front end updates 100k+

[jdpber]

well after the accident the front end got an alignment and the align guy tod me that the drivers upper ball joint boot was dry rotting.. and would need be replaced in near future and is the cause for the random squeak up front.

well i did a little digging and talking with local 4WD shop and buddy there.. and he told me to get MOOG Grease able joints..

so i have sourced the parts about $253 for all new uper and lower ball joints and inner and outer tie rod ends.. i figure while i have the front end all apart i amy as well do it right.. of if there is a better product out there.. so far there is not much of an aftermarket line for ball joints..


IS there any other areas that anyone can suggest i address while apart..

NO steering or running gear was damaged in accident.. the alignment guy said i was actually very true still as i had my annual alignment not 4 months ago.. .. there has always been the ever so slight play in the steering and i attribute that to: lift, 35s and 100k+ miles.. and well warn out stock ball joints..

so i figure go beefy and do it right so its good for another 100k...

anything else that i should look at while doing this...

 

[ATL]

moog makes good stuff, id run their parts no questions asked. but may also want to do sway bar end links possibly, check the control arm bushings(add poly bushings if needed), maybe that cognito pittman/idler support setup...

 

[jdpber]

Suggestions noted.. i figure if i have the tires off and under the front end i might as well get it all.. rebuild the front end basically..

 

[ATL]

well, after what you mentioned, all you really have left is pittman and idler left to do. im sure you dont need a centering link, prob dont need a steering box, hubs are prob still fine... and thats about it. other than those, all you have is the control arms. youre already replacing the balljoints, only thing left is bushings. go ahead and check the bushings on the shocks and everything else while youre in there as well.

 

[jdpber]

I jsut put new solid 1" diameter sway bar end links from trail master on about 9 months ago with earthen bushings. so those are rock solid.. damn things were like $75 for the set just parts i did the labor.

 

[geo3xk]

Maybe wheel bearings?

 

[CEN2MENTAL95]

i gotta go thru this myself....but that damn arnott suspension set me back....

its always something!

 

[southboundchicken]

im wanting to replace my ball joints also when i install my drop spindles and have priced moog ball joints at approximate $80 each so your price sounds pretty good. where are you getting them from?

 

[alc5m]

check rockauto, i saved a couple bucks when i needed to replace rods ball joints and a cv shaft on my 96

either way it ends up expensive, but any bit helps i guess

 

[jdpber]

Tonight I installed a stealing stabilizer and holy cow it did wonders...

The ball joints and tie rod ends should get the last little bit of play gone..

GEO3xk - wheel bearings checked out fine overall


The stabilizer firmed the steering up a lot. And got all of the play out the steering wheel and slight play vibrations. There is less walk than before. I feel with ball joints and tie rod ends and bushings if needed will make the front end nice and happy

 

[bikerglasses]

Read good stuff about this, just expensive. I like you would like to rebuild my front end, but coming to see how expensive it'll be, dunno if I just do it with the new heavy duty stuff or OEM.

http://store.sevensaturdays.com/cst-css-c24-8-kit.html

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[bikerglasses]

I jsut put new solid 1" diameter sway bar end links from trail master on about 9 months ago with earthen bushings. so those are rock solid.. damn things were like $75 for the set just parts i did the labor.

Why would you do new links? Just for the bushings? Do you have a link to this part?

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[ATL]

Why would you do new links? Just for the bushings? Do you have a link to this part?

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yes, the bushings start deteriorating and will need to be replaced. the larger diameter end link are just more heavy duty. the ones that i have mount up totally different than stock. the stock end links are just long rods that the bushings slide over. the end link i have are prob 1" in the core. then the ends screw into the body, compressing the bushings. it hard to explain, ill see if i can find some pics...

heres a stock end link
http://static.1aautoimages.com/partimage/SMX/1ASMX00037/main.JPG


and heres an aftermarket
http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/prodimages/Energy_Suspension/98123G_lg.jpg

 

[jdpber]

Read good stuff about this, just expensive. I like you would like to rebuild my front end, but coming to see how expensive it'll be, dunno if I just do it with the new heavy duty stuff or OEM.

http://store.sevensaturdays.com/cst-css-c24-8-kit.html

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those look interesting.. i will have to look up more on them.. they are expensive as shit thought
________________________________

Why would you do new links? Just for the bushings? Do you have a link to this part?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

well the issue is the links are larger bc of the lift kit. and i tried to buy just the bushings but i could not source just the bushings.. they are much larger than stock.. and the only way to get the bushings was to get new links from trail master.. i called all sorts of people for about a month hunting them.. ill take pics and show the size increase..


no i do not have a link to the part.. i had to call trailmaster direct in CA and use my local 4wd shop that is a dealer for TM and my buddy ordered me the parts at cost.. same with my steering stabilizer.. all i pay extra is shipping.. it could have been less than $75 its been a while i cant remember exactly..
_________________

yes, the bushings start deteriorating and will need to be replaced. the larger diameter end link are just more heavy duty. the ones that i have mount up totally different than stock. the stock end links are just long rods that the bushings slide over. the end link i have are prob 1" in the core. then the ends screw into the body, compressing the bushings. it hard to explain, ill see if i can find some pics...

heres a stock end link
http://static.1aautoimages.com/partimage/SMX/1ASMX00037/main.JPG


and heres an aftermarket
http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/prodimages/Energy_Suspension/98123G_lg.jpg

yes you are correct.. but the end links i have are much larger than the one you showed.. i have a spare set aka the original set in my tool box ill take pics.. but they are a couple LBS each.. i also have a larger sway bar in addition to the lift.. and dealing with the lift components beefier linkage is needed this is why they made these huge end links..

as for the $$ it was worth it. to not have one side the truck with a 1" gap from a dead bushing going whap whap.. but the thing is the inside diameter is 2x the stock and outer is 2x larger also and this is what made it hard to track down. plus there is a cone shape to one end of each of the bushings and that was key..

---------- Post added at 10:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:16 AM ----------

i would love to have something fully rebuildable and bullet proof like this.. that will keep the tires locked in and tracking nice and straight all the time no mater the terrain..
i may end up in buddies machine shop fabbing a similar tie rod.. we were talkign about it last night.. he wants a beefy set for his 2500HD with cummins swap about to get a 8" lift and 38s..

stock vs BEEF

this ideler arm is looking very tempting in my book

 

[ATL]

those i posted are energys, the ones i bought are much bulkier than that, but i couldnt find a pic to link of them, they arent listed anymore. ill have to take a pic of the actual parts to show you.

havent i seen the heim joint tie rods on ebay? they should make it all VERY firm. im actually lookin to do something of the sort on my girls mustang. its called a bumpsteer kit for the mustang. once lowered the tie rods arent parallel with ground, they actually point upward. the bumpstop kit drop the out tie rod mounting points like in the picture above, which lowers the tie rod itself, making the steering parallel with the ground again. seems like youd need to opposite for a lifted truck

 

[jdpber]

yea oposite for lifted.. so far i have found where i can order the 1.5" bars and heim joints..

buddy and i are tag teaming the search as he needs the same for his sierra 2500..

i would love to have a beefy set for less than 150 ideal but may be a challenge.. and yes a HEIM joint will be 10 fold better than a ball style joint of the OEM style.. plus the main rod being beefier will not have any give where the stocks actually have a slight flex and can break easy with a lift and tires this large..