Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts, then raise the rear of the vehicle and support it securely on jackstands placed underneath the frame rails, blocking the front wheels to prevent rolling before removing the rear wheels. Support the rear axle housing with a floor jack placed underneath the differential and detach the parking brake cable from its bracket on the leaf spring. Disconnect the lower ends of the
Shock Absorbers from the axle housing, then spray the nuts on the U-bolts with penetrating oil and allow it to sit for a few minutes before removing the U-bolt nuts and the anchor plate from below the spring, working on only one leaf spring at a time to keep the axle assembly located under the vehicle. Remove the nuts and bolts to detach the rear spring shackle, then carefully lower the spring, which is heavy, and remove the bolt and nut from the front spring mount to take out the leaf spring. For installation, mount the spring at the front bracket without fully tightening the bolt, then use an assistant or another jack to raise the spring until it sits between the U-bolts, allowing the anchor plate to be installed and the U-bolt nuts to be tightened hand-tight, noting that new U-bolts and nuts are recommended for reinstalling the springs. Reassemble the rear shackle to the rear spring eye, then raise the rear axle with a floor jack to simulate normal ride height before tightening the fasteners to the specified torque. Finally, install the wheels and lug nuts, lower the vehicle, and tighten the lug nuts to the specified torque.