metelhead
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- Jan 30, 2010
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...figured I start a thread, since I seem to be working a bit on my 2009 Tahoe lately.....
So this weekend...has been being planned for sometime....actually just waiting for the rain to stop(since my garage is a bit to tight to have me and the Hoe in it at the same time...so outside work is best) so I could get some stuff done on the Hoe...namely a front end rebuild ....or at least that was the plan..
I had planned to replace most of the front end wear and tear items: minus hubs, as I was fairly sure they were ok.
-Upper control arms w/ ball joints
-lower control arms w/ball joints
-tie rods, both inner and outer
-sway bar links
-new sway bar bushings (eibach)
Note: I had intending to take pics along the way, only to forget until nearly the end of the project.
I'm reasonably mechanically inclined, and have worked on most everything with wheels...
Alright, so the morning of i began my prep work of getting all the tools together and double-checking the part inventory (seeing that this is my DD, so once I start I'm committed to the end)....
I had rented an Inner tie-rod tool, so upon inspecting the tool against the new inner tie-rod it was quickly evident this wasn't going to work(inner rods were 1/4" deeper than tool)....SO scratch the inner tie-rods....ok no problem, good chance this might have been overkill (or at least I hoped so).... so on with the project.
I quickly stripped down the drivers side; removing wheel, sway bar link, shock, caliper, pair marks on the alignment cams, and loosened outer tie rod. Both the upper control arm ball joint and outer tie rod released without much fuss....but the lower ball joint would not budge, no matter how much hammering, prying etc.. I put into it...I even mcgivered a puller from a motorcycle crank puller- no luck....so rather than get too caught up on this one task I quickly moved to re-installing the new parts, and loosely installed new upper CA/BJ and outer tie rod....Next I jumped over to the passengers side of the truck and went to town pulling off all the parts at a good clic and soon enough I was ready to install...So I grabbed the new Upper CA/BJ arm and went to shove it into place......BUT something is pretty wrong...the spacing between the knuckles is like 1/2" narrower than the receiving side....I check all the part#'s and sure enough its all checks out...I just got a MOOG lemon blem CA....So now I'm stuck!
I made a few calls to local auto parts- and found 1 upper CA/BJ..whew! however they want $109. for it...well beggars can't be choosey! (unfortunately no zero fitting!...kinda bummed about that)
With a $20 dollar bill in hand I imposed on my neighbors kindness for a lift to the auto parts store...while there I also rented a pickle fork and a can of freeze-off in hopes of tackling the lower ball joints again...
So returned to the fight again- everything once again went to together like clockwork...except no luck on the Lower BJ...freeze-off and pickle fork, not budging....OK I give, they must be just fine then lol...so I aborted the lower CA/BJ entirely...and just tighten up everything I had already done.......Both sides the older outer tie rods, sway bar links and upper BJ's were completely toast..
The one task I was looking forward to doing was replacing the sway bar bushings (I somehow had gotten Eibach to send me new bushings front and rear for no charge...not sure how exactly, but they it!)
The bushings eibach uses for the sway bars are a good quality poly style...however they can dry out and get very very noisy..... But I think I may have found a solution....while trolling around youtube I found a guys with that same problem I had experienced and he suggested using a Marine grease called 'Tef-Gel', this stuff is super expensive like $40 per 2oz, but its also super sticky and won't wash out....so fingers crossed it works long term...I will say upon installation with Tef-Gel on the bushings- moving the sway bar was as smooth as butter...
Note- Sway Bar Links...these can be a huge PITA to get mounted up, as one side always fits up...but the other side can be a fight...if so just loosen the sway bar bushings mounts and it falls together.
So short of an alignment, everything is good to go, and steering and tracking is greatly improved.
Now I have a bunch of parts to return: inner tie-rods, bad Upper CA/BJ, and lower CA/BJ's (although I may hang onto these for future need).
So this weekend...has been being planned for sometime....actually just waiting for the rain to stop(since my garage is a bit to tight to have me and the Hoe in it at the same time...so outside work is best) so I could get some stuff done on the Hoe...namely a front end rebuild ....or at least that was the plan..
I had planned to replace most of the front end wear and tear items: minus hubs, as I was fairly sure they were ok.
-Upper control arms w/ ball joints
-lower control arms w/ball joints
-tie rods, both inner and outer
-sway bar links
-new sway bar bushings (eibach)
Note: I had intending to take pics along the way, only to forget until nearly the end of the project.
I'm reasonably mechanically inclined, and have worked on most everything with wheels...
Alright, so the morning of i began my prep work of getting all the tools together and double-checking the part inventory (seeing that this is my DD, so once I start I'm committed to the end)....
I had rented an Inner tie-rod tool, so upon inspecting the tool against the new inner tie-rod it was quickly evident this wasn't going to work(inner rods were 1/4" deeper than tool)....SO scratch the inner tie-rods....ok no problem, good chance this might have been overkill (or at least I hoped so).... so on with the project.
I quickly stripped down the drivers side; removing wheel, sway bar link, shock, caliper, pair marks on the alignment cams, and loosened outer tie rod. Both the upper control arm ball joint and outer tie rod released without much fuss....but the lower ball joint would not budge, no matter how much hammering, prying etc.. I put into it...I even mcgivered a puller from a motorcycle crank puller- no luck....so rather than get too caught up on this one task I quickly moved to re-installing the new parts, and loosely installed new upper CA/BJ and outer tie rod....Next I jumped over to the passengers side of the truck and went to town pulling off all the parts at a good clic and soon enough I was ready to install...So I grabbed the new Upper CA/BJ arm and went to shove it into place......BUT something is pretty wrong...the spacing between the knuckles is like 1/2" narrower than the receiving side....I check all the part#'s and sure enough its all checks out...I just got a MOOG lemon blem CA....So now I'm stuck!
I made a few calls to local auto parts- and found 1 upper CA/BJ..whew! however they want $109. for it...well beggars can't be choosey! (unfortunately no zero fitting!...kinda bummed about that)
With a $20 dollar bill in hand I imposed on my neighbors kindness for a lift to the auto parts store...while there I also rented a pickle fork and a can of freeze-off in hopes of tackling the lower ball joints again...
So returned to the fight again- everything once again went to together like clockwork...except no luck on the Lower BJ...freeze-off and pickle fork, not budging....OK I give, they must be just fine then lol...so I aborted the lower CA/BJ entirely...and just tighten up everything I had already done.......Both sides the older outer tie rods, sway bar links and upper BJ's were completely toast..
The one task I was looking forward to doing was replacing the sway bar bushings (I somehow had gotten Eibach to send me new bushings front and rear for no charge...not sure how exactly, but they it!)
The bushings eibach uses for the sway bars are a good quality poly style...however they can dry out and get very very noisy..... But I think I may have found a solution....while trolling around youtube I found a guys with that same problem I had experienced and he suggested using a Marine grease called 'Tef-Gel', this stuff is super expensive like $40 per 2oz, but its also super sticky and won't wash out....so fingers crossed it works long term...I will say upon installation with Tef-Gel on the bushings- moving the sway bar was as smooth as butter...
Note- Sway Bar Links...these can be a huge PITA to get mounted up, as one side always fits up...but the other side can be a fight...if so just loosen the sway bar bushings mounts and it falls together.
So short of an alignment, everything is good to go, and steering and tracking is greatly improved.
Now I have a bunch of parts to return: inner tie-rods, bad Upper CA/BJ, and lower CA/BJ's (although I may hang onto these for future need).
