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Step 4YOU WANT IT BACK TOGE-WHAT?
While I had all the parts out I took the opportunity to sand, treat, prime and paint just about everything. Suspension arm, break caliper, steering knuckle, etc. Looked great but I'm not holding my breath that it will last.
NEW BALL JOINTS
I used the new ball joints with grease fitting plugs. This truck already has about 200K miles on it. I doubt the cheapest joints would outlive the frame but I figured, what the heck, it was an extra dime. No, REALLY PEOPLE!!! The difference between cheap and good on a lot of these parts is nothing. Get the better parts. They last longer, work better and usually install / repair easier.
I lightly lubed the inside ball joint sleaves and used the press to push the bottom and then top joint into place. Once I had the joints back in I THEN inserted the lube nipples and attached the top joint's snap ring. DONE! FINISHED! FINE!
No, huh? FINE!
Installation really fell right in step and only took an hour or so from start to finish.
1. I put the suspension arm back into place. Bolt on the end and then the BOLT FROM HELL to connect the arm to the support.
2. On whent the spring and spring hardware. Jacked up the arm, removed the spring compression chains, lowered the arm and then tightened the spring hardware.
3. On when the steering knuckle.
NOTE: I used the ball-joint nuts to pull the steering onto the tapered knuckle bolts.
WARNING: The lower ball joint was difficult to tighten. It would spin easily when I tried to tighten the nut. Sooooooooo, I cheated and used some thread lock. I figured the top ball-joint nut and bolt were tight enough and it had a cotter pin to keep everything together.
5. On went the tie-end joint and I used its nut and bolt to also pull it together tight.
6. Three bolts and on went the dust shield.
7. After replacing all the bearings and seals I installed the completely lubed rotor and lightly bolted it onto the knuckle securing it with its own cotter pint. Pop on the hub cap.
8. Back on went the break caliper with new pads.
9. On went the tire, down went the jack and everything was done!!! TADA!!
On to the next side!
I had the front end aligned but it was surprisingly off very little.
Easy, right?
NEW BALL JOINTS
I used the new ball joints with grease fitting plugs. This truck already has about 200K miles on it. I doubt the cheapest joints would outlive the frame but I figured, what the heck, it was an extra dime. No, REALLY PEOPLE!!! The difference between cheap and good on a lot of these parts is nothing. Get the better parts. They last longer, work better and usually install / repair easier.
I lightly lubed the inside ball joint sleaves and used the press to push the bottom and then top joint into place. Once I had the joints back in I THEN inserted the lube nipples and attached the top joint's snap ring. DONE! FINISHED! FINE!
No, huh? FINE!
Installation really fell right in step and only took an hour or so from start to finish.
1. I put the suspension arm back into place. Bolt on the end and then the BOLT FROM HELL to connect the arm to the support.
2. On whent the spring and spring hardware. Jacked up the arm, removed the spring compression chains, lowered the arm and then tightened the spring hardware.
3. On when the steering knuckle.
NOTE: I used the ball-joint nuts to pull the steering onto the tapered knuckle bolts.
WARNING: The lower ball joint was difficult to tighten. It would spin easily when I tried to tighten the nut. Sooooooooo, I cheated and used some thread lock. I figured the top ball-joint nut and bolt were tight enough and it had a cotter pin to keep everything together.
5. On went the tie-end joint and I used its nut and bolt to also pull it together tight.
6. Three bolts and on went the dust shield.
7. After replacing all the bearings and seals I installed the completely lubed rotor and lightly bolted it onto the knuckle securing it with its own cotter pint. Pop on the hub cap.
8. Back on went the break caliper with new pads.
9. On went the tire, down went the jack and everything was done!!! TADA!!
On to the next side!
I had the front end aligned but it was surprisingly off very little.
Easy, right?
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