It's so tight...

[SoCalMonty]

...it was a long day, but a couple friends assisted me with installing new upper and lower ball joints, new inner and outer tie rod ends, a new pitman arm, a new idler arm, and a new (used) driver's CV axle with a halfway decent boot on the inside (old boot was totally separated). She feels like a new truck on the front end! :smiley_drive: Just had to share! :wings:

 

[GFO]

Congrats. I'll be doing my tie rods, pitman and idler arms in the next month or so, hoping to lose the the bit of slop I have in the front.

Were your balls joints worn, or did you just replace them since you were already working on the front end?

 

[SoCalMonty]

All the tie rod ends and ball joints were at 50% or worse, and all of the boots leaked grease. lol.

There is still a bit of play in the steering wheel, but it's not nearly as bad as it was. The suspension is also quieter now when the front end is working (I never noticed a particular noise when going up and down driveways, but now I notice the absence of noise with the new parts).

 

[GFO]

Was it a mild 'thunk' type of noise? That's what I have at times.

Also, are the two lower tie rods the same on both sides, as well as the two upper? I'm shopping online.

 

[SoCalMonty]

Was it a mild 'thunk' type of noise? That's what I have at times.

Also, are the two lower tie rods the same on both sides, as well as the two upper? I'm shopping online.

The lower ball joints are side-specific, and the tie rod ends are inner and outer specific.

Upper ball joints are the same on both sides, as are the tie rod ends.

 

[scrubber3]

I just did the tie rods on mine for the second time. I put MOOG on it his time as the no names didn't hold up to the abuse I put them through. I had to replace my driver side upper control arm too. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I had about an inch and half of play from the connector bar to the arm. The bushing was destroyed.

After my alignment yesterday, it's a new truck.