Upper Bal Joint Replacement?

[OR VietVet]

The "Professional" series is most likely reboxed Moog. I can't say if they'll be the CK or RK series. You do NOT want the RK series. Also, the Professional and/or Moog CK series has a lower quality boot than the original part. Myself and another member both had boots split very soon after installation. I don't drive that much, so it failed with little mileage. The rubber (or silicone or whatever it is) is firmer and more brittle. The arm seems to be fine otherwise. Still, for the hassle, I'd aim for GM Genuine/AC Delco OE.

My Tahoe is a testament to the quality of Genuine GM/AC Delco parts. Out of all the work I did in my build thread, not one part has failed or was bad out of the box. The rig drives like brand new, only better, with the Hellwig sway bar kits and the BBP tune.

 

[strutaeng]

oof.. reviving an old thread here in hopes I can get some extra info

I have an 08 Yukon XL 2500 with 4x4. I went to have an alignment done and was told my passenger side upper ball joint and tie rod are bad enough they couldn't/wouldn't do the alignment but they weren't "unsafe" yet.

After reading this I started looking for ACDelco parts on amazon that are of the 'professional' tagging..

Passenger side
Driver side
Inner TR
Outer TR

These are parts that should in theory be factory or very close to?


I did wheel hubs last year (~8k miles), should I worry about doing anything else while in there now (I will be doing both sides so that I have equal wear side to side)?

I redid the entire front suspension on my 06 Suburban 2500 2wd last winter. I used GM Genuine ball joints. AC Delco lower/upper control arm bushings (kinda of pain to do). Outer/inner tie rods and idler arm I used Moog and the Advanced Auto brand due to time factor. I think only the sway bar end links is what I reused. Those can be replaced easily without messing with alignment though.

Yes, do both and get an alignment.

 

[OR VietVet]

Get the whole arm and not just the bushings.

 

[GO0BER]

Those Uppers in the links provided are for the 1500s. Yours would be 45D1083/19144068 for ACDelco Gold/Professional. GM OE would be 25905442.

Your tie rods are correct for ACDelco Gold/Professional. Don't forget the boots.

When it comes to the bellows boots, folks think a tie strap is good enough to secure the boot. It's not, it allows water to get in there and shortens the life of the tie rod.

I suggest also replacing the lower control arms.

If memory serves, Chris and Ken have experience with ACDelco Professional control arms and am sure would be willing to share their experiences with them:

@iamdub @kbuskill

Use GMPartsGiant and https://parts-catalog.acdelco.com/acesCat.php for assistance in looking up the correct parts for your truck.

How are your springs and shocks and jounce bumpers?

Glad you pointed out they are for the 1500 series.. according to Amazon they were a fit for the 2500.

Ill have to look at the 2 sites you linked for part numbers.. never heard of/used them before.

Cheers!

I redid the entire front suspension on my 06 Suburban 2500 2wd last winter. I used GM Genuine ball joints. AC Delco lower/upper control arm bushings (kinda of pain to do). Outer/inner tie rods and idler arm I used Moog and the Advanced Auto brand due to time factor. I think only the sway bar end links is what I reused. Those can be replaced easily without messing with alignment though.

Yes, do both and get an alignment.

My sway bar links are kinda janky looking.. will definitely be doing them in the not too distant future.. Funds only allow a bit at a time unfortunately. Definitely looking at/for the highest quality parts (at least that I can afford at the moment) because I hate doing things > 1 time during what should be a 'normal' lifetime of a part.

Get the whole arm and not just the bushings.

For sure. I have an 88 toyota supra I redid the front end on a few years ago.. I tried to just do bushings (was 1/3 or less of the total cost), but I spent far more time/energy than the savings was worth getting the old out and the new in.. Don't want to play those games again.

 

[GO0BER]

Those Uppers in the links provided are for the 1500s. Yours would be 45D1083/19144068 for ACDelco Gold/Professional. GM OE would be 25905442.

Your tie rods are correct for ACDelco Gold/Professional. Don't forget the boots.

When it comes to the bellows boots, folks think a tie strap is good enough to secure the boot. It's not, it allows water to get in there and shortens the life of the tie rod.

I suggest also replacing the lower control arms.

