OleBluegrass

I’ve got a 2003 Silverado 1500, it’s my small cam, 4L80, 3600 PI Converter, 78/75 (to come) build.

I’ve had it on my lift for a while tinkering on different things here and there. I had bad ball joints on the driver side and 150K miles so I figured, why not change the control arms while I’m at it?

I bought some Detroit Axle control arms, I’ve had good luck with their brake parts so I didn’t mind trying these out. After I replaced these, I decided to put in some Moog steering links and tie rods, all went together fine.

I struggled with the torsion bar the whole time because I’m an idiot with suspension and tackled this without much research. Long story short, I finally got the torsion bar in the right “hex” on the control arm, used a torsion key tool to load the bar, and threaded my torsion bar bolt in back to where it was factory (I painted it so I’d know which I learned from a video that obviously didn’t help me too much).

I threw in a brand new shock on the passenger side (which I did not replace ball joints or control arms). Went in super easily. I moved to the driver side, the ride height was about an inch higher and I couldn’t even get the shock in. I loosened the control arms, then tightened them wrench tight instead of torquing them, threw the wheels and tires on and sat the truck on the ground to preload the suspension hoping it would bring that shock stud up through the mount where it needs to be. I walked behind the truck and you could visibly see how much higher the front driver side was so I started adjusting the torsion key on the driver side. The best I could do to match the passenger side ride height of 7.75” was to pull the torsion bolt almost all the way out which threw the passenger side off somehow so I cranked it in a bit to get it back to 7.75”

I did get the shock installed now.

Other than having the grind the bump stop pad to clear the shock, the only concerning thing on this Detroit axle lower control arm is the gap in the torsion bung. You can see light coming through it in a couple spots in this pic, it’s not like this on the factory part.

Pic of the truck for attention.


I was happy until I saw the positive camber on the driver side.

Did I majorly screw all this up, or does the upper control arm just need adjusting and the truck need an alignment? The steering wheel is straight but I know that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need an alignment.

Again, I’m clearly an idiot with this stuff, zero experience with suspension and steering so feel free to roast my ignorance. Gotta learn somehow. I have watched videos on this on YouTube but I’ve not found anything super comprehensive.

Thanks folks.

strutaeng

I redid the entire front end on my 99 Silverado 2wd last summer (ball joints, upper and lower control arm bushings, steering rack (was leaking), upper and lower ball joints and stabilizer links and bar bushings). My tires were way off until I got it aligned.

On my other trucks that gave front torsion bars suspension, I've marked the relationship with a white marker, but I know the torsion bars are not "indexed" to the control arms.

I would try to get an alignment and they should be able to make everything right again.

OleBluegrass

thanks for your reply, man. I’ll get her aligned and see if that makes everything right. Just need to find a shop I trust to get in this truck, lol.

RB04Av

If you loosened the upper control arm bolts, then you disturbed the alignment. Possibly both caster and camber.

The way their alignment works is, there's a D shaped hole in a large washer-like thing, that fits a D on the bolt; there are pins on the chassis bracket, and the washer thing has a helical slot cut in it; when the washer is rotated, the pins force the washer to slide in or out, thus moving the CA bushing the bolt goes through in or out. Alignment consists of loosening the nut on each bolt and adjusting the CA position by turning the bolt, then tightening the nut when correct alignment is attained.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...eRPybQr%2BL%2B

So yeah, if you loosened all that, you now need an alignment. No big deal.

OleBluegrass

you’re awesome, man. Thank you so much. I’m feeling better about this, lol.

strutaeng

Just take it to a good place.

When I redid my stuff, the truck was horribly out of whack. 15 MPH and tires screeched and wanted to go all over the place. I limped to PepBoys only to learn their alignment rack was broken. I was able to limp home.

Then took it to this little shop around the corner where I live run by these Middle Eastern guys. They checked and told me my steering wheel was out 180 degrees. He said count the number of turns and center it again. I did fail to lock the steering wheel when I disconnected the linkage, so I figured that was it. So I went home and disconnected the steering shaft and the steering wheel basically just spins it never locks. I was like, these guys must not know anything.

So I watched a YouTube video and a guy was showing how to do a rough alignment by eye. Sure enough, my tires were each pointed outward...by a lot! After I adjusted the tie rods, truck drove pretty darn well, even got it on the highway.

A few days later I took it to another Pep Boys and they did the alignment. Steering wheel was a bit off initially, and after i adjusted it myself, I got it pretty close. And they left it centered after the alignment.

Northeastconfederate

As for the ride height, the truck should be on its wheels (all its weight on all four wheels) before the control arm bolts are tightened. They should be snug, meaning the bolt heads and nuts/washers are making contact, but the bushings able to move freely, before setting the vehicle down. Once on its wheels, bounce it multiple times front and rear so the weight settles. This usually solves the ride height issue though with the adjustable torsion bars obviously they'll need adjustment. The lower control arm bolts should be just snug when ride height adjustments are made. Once that's squared away, tighten the control arm bolts with the vehicle's weight on its wheels. You may need to set it down from the lift with the tires on ramps or blocks (like a pair of 6x6 blocks 18" long each block - one pair per wheel) and the parking brake on in order to reach the bolts for tightening.

I was a Benz tech for a long time. The first step in doing an alignment (after setting up the rack and so forth) is to check the ride height. The alignment specs are then derived according to the ride height. I don't know if the Chevy truck alignment process is the same, but if the shop has a newer Hunter alignment rack, it's very likely they have a tool to measure ride height and will be well versed in how to correct yours. I would hope so, anyway. If you aren't able to get the ride height exactly right before you take it in for alignment, make sure you ask the right questions. Such as, will the tech check and adjust ride height as part of his process. If not a normal check, ask for it to be done. It's best done on an alignment rack anyway, which is supposed to be dead level.

smokinlmm

Nice truck! Love that color and your step sides.