terravast4

iTrader: (25)

i did upper and lower control arms, shocks, inner/outer tie rods, sway bar bushings and front hubs

adriver

iTrader: (1)

I have been looking around to price out some new front end components, I was only looking at the moog problem solver parts. Rockauto was the cheapest I could find on every single part.

Mark Johnson

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for all the info- guys. Was up in Chicago at Nephews graduation. While there I figured heh- goto the NAPA there. I was then asked if I had rack and pinion steering. SO I just said thanks you I'm from out of state anyways. I have recirculating ball- did the 2WD trucks come with rack and pinion. I know R&P is all the rage on the Gen 4 trucks 2 and 4 wheel drive. Oh yeah- and replacing the UCA bushings- do they need to be pressed out, like with a ball joint press tool?

ILuvJDM

iTrader: (4)

Yes, UCA bushings need to be pressed out either with a BJ tool or shop press.

If your truck has coil springs in the front, it's R&P.
If your truck has torsion bars in the front, it's recirculating ball

Mark Johnson

iTrader: (1)

Cool- thanks. and LCA's pressed out as well.........

ILuvJDM

iTrader: (4)

Yep, LCA balljoints and bushings both need to be pressed out and in

Mark Johnson

iTrader: (1)

Thanks- beat this to death a little more, figured I'll do everything while I'm down there. How big of a deal is it to replace Pitman and idler arm BJs? I know the idler is a real PITA to get at just for greasing can it be done on the truck?

Mark Johnson

iTrader: (1)

One more Q- I was asked about idler/ pitman arm taper. how would I find this out? Thanks again

ezdaar

iTrader: (1)

amazon sells uppper and lower control arms with moog bushings already pressed in. this will save ya ALOT of grief.
$$ vs time vs grief. I will spend the extra few $$ and get the entire arm/bushing assembly.

If you are dead set on pushing bushings, press in energy suspension bushings instead of moog.

I prefer energy suspension uper and lower control arm bushings moog lower sway bar end link bushings and energy suspension upper end link bushings and finally PST poly graphite sway bay mount bushings.

this give a significantly better than oem ride quality.
A progressive sway bar endlink and a nice and solid sway bar mount, which resists twisting and flex. when you tighten down the endlinks, you want to tighten just until the bushing touches the sway bar eyelet and then two more turns. DONOT buldge the bushings, they should be just tight enough that you cannot rotate the bushings by hand.

If you do rear leafs, do PST bushings in the front eyelets and energy suspension in the rear eyelet.
If you use a drop hanger you already have equivalent to moog bushings in the hanger.


by placing stiffer bushings and softer bushings in the correct locations, you get a very smooth but accurate suspension and vastly improved handling while not being so harsh that you can feel a penny when you drive over it.

When you are ready to fill tierod ends, idle and pitman arm as well as lubing bushings.
Get the Black lithium based marine grade lube.
DONOT pump so much into the zerks that grease pops out from the boots!
Have the front end of truck up on jack stands, pump in a cpl squirts of grease into each joint and then turn the steering wheel back and forth to full lock a few times, then add a cpl more squirts.
when you see the ruber boots start to swell up STOP pumping in grease. rotate the steering wheel a few times and your done.

When you are bolting up the upper, lower control arms do not tighten them so tight that they are hard to move, you want them to move freely, but not so loose they flop around.

Take the time to clean and re paint everything. it drives me batshit crazy when i see someone spend all the time to swap all these parts and not clean and repaint dirty parts.

Mark Johnson

iTrader: (1)

Thanks ez- I'm already looking up the energy upper and lower CA bushings, almost pulled the trigger on energy sway bar bushings too. SO would I have the 32 or 33 spline pitman/ idler arms? but I'd still be fine with just the BJ's and press'em in..............