-install your calipers, and ABS line.
Repeat everything for the other side. Once that side is done, reconnect the sway bar. This is kind of a bear. I found it easiest put the wheels on, lower the truck to the ground enough to get them started. If your torque wrench fits with the wheels on just tighten it this way. If it doesn't (like mine) raise the truck back up once you have the nuts started, take the wheels back off, and then tighten the sway bar nuts back down. Or you could simply tighten them down to what feels good and say to bad for the specs, but that's not the right way to do it.
Ta-da, you're done. Go get an alignment. It will probably track straight, but the camber is way out, so you'll eat your tires up if you don't.