Front Balljoints, Struts, and Other Misc. Lowering Help

[tablakhoe]

A while back I ordered a rear drop kit from Tony (2007 Tahoe 4wd, no autoride) and I had picked up some McGaughy's spindles for the front from a buddy. So, I have a couple questions that I am hoping someone can help with.

- Anyone by chance know the thread/size of the factory upper balljoint nuts? My buddy failed to give me the McG's nuts for those and the factory nuts won't work, so i was going to find some top locking flange nuts locally if possible.

Second, I've got 93k miles on this beast and after taking the left front apart (only to find I needed different balljoint nuts) I've noticed a balljoint click, which means I probably should replace the upper control arms (only way to replace the damn upper balljoint from what I can tell), so I was thinking of replacing the struts while I have it apart (it's getting bouncy at 93k miles.) If I am going to do that, I figure I should just get the BT struts for up front in combination with the McG spindles which would give me a bit more drop AND the ability to level the LF to the RF.
- So, without a large strut/spring compressor (I've only got the AutoZone rental style with 3 independent rods/compressors) any idea how badly I am going to hate life trying to replace those struts?

Half tempted to go trade this thing in on a 2010 or 2011 and not have to deal with rebuilding half the front end just to lower it 3 inches....

 

[lx4life]

Well what I did was buy new oem style struts that we're complete with espring and top hat pretty much uninstall old and install new. Even though my struts had 10k miles on them I didn't want to go through the hassle of removing the drop springs and replacing them with factory springs, once again. Oh by the way when I uninstalled my struts the first time the nut was rust welded on there so I had to torch the nut to get it off, and with the miles u have u might have that issue, I had only 77k miles.

I would also go ahead and buy two new upper control arms not just one cause I am sure the other one is worn out, I had to do the same thing cause I couldn't get an alignment.

If u take ur time and not feel rushed u will be fine I would go ahead and start taking things apart while waiting for parts, if u can, clean some rust around the area paint your calipers and things and start searching about rubbing in the wheel well.
Good luck, cause I am installing my GF spindles now I am just waiting for paint to dry on them and the rotors and calipers, oh by the way you WILL have to cut the upper ball joint bolt and I would even do the lower in case u have to run your spare tire if not it will rud on the axle and wheel

 

[tablakhoe]

Oh by the way when I uninstalled my struts the first time the nut was rust welded on there so I had to torch the nut to get it off, and with the miles u have u might have that issue, I had only 77k miles.

Not worried about that, I live in CO where we don't have the rusted bolt probs, and even when we do my trusted Snap-On impact will handle it.

I would also go ahead and buy two new upper control arms not just one cause I am sure the other one is worn out, I had to do the same thing cause I couldn't get an alignment.

I would never replace one side and not the other, in fact I'm hesitant to replace the uppers and not the lowers. Seems like GM used ****** balljoints on these trucks since I've never had to replace a balljoint in any of the 30+ cars/trucks I've owned.

If u take ur time and not feel rushed u will be fine I would go ahead and start taking things apart while waiting for parts, if u can, clean some rust around the area paint your calipers and things and start searching about rubbing in the wheel well.

I will do it all in one day, I'm no stranger to ripping entire suspensions out and putting them back in, I just haven't worked on this suspension much and I'm not sure how stiff those springs are/how much space I have to work in there. Though I guess that the entire assembly comes out and I would assemble/disassemble the spring/strut setup on the workbench and not in the truck like the older body GM trucks. I used my spring compressor almost daily on my s-10 WAY back in the day because I kept trimming "just a little" off the springs every day until I finally said screw it and built my own bag setup for it (they didn't make kits back then and AFAIK mine was one of the very first bagged trucks, ever, in 1996)

 

[lx4life]

well shoot then since you have experience , then the only thing i know i could tell you is that the strut assembly is pretty easy to get out just five bolts total, i still have my original lower control arms, its not showing any wear.

to find the right size nut just take the one you have adn go to a parts store and try it on one of size tester near the bolts they sell, i.e Lowes, autozone should have one.

 

[quattrotman]

Struts are really easy to take out. You might need to unbolt the sway bar link to get the control arm to drop enough for the strut to come out. Otherwise, DO NOT take the strut apart without a decent spring compressor. Those springs are pretty heavy duty and scared the crap out of me. I'm used to much smaller cars so when I saw those springs I was a bit timid...they'll do some damage if they pop out. You don't need to get a $500 compressor but I wouldn't use the cheapest crap either. I used KD tools 3387. Works well and pretty safe.