If you're the lucky owner of a brand new 2007 Chevy/GM 1500 4x4 pickup,
there's no need to wait for the aftermarket builders to develop a lift kit
for your new pride and joy. Trailmaster, along with other aftermarket
manufacturers, were invited to prod, poke and otherwise measure the 1500
prior to its release. And thanks to that foresight, 2007 1500 owners can
lift their trucks and install 35" tires as soon as they leave the dealer's
lot. The '07 1500 trucks use a significantly different front suspension
system. Strut-like coil-over shocks are used instead of the previous torsion
bar suspension system. This necessitated a completely new design for a front
end lift system. Here's a look at the process for installing the Trailmaster
6" kit:
The starting point: a factory fresh 2007 Chevy Silverado Crewcab 4x4.
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As you can see, Chevy has gone with a completely new front suspension. Gone are the torsion bars, replaced with coil over shocks.
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Brake components (calipers, hoses, rotors) were the first items we removed.
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Next to come off was the anti-sway bar and the axle shafts.
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The spindles were then removed.
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And then the lower control arms came off.
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The driver's sound mount for the lower control arm needed some trimming to allow the differential to be lowered.
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Here's a driver's side view of the differential with the lowering bracket installed.
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Passenger side differential lowering bracket.
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Now the front and back drop down crossmembers can be installed.
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The differential skid plate bolts up to the two crossmembers and provides additional rigidity.
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Here are the Trailmaster lower control arms installed on the vehicle.
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The hub assembly is being removed from the old spindle...
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and installed onto the new Trailmaster spindle.
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Here's the axle shaft being attached to the hub.
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Because of the additional droop, an aluminum spacer is used to provide extra length when connecting the axle shaft back to the differential.
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And now the brakes are re-installed.
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The factory coil springs are slipped over the Trailmaster shocks.
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Drop down brackets are used to re-mount the anti-sway bar. This preserves the correct operating angle for the bar.
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Support struts are used to brace the rear cross member against the factory transmission cross member. This provides an added margin of safety in the event of a strong frontal impact.
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In contrast to the front suspension, the rear is a tried-and-true leaf spring set-up.
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Longer u-bolts and lift blocks provide lift for the rear.
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Trailmaster SSV reservoir shocks are installed.
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This drop down bracket re-locates the hard brake lines.
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All done!
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