Good to know there is another guy from Asheville on here. Who did you use for regearing? I'm assuming he does lifts too. I'm thinking about trying to install an AEV 2.5" lift on my own but definitely not the regearing piece.

 

The AEV kit was a very easy to install. I didn't have a lot of experience wrenching before doing it. I would spring for a set of grade 8 bolts while you have everything apart. The whole thing took me about 8 hours... which included several trips to ACE to get a couple of new bolts, and a tool or two. There may have been a beer run in there

I ended up using a pair of floor jacks. One to hold up the axle at the diff and the other to help compress the 1st spring when putting in the second.

 

Thanks for the info. Will get the bolts before I start but the beer run in the middle sounds like a good break.