How did these Bushing turn out. Did they fit.

I also wanted to add one more cause of wandering steering to the list here. I started noticing a few weeks ago that the steering was floatin around on me again and I finally figured out that the top nut on one of the shocks had worked loose. Few more threads and it would have been gone. Tightened that down and now it's all good again So lets add this to the list of possible causes.

Don't know... Never installed them. Still have them in the box if you want em I'll sell em to ya cheap. I was going to do it when things warmed up, because its such a PITA getting the old bushings out, but the truck died :ouch:. So I never got a chance to install them.

I got all the bushings layin here waitin for the same thing that's why I was wonderin how yours turned out. I got em for the rear shackles, body mounts and the control arms all waitin on me.

IMHO, don't bother with the leafs unless the ones in there are shot. I put them in an old Jeep and all it did was make the ride worse. Body mounts might be the same way, never tried. I'd definitely put them in the control arms though, the stockers flex like a mother.

All the rubber in this truck is gone. Can't even say it's shot cause so much of it just torn off and missin.

Just a quick post to sum up some of the known major contributors to steering problems.

List of things that can contribute to steering problems, check em off as you go.

Wheel bearings/Hubs
Ball Joints
Trac Bar
Tires
Steering gear
Steering shaft
Steering stabilizer
Steering control linkages
Front control arm bushings
Sway bar linkages
Shock mounts lose
Drag Link
Pitman Arm

Had to add a few more items to the list of causes here. Trucks has been wanderin again and found the threads on the drag link were stripped. Only thing holdin my steering together was the pin holdin the castle nut on and keep in from slidin right off the bolt. Thank God for small favors here.:rocking:

This is a great thread :up:

Know it's been a long time since this thread was last posted but it has really cleared my head of nasty aches an what not. Thanks UB, you're a trooper.

Thanks. I'm still hopin to keep expandin on the thread as more info is discovered, so if you find somethin new add it to the list and once were done we can have a one thread covers it all when tryin to diagnose a front end issue.

Did anybody find a good upper and lower control arm replacement.That doesnt cost a arm and a leg(I cant spare any short enough).Seen them for any were for 400 to 1000 bucks.:humm:Its the only thing left I have to do to the frount end,I know your pain Uncle Bubba.

Home build project is the only way your gonna come up with the control arms cheaper then that. If you wanna look at that route I have a thread on here about building them to that has some good info posted to it by various members.

https://www.dieselbombers.com/5-9l-2...trol-arms.html


Hopefully one of our new members Nate379 will jump in here also, he's got a lot more good info to add to that control arm post.

you can just replace the bushings. one of the bshing companies has replacements.
that is all that would be wrong with the control arms

That is what I was going to do,until I saw a small crack in one of them.My whole front end was a wreak and I let it go a little to long.

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I read that forum Uncle Bubba thank you.My welding skills arent good.But I purchase a set today when they come in.I like to put some pics on the forum here of the install for people.

Any new updates on this thread? It is a good one!

No not yet for the pics.I install all my stuff in the spring.

I need to replace the front bushing in the right upper control arm. Is it just a matter of undoing the 2 bolts, sliding the control arm to the rear so it will clear the front then put the new one in?
Thanks!

Did all this a ways back and after it was done the truck great, now it's startin to drift again over the grooves in the road. Now if it stops rainin for a while I guess it's time to figure it out again.:dang::dang::dang:

That sucks. Any abnormal wear on the tires?

Nope they look good. I've checked the quick and simple things, now i need to put it up on stands and start movin things around to see what's lose.

Well please keep us posted, as I will be doing mine this month; new control arms, drag links and coil springs.

I know I still need to do the poly bushings in the control arms. I'm keep thinkin I'm gonna have the money to build a new adjustable set so i keep puttin the project off. I need to just face facts that I'm poor and put these new bushings in. That may be one problem cause i know the old rubber ones are worn out.

I found a sweet deal on eBay for 2 new uppers with bushings; 75.00 incl shipping. Tyler is making me 2 new lower ones with the ballistic bushings. I bought the Heavy Duty springs from Carrier and the Drag links from Geno's.
My upper bushings are definitely worn out; I can move the control arms side to side.

Ballistic bushings are a great bushing....but I have to go with the ploy bushings.Not downing the ballistic bushing,I had to replace mine in 20 months from installing them(ballistic bushings) on my 2002 dodge,and here is why if you are in a climate that has salt and sand and god knows what else in the winter they are going to go bad just my experience ( and a couple others).T he price on the ballistic bushing and ploy are different and I can install a set of ploys in less then 30 mins.:w2: That is the whole front end.The guys with the ballistic bushings can defend them all you want, just what I have experienced over the many years.

I said Ballistic bushing but I meant "Ballistic Poly Bushing."

Found my latest issue here with my steering. The fancy new Borgenson steering shaft I put on had come lose and had a lot of play in it. So I'm fixed up for another few miles.

This is a great thread. I'm busy sorting other issues, but suspension and steering R/R is on my to-do list. Thanks for sharing your experiences along with the detailed parts lists. :tu:

Are there any tips or tricks to replacing the control arms? I'm thinking take off the front calipers, undo the bottom shock bolt, disconnect lower track bar bolt, Diff actuator lines and breather tube. Other than that it should just be the 8 control arm bolts right?
Thanks!

They should simple in theory but if they're like mine, have a big hammer handy. Them eccentric bolts were frozen in there and they weren't comin out.

Thanks.
I have new bolts too so if I have to I can cut/grind the old ones out.
Other than that it is straight forward?
Thanks!

If those bolts come out it's kindergarten project. be sure to mark where they are turned to so you can set the new ones close to the same for a starting reference point.

Roger.
Thanks!

Update;
Changed the upper control arms, front springs and drag links.
I bought the Carrier Springs Heavy Duty Springs; HUGE improvement over the stock springs.
Maxx Link Drag links; 1225L from Geno's Garage.
Stock upper control arms (smoking deal on ebay).
Waiting on bushings from Bajabomber for the new Lower Control Arms he built for me.
Job was pretty straight forward; took about 4 hours with a hoist. :jump: