Suspension overhaul questions and help needed

[slippy3002]

/\ This.............



YES!!! They have the same name but not the same quality as in the past......

I bought a set of lower Moog B/J's from Rock Auto, had the machine shop install them ( this is when I removed my 7.5" lift and the truck was apart ) I put the truck together and drove it 2 miles to the shop and the B/J's were junk.... I had to pay another $450 ( no Vaseline mind you ) for them to install new lower Moog B/j's one week later they were doing warranty work on my lower B/J's..... Yes they were junk, I told them to install OEM B/J's and its been great for a year now........NO problems FAWK Moog!! I have not bought from Rock Auto since then do to there return policy's................I BUY LOCAL!!!!

ive had great buying experience from RA but it only takes one time for me to say >>>........Fawk you!

Speaking of which, I bought debranded moog front end off eBay. Ball joints, inner and outer tie rods, sway bar end links, pitman arm, and idler arm. They say made in usa on the packaging and the ball joints are identical to moog problem solvers.

Edit: and I got it all for $100.

Sent from Robl@nd

 

[glendayle]

Well, finished up the other side today. A bigger PITA than I thought it would be but at the end of the day, it is all done. Dropped her off to get aligned right before closing. I expect I'll get it back Monday or Tues.

The LCA on the passenger side was much easier than the one on the driver's side. Driver's side torsion bar was seized into the LCA. I could not get it free. On the passenger side it was not that way. I needed a little bit of help to crank the torsion bar far enough that the mounting spot would clear. Was able to get it off by myself, but to put it back on I had to call a neighbor over to help out.

As far as what was bad, it was a lot IMO.
Both upper ball joints were bad.
Passenger lower ball joint was bad.
All 4 tie rod ends were bad.
Idler Arm was bad.
Pitman Arm was bad.
end links were bad.
As far as the upper and lower CA bushings, the old ones were in decent shape, but I don't feel to bad about freshening them up.
Also replaced the drag link and the connecting sleeves even though those were fine. I figured that if I'm in there I might as well do everything.

My one regret actually is replacing the struts. I thought for sure that the old ones would be tired after 15 years. I tested the old ones next to the new ones. The old ones appeared to be just as stiff to press down and extended at the same rate as the new ones. I probably should have just put the old ones back on and returned the replacements, but I didn't. I put the new ones in. Just don't know what to do with the old ones. I doubt I can sell them for anything. Probably throw them on the shelf "just in case".

 

[Bodageta1995]

I'm **** my front end rebuild soon on a 95 K1500 with stamped lower arms. Any tips on replacing the lower control arm bushings? Are you saying it can be done without removing the arms? How is the best way to get the arms off of the torsion bars???

 

[Schurkey]

I have an '88 K1500 apart on right side right now.

Can't get the torsion bar out of the control arm. My plan is to use Polyruethane bushings, which eliminates the need to press the bushing shells out of the arm. A propane torch will melt out the rubber, I polish the inside of the shell with emery cloth, grease the ID and OD of the Polyurethane insert...and it goes back together without ever being separated from the torsion bar.

I'd RATHER pull the arm off the bar...but it's not happening. Maybe the left side will be better.

The upper arms are my real problem children. The original bushings have a steel sleeve in the center. they're supposed to be re-used with the Poly bushings. Mine are corroded to death. I'll have to fabricate new sleeves for the upper bushings. New sleeves for the lower bushings are included in the Polyurethane bushing kit--but not the uppers.