Just got a new truck and I am looking for advise and information

[NorthTexasDylan]

Hello everyone!! I just got a 1997 Chevrolet K1500 Silverado Z71. I bought the truck from what I was told was the 2nd owner. The first owner seems to have tricked the truck out pretty nice. Lift kit, aftermarket wheels and 285-75-16 tires. That is where it pretty much ended.
This second owner obviously did not maintain the vehicle at all. It has just over 200k miles. When I got the truck I quickly noticed that the brakes were gone, needed an alignment and 4 new tires. He put some cheap M/T (probably PepBoys or something). However did not get an alignment. So he ruined the front tires after a year and about 9k miles. So he just rotated them to the back and still did not get an alignment. He had no idea what kind of lift was installed. Come to find out its a Trailmaster lift kit.
After getting it hole I put new rotor, calipers, brake shoes/pads, rear wheel cylinders and shocks. Drove it for a couple weeks and then when I was backing in the driveway I heard a loud "clunk". Playing with the steering wheel with the help of my dad I discovered the bushing for the control arms were shot. That was just the beginning. As I tore into it it grew and grew. So far I have changed the upper control arms and ball joints, lower ball joints, hubs and seals in the knuckle that the axles ride in (not sure what they are called) and rack and pinion.

Have some questions if anyone can answer:
Is this a 4 or 6 inch lift? Looks like they made both.

Am I okay running these OEM upper control arms? I didn't think it had a lift kit when I ordered them.

Any other glaring issues standing out you see?

Original Stance

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Close up of Stance

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Blocks in rear

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Rear leafs

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Before I did any work

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Cross Member

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Before anything was changed out

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Shot from above before anything was changed

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After all the parts where changed out

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[Jrgunn5150]

Nice looking truck, and nice to see that you're interested in taking care of it and not just driving around looking cool.

I'm going to guess you have the 6" lift, since I see you have rear bocks. Usually they are level at 4" without blocks, and with blocks they crank to 6"

If you were able to get the alignment in spec, then the OE upper control arm should be fine.

 

[NorthTexasDylan]

Thanks!! After I get the rack and pinion on tomorrow I am going to take it to get it aligned and I guess we will go from there.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Thanks!! After I get the rack and pinion on tomorrow I am going to take it to get it aligned and I guess we will go from there.

Which part are you calling the rack and pinion? These trucks use a traditional steering box, so I'm kind of curious lol.

 

[NorthTexasDylan]

I meant idler and pitman arm.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I meant idler and pitman arm.

Good call changing them. They are notoriously junk.

 

[NorthTexasDylan]

Also the sleeve that the tie rods screw into doesn't really wear out does it? I got new inner and outer tie rod ends but I don't have any way of getting a long replacement sleeve.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

i believe your lift has different adjusters anyway. If they are free, no need to replace them.

 

[VCaddy]

I'd be looking into a U bolt flip kit. That's an awful lot of exposed threads on the u-bolts if the truck is ever going to be off road.

 

[NorthTexasDylan]

No offroading here. Just looking to turn some heads.

This idler and pitman arm just about killed me!!! I don't think they have ever been changed. Thought I was going to have to cut them apart with a grinder until they finally broke loose.