faze
Full Access Member
I just did the steering linkage, ball joints and control arm bushings on the 4wd tahoe and have a few tips:
1) When drilling out the upper ball joint rivets I took the control arm off and went after the flat side of the rivets. Centre punch them and run a 1/8th bit through the rivet. Then take a big bit and cut into the flat side of the rivit until you cut through to the control arm, take a chisel and knock off the flat side...if it doesn't come off drill a bit more. Then, the fun part, simply bang away on the stud bolt of the ball joint with a hammer...it'll nicely drive the balljoint out pulling the rivets with it.
2) Do buy the tool to load up the torsion bars so you can take the bolt out...I have several good clamps but this one locks in place.
3) I used a two jaw puller to push the torsion bar out of the lower control arm...you have to spread it out and catch the end of the control arm with one side of the puller and the shock mount for the other. It doesn't take much pressure to get it out with the puller.
4) If you are taking the bushings apart to put in polys just use a drill to rip the rubber a apart...keep running holes through...one side of the upper control arm bushing pops off while the other is attached to the inside sleeve. Shine a flashlight down and you can see which one to knock off with a punch.
5) If you replace the whole bushing you'll need a hydraulic press. I didn't and took it to a shop. They charges me two hours labour to push out the old ones and push in the new ones. Make sure they seat the uppers properly...you'll see the shoulders that have to meet.
6) I had to take off the steering box to get the pitman arm off the steering box...I have a full set up pickle forks and a three pound sledge that didn't budge it.
7) Mark everything...where the adjustment bolts are for the torsion bars (count the number of turns while you back them out)....where the torsion bar goes into the lower control arm, where the upper control arm bolt cam adjusters are relative to the frame mount and, if you take the steering box off, where the pitman arm goes relative to the steering shaft.
8) Loosen the axle bolt before lifting the truck....I used a breaker bar with a three foot pipe and it came off easily.
I did the whole thing with hand tools but I did buy a balljoint press (with the gm truck adapters), the torsion bar tool and the big socket for the front drive shaft nut.
1) When drilling out the upper ball joint rivets I took the control arm off and went after the flat side of the rivets. Centre punch them and run a 1/8th bit through the rivet. Then take a big bit and cut into the flat side of the rivit until you cut through to the control arm, take a chisel and knock off the flat side...if it doesn't come off drill a bit more. Then, the fun part, simply bang away on the stud bolt of the ball joint with a hammer...it'll nicely drive the balljoint out pulling the rivets with it.
2) Do buy the tool to load up the torsion bars so you can take the bolt out...I have several good clamps but this one locks in place.
3) I used a two jaw puller to push the torsion bar out of the lower control arm...you have to spread it out and catch the end of the control arm with one side of the puller and the shock mount for the other. It doesn't take much pressure to get it out with the puller.
4) If you are taking the bushings apart to put in polys just use a drill to rip the rubber a apart...keep running holes through...one side of the upper control arm bushing pops off while the other is attached to the inside sleeve. Shine a flashlight down and you can see which one to knock off with a punch.
5) If you replace the whole bushing you'll need a hydraulic press. I didn't and took it to a shop. They charges me two hours labour to push out the old ones and push in the new ones. Make sure they seat the uppers properly...you'll see the shoulders that have to meet.
6) I had to take off the steering box to get the pitman arm off the steering box...I have a full set up pickle forks and a three pound sledge that didn't budge it.
7) Mark everything...where the adjustment bolts are for the torsion bars (count the number of turns while you back them out)....where the torsion bar goes into the lower control arm, where the upper control arm bolt cam adjusters are relative to the frame mount and, if you take the steering box off, where the pitman arm goes relative to the steering shaft.
8) Loosen the axle bolt before lifting the truck....I used a breaker bar with a three foot pipe and it came off easily.
I did the whole thing with hand tools but I did buy a balljoint press (with the gm truck adapters), the torsion bar tool and the big socket for the front drive shaft nut.
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