If memory serves, Chris and Ken have experience with ACDelco Professional control arms and am sure would be willing to share their experiences with them:

@iamdub @kbuskill

Use GMPartsGiant and https://parts-catalog.acdelco.com/acesCat.php for assistance in looking up the correct parts for your truck.

How are your springs and shocks and jounce bumpers?

So would part numbers 1083/4068/5442 all represent 3 different UCA that are used for both driver and pass side? IE could I use 2 of the 1083 or 2 of the 4068 or 2 of the 5442.. or are the 1083 pass/driver and the 4068 the opposite?

When I searched them real quick they didn't specify a side, so I wasn't sure if they were meant to be used for both sides or a specific side.

LCA were replaced right before I purchased the truck (just over a year ago) and I have the receipts for them.. so I am not worried about those (they are MOOG, unsure of the CK/RK tagging that has been mentioned though) Shocks seem ok if not a bit 'stiff' for my liking (could just be I am used to 1500 series trucks and the 2500 is naturally more stiff) with no rebounding or bottoming out issues; I don't have springs up front.. still has torsion bars.. not sure what a jounce bumper is?

 

[OR VietVet]

For sure. I have an 88 toyota supra I redid the front end on a few years ago.. I tried to just do bushings (was 1/3 or less of the total cost), but I spent far more time/energy than the savings was worth getting the old out and the new in.. Don't want to play those games again.

I have done the "bushings only" in the shops I teched in and ran. And that was in the rust belt of KC, Mo. If you had a torch, air chisel and a big sturdy vise mounted to a heavy table, you could get them out pretty quick and get a good work out at the same time. Way way way easier to just get the new arm assembly and I like having the new metal there because there has been lots of stress on the old arm metal by then.

 

[swathdiver]

So would part numbers 1083/4068/5442 all represent 3 different UCA that are used for both driver and pass side? IE could I use 2 of the 1083 or 2 of the 4068 or 2 of the 5442.. or are the 1083 pass/driver and the 4068 the opposite?

When I searched them real quick they didn't specify a side, so I wasn't sure if they were meant to be used for both sides or a specific side.

LCA were replaced right before I purchased the truck (just over a year ago) and I have the receipts for them.. so I am not worried about those (they are MOOG, unsure of the CK/RK tagging that has been mentioned though) Shocks seem ok if not a bit 'stiff' for my liking (could just be I am used to 1500 series trucks and the 2500 is naturally more stiff) with no rebounding or bottoming out issues; I don't have springs up front.. still has torsion bars.. not sure what a jounce bumper is?

You only have one part number for both upper control arms; fits both sides. The first set of numbers were the ACDelco Gold/Professional and GM number for the ACDelco Gold/Professional upper control arms. The second number was for the GM Original Equipment upper control arms.

@intheburbs Hey Bill, do you have jounce bumpers (bump stops) on your front suspension? Not seeing them at GMPartsDirect.

 

[GO0BER]

You only have one part number for both upper control arms; fits both sides. The first set of numbers were the ACDelco Gold/Professional and GM number for the ACDelco Gold/Professional upper control arms. The second number was for the GM Original Equipment upper control arms.

@intheburbs Hey Bill, do you have jounce bumpers (bump stops) on your front suspension? Not seeing them at GMPartsDirect.

That makes more sense.. I did an initial 'google search' and didn't see a definitive side identifier, but after looking at the GM parts website you linked I did notice there is a small identifier for the # of parts required and they said 2.

I do know the term bump stop.. hadn't ever heard it mentioned the other way. I don't remember if there is one currently.. I know my rear ones are in pretty rough shape (another item on my to do list). I'll have to check the front end when my wife gets home later today.

 

[intheburbs]

You only have one part number for both upper control arms; fits both sides. The first set of numbers were the ACDelco Gold/Professional and GM number for the ACDelco Gold/Professional upper control arms. The second number was for the GM Original Equipment upper control arms.

@intheburbs Hey Bill, do you have jounce bumpers (bump stops) on your front suspension? Not seeing them at GMPartsDirect.

Well, if I had them, they're not there any more...

 

[swathdiver]

Well, if I had them, they're not there any more...

Thanks, I guess the 2500 SUVs in that generation didn't use them up front.