Complete front end replacement/upgrade

[SnowDrifter]

Can't say I recommend moog. Put them on my car. Took 20k miles to "break in"

Inner, outer ball joints, pitman arm, idler arm, and bracket. The stuff was so tight from the factory it was giving me all sorts of weird steering phenomena. No/little return to center, bump steer when there was a little bit of pressure on the steering wheel and the components flexed, memory steer, and overall a bit of a dog to steer on the freeway - couldn't just guide the wheel, I had to crank it a bit to get enough tension in the components to move. Then they'd stay more or less stuck in that position until I had to make my next correction.

Installed them at 114k. Now it drives as expected at 138k

 

[Bombsquad85]

Can't say I recommend moog. Put them on my car. Took 20k miles to "break in"

Inner, outer ball joints, pitman arm, idler arm, and bracket. The stuff was so tight from the factory it was giving me all sorts of weird steering phenomena. No/little return to center, bump steer when there was a little bit of pressure on the steering wheel and the components flexed, memory steer, and overall a bit of a dog to steer on the freeway - couldn't just guide the wheel, I had to crank it a bit to get enough tension in the components to move. Then they'd stay more or less stuck in that position until I had to make my next correction.

Installed them at 114k. Now it drives as expected at 138k

Interesting. I didn't have any of those issues with my moog parts did you go with problem solvers? Or another moog line up?

 

[SnowDrifter]

Interesting. I didn't have any of those issues with my moog parts did you go with problem solvers? Or another moog line up?

Problem solver. Purchased Oct '16 from rock auto

 

[Erickk120]

Can't say I recommend moog. Put them on my car. Took 20k miles to "break in"

Inner, outer ball joints, pitman arm, idler arm, and bracket. The stuff was so tight from the factory it was giving me all sorts of weird steering phenomena. No/little return to center, bump steer when there was a little bit of pressure on the steering wheel and the components flexed, memory steer, and overall a bit of a dog to steer on the freeway - couldn't just guide the wheel, I had to crank it a bit to get enough tension in the components to move. Then they'd stay more or less stuck in that position until I had to make my next correction.

Installed them at 114k. Now it drives as expected at 138k

Wished you would have told me that earlier!!! I went with all MOOG except my pitman arm, I went with a AC delco Pro one, since I heard bad things about installing the MOOG one, I did my entire front end and recently even UCA bushings, which were a pain in the ass to remove and install even using a 12 ton press, broke so many used pinion and carrier bearing races since those fit perfectly to press and remove them.I'm experiencing a bit of that tightness you are referring to, when I make a turn the wheel comes back except I have to straighten out the last 1 inch or so, and the steering feels tight as hell that I can feel the wear in my steering box in my steering wheel before it actually starts turning, for shocks I bought some basic Monroe Reflex monotubes 55 dollars each, and they are pretty stiff. I hope they break in well as the ride is a little somewhat stiff, not like the cloud I used to sit on before but those shocks were shot.

AMAZON has good deals in MOOG parts, I got all my stuff there fairly cheap considering a shop would have charged upwards of 1k for the labor and who knows what they would have installed. Only con is that AMAZON doesn't honor MOOG warranties, neither will MOOG help you if something goes wrong, unless something arrived dead or missing.

Honestly, MOOG problem solvers or AC DELCO PRO line Raybestos PRO FORGED are pretty good quality stuff, anything else I would have second thoughts.

The total was $540.00 for me that includes new camber caster kits, bushings, shocks, I even included a 36mm socket and T-55 TORX bit for the brakes and every single joint that is in the front, Only thing left untouched in the front are the Lower control arm bushings.

 

[SnowDrifter]

FWIW I noticed a small improvement when I switched from the bulk grease I had laying around to a quality, high moly chassis grease.

Currently using Amsoil Synthetic Polymeric Off-Road Grease, NLGI #2, Other greases will perform well, this is just the one I'm using.

It's offered in 2 viscosities. #1 and #2. #2 is what you'd typically associate with grease, about like peanut butter. #1 is thinner and more suitable for things like wheel bearings, or u joints - things that move at higher speed.

While on the subject of grease... Be mindful of what you use on your undercarriage. Lithium soap type grease washes out fairly easily.

 

[Bombsquad85]

FWIW I noticed a small improvement when I switched from the bulk grease I had laying around to a quality, high moly chassis grease.

Currently using Amsoil Synthetic Polymeric Off-Road Grease, NLGI #2, Other greases will perform well, this is just the one I'm using.

It's offered in 2 viscosities. #1 and #2. #2 is what you'd typically associate with grease, about like peanut butter. #1 is thinner and more suitable for things like wheel bearings, or u joints - things that move at higher speed.

While on the subject of grease... Be mindful of what you use on your undercarriage. Lithium soap type grease washes out fairly easily.

I used mobile 1 red grease in all of mine. Idk if th as ts good or not but that's what was recommended to me at the parts store... if I were to change out to a different grease how do you extract all the other grease?

 

[SnowDrifter]

The parts that need grease are flushed clean in a couple pumps, the rest just exists in the boot. Don't do anything different, just change products and grease as normal

 

[Freefallin02]

My 02 I just picked up needs some suspension work. I will stay tuned to this thread for sure.