replacing suspension points...

by **v7guy** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:14 am

At 90k miles... I've replaced the shocks, I've replaced the CVs, the lower ball joints need replaced and I have them sitting here, the tie rod ends rotate REALLY easy so I assume they need replaced. The upper ball joint is still very stiff oddly enough. I get a noise when I'm turning on off/on ramps, so I assume the wheel bearings are on the way out.I also get a vibration related to acceleration, it goes away as I increase speed. Tie rods and or wheel bearings.

I'm at the point where i'm reaching the end of life on a lot of the parts. Is it realistic to say F it and replace it all? I would like to spend my money on other things but I'm tired of taking apart everything to replacing parts too.

Obviously I'd replace the tie rod ends with the 2500 parts.

Am I totally off my rocker or should I just replace it all?

by **fishsticks** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:34 am

Take back the ball joints you have and get new LCAs. That way you get preinstalled ball joints AND new bushings.

Buy some cheap ebay wheel hubs... you'll save so much money you can buy a trail spare and still be ahead.

Do the 3/4 ton TRE mod.

DO any other lifting/spring work at the same time.

You'll have a worry free front end.

by **dvanbramer88** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:28 am

fishsticks wrote:You'll have a worry free front end.

Donny knows all about that :finger:

YouTube Videos · by **Trail X** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:22 pm

v7guy wrote:I get a noise when I'm turning on off/on ramps, so I assume the wheel bearings are on the way out.I also get a vibration related to acceleration, it goes away as I increase speed. Tie rods and or wheel bearings.

Wheel bearings generally have distinctive noise resonances when they are beginning to go out. Often, you will hear noise at say, 35; no noise at 50; then noise again at 70 or so.

by **fishsticks** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:26 pm

dvanbramer88 wrote:
fishsticks wrote:You'll have a worry free front end.

Donny knows all about that

by **v7guy** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:21 pm

I was looking around rock auto to order the parts and I noticed moog has the bushings for the control arm and the shock available.

MOOG Part # K200272
Front Lower Rear
$10.86
MOOG Part # K200271
Front Lower Front
$10.92
MOOG Part # K200269
Front Upper
$15.17
MOOG Part # K200270
Front Lower At Shock
$16.33

anybody used these?
It looks like with the balljoints I could be in it for $80 a side which is better than $120-145 a side for the complete arm.

Has anyone needed to replace the inner tie rod end?

by **hotness** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:47 pm

I replaced the inner tie rods. Just an FYI don't use anything from rock auto for tie rods. I replaced the ends with their reybestos tie rod ends and within a month I had snapped one, they sent me a new one and then I snapped the other one and the new one.

by **The Roadie** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:48 pm

Snapped on pavement or offroading?

by **bgwolfpack** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:27 pm

hotness wrote:I replaced the inner tie rods. Just an FYI don't use anything from rock auto for tie rods. I replaced the ends with their reybestos tie rod ends and within a month I had snapped one, they sent me a new one and then I snapped the other one and the new one.

Where did they break at and which ones did you buy? They list two I see; One, the cheap service grade for all of $16.00 each (which many of us have used without trouble) or Two, the "Professional Grade" for $73.00 each which I doubt would last much longer with the same abuse, improper installation or mechanical strangeness.

by **v7guy** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:21 pm

strange to hear the part broke on hotness.

If nobody has any experience with those MOOG bushings I guess I can be the first to try em. It'd be nice to know if they're useable though. I've never seen them mention before I saw them on rockauto tonight.

YouTube Videos · by **Trail X** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:41 am

How is the lower shock bushing replaced? Is it just pressed in there?

by **v7guy** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 4:56 pm

No idea, i cant even find a picture. Bushings ive done in the past have just pressed in.

by **v7guy** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:17 pm

I just found bushing replacements on autozones website too as a duralast brand. No pictures and the description just says it's a 2 part bushing for the shock mount.

YouTube Videos · by **Trail X** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:45 pm

Ah, the stud must be two-part... I always wondered why it had an Allen key on the back side, but it makes sense now.

by **v7guy** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:19 am

so the parts came in today.

All the bushings are in sleeves. The old sleeves need to be pressed out of the A arm and the new bushings need pressed in. Basically this is probably going to be a massive pain in the ass for anyone without access to a press. Before I use a press I'm going to try a few home garage solutions first. My initial impression is that you would probably be better off just buying the A arm as many members have done before. This isn't going to be as simple as burning out the old bushing, cleaning the sleeve, and inserting the new bushing like is common with poly bushing upgrades.

I may sing a different tune after I'm done, but I'm skeptical.

Here's some pics...

2500HD inner and outer tie rod end (thanks for discovering this Donny) find the thread here... http://forums.offroadtb.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2510

Picked up some timken hubs. I've used cheaper hubs in the past and had to replace them swiftly. When I replaced the hubs in my firebird that's running a 18x11 wheel with 315 35 18 tires the Timkens held up the best, the cheap hubs were garbage in a couple months. Experience has taught me that you should spend a little more in this area. I didn't spring for the SKF hubs, but I was tempted. The timken hubs look nice and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

I already had a duralast ball joint and I was going to use it. But after seeing the MOOG and comparing the two I think I would spend the money on the MOOG if I had the two option in front of me. The lip is significantly thicker on the MOOG, and the tolerances are better. The MOOG takes a lot more pressure to move the joint around. They both have grease fittings, and they both are drilled for a cotter pin. I'm leaning towards running both and seeing how they hold up.

by **OregTrailBlazin** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:40 pm

You can still burn the bushing out, and use a chissel to cut the old sleeve.

by **Wyle** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:04 pm

v7guy wrote:so the parts came in today.

Here's some pics...

Nice clear, in-focus pics that don't give me a headache squinting at. :thumleft:

Is that pic the lower shock mount?

by **v7guy** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:22 am

Johnathan- yeah, I may end up burning them out, scoring the sleeve and then caving it in on itself with a chisel. I may go buy that harbor freight 20 ton press that the pirate guys like. I dunno.

Duane- yup, that's the lower shock mount. It has a thread condom on.

I got the upper and lower ball joints done, the axle replaced, and a new hub installed today. The reamer for the tie rod ends was suppose to show up today but it didn't so I slapped it back together (because I like taking it apart over and over again apparently). I only have tomorrow off and I didn't want to replace the bushing, get it aligned and then ream the steering knuckle and get it aligned again. So the bushing are going to have to wait until next weekend probably.

by **v7guy** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 2:24 am

I just realized I never updated this thread. I can't edit old posts on GMTnation and I'm entirely too lazy to copy/paste the text and look up the old pics and insert the images.
So for the complete run down go here

by **mikekey** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:26 am

v7guy wrote:s

A man of good tastes I see. :cheers:

Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys