'03 'Nali XL Rebuild Front End

[TheAutumnWind]

Ok, so I had planned to replace the shocks sway bar bushings and end links and be done with this thing for awhile, but after getting underneath it and squirting all the zerks with grease last night I have pretty much determined that bushings and ball joints are probably all shot. Passenger side UCA ball joint boot is split, and basically everything had no grease.

Im sort of pre shopping here, as I have a big family move to do in the next couple of weeks, but I would like to greet the new neighbors by blowing apart my Denali in the driveway. Should be fun.

Can anyone comment on my shopping list here? Am I missing anything other than sway bar bushings? (have to determine what size that I have)

EDIT: also if you can suggest some low buck upgrades (Or savings somewhere) I'm certainly up to that within reason. Doing poly sway bar bushings and Monotube shocks for example. I plan to lift this a bit once I need new tires if that makes any difference.

Updated with control arm bushings

 

[treehan77]

have you done ball joints before? i know most dealers don't even change them, they change the whole assembly with new ball joints already in them because apparently its such a PITA. My father did them on his '97 Tahoe, and he says he definitely would go that route instead of replacing the ball joint itself. It may be quite a bit more expensive, but well worth the time and frustration.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

have you done ball joints before? i know most dealers don't even change them, they change the whole assembly with new ball joints already in them because apparently its such a PITA. My father did them on his '97 Tahoe, and he says he definitely would go that route instead of replacing the ball joint itself. It may be quite a bit more expensive, but well worth the time and frustration.

Seems easy enough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVluVuiFnlw


I'll have to rent the press, which doesn't cost anything.

I appreciate the concern, and that's usually the suggestion that I make to people asking about ball joint replacement actually.

If someone else has done this on these vehicles and highly suggests to go that route then I would consider it I guess. ~$60 more for MOOG R series UCA's than pressing out the ball joints and bushings and replacing those.

 

[treehan77]

That Video sure Makes it look easy. I believe he used a pickle fork and that was next to impossible.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

That Video sure Makes it look easy. I believe he used a pickle fork and that was next to impossible.

Pickle fork is what you use to pop the ball joint to unattach the bolt that ties it in to the hub.

I have removed the uppers without a pickle fork. Loosen the nut, let the suspension droop and whack the thing with a hammer. Worked great on my Jeep.

 

[treehan77]

let us know how it all goes

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Hopefully Ill have the chance to put this thing on jackstands this weekend so I can get an idea if anything is salvageable or has ever been replaced. Everything's covered in grime though, so it's not looking real positive.

 

[Aaron_L]

I recently rebuilt the front suspension on my '02 Suburban. I replaced the whole upper arm, but the lowers I just replaced the ball joints. It wasn't difficult, I already own a ball joint press. I don't know if it was factory or not but the lower ball joints were staked in 4 places, and I didn't notice it at first, so they wouldn't budge. After I cleaned all the crud off and saw it, I took a grinder and ground the ball joint back in those spots. Then they came out easily. The AC Delco ball joints I installed were splined and had a c-clip that went around them once they were pressed in.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

I recently rebuilt the front suspension on my '02 Suburban. I replaced the whole upper arm, but the lowers I just replaced the ball joints. It wasn't difficult, I already own a ball joint press. I don't know if it was factory or not but the lower ball joints were staked in 4 places, and I didn't notice it at first, so they wouldn't budge. After I cleaned all the crud off and saw it, I took a grinder and ground the ball joint back in those spots. Then they came out easily. The AC Delco ball joints I installed were splined and had a c-clip that went around them once they were pressed in.

I appreciate the input!