When Did You Replace Your Ball Joints and Control Arms?

[wjburken]

Seems to be hit or miss if folks hear their compressor kick on at start up. The new compressor on my 2013 seems to kick on with most start ups.

 

[iamdub]

Maybe some or even most leak down a little when parked for a while but some are just so well-sealed that they doesn't even lose enough for it to have to air up. I thought I read somewhere that it's set to maintain a minimum of 5psi, so maybe it has a pressure sensor.

 

[gooffeyguy]

Mine does a self test about every time I start it.

I also know that with the Tech2 you can view the current pressure, and bleed it off or even turn the pump on and stop it all while reading the pressure. Mine usually sits about 17psi if I remember correctly.

2001 Yukon SLT
2012 Yukon Denali XL
2011 Yukon Denali RIP 5/20/18

 

[iamdub]

Mine does a self test about every time I start it.

I also know that with the Tech2 you can view the current pressure, and bleed it off or even turn the pump on and stop it all while reading the pressure. Mine usually sits about 17psi if I remember correctly.

2001 Yukon SLT
2012 Yukon Denali XL
2011 Yukon Denali RIP 5/20/18

Good to know!

 

[ls1frc]

Ok just went out to check the air shocks. Bladders were very tight, so its definitely filling up.

It got a chance to drop about 20 degrees, so the compressor did kick on this time. I think it is self testing every startup, but the air just must be holding well so it doesn't need to kick on. I got the Dorman, so we will see how long it lasts.

 

[ls1frc]

Next job is tackling the entire front suspension. Anything to watch out for? I am going to spray every bolt with Kroil a few days before.

 

[ls1frc]

Can the strut mounts be reused?

 

[iamdub]

Next job is tackling the entire front suspension. Anything to watch out for? I am going to spray every bolt with Kroil a few days before.

If you're in a salty place, you may wanna get new mounting hardware for the control arms. You can get the bolt/nut/alignment cams as a kit. Other than that, it's all remove and replace. Mark the cams where the nubs are before you remove the upper arm. Install the new arm using the old hardware (if you can remove it without having to cut the bolts), with all the cams going in their original locations. Then, carefully remove the hardware without moving the arm. The friction from them being clamped in the mount pockets should hold the arm in place. Install the new bolts and cams, turning the bolts so that the cams go over the nubs. This keeps everything close to the original alignment so it's much safer to drive to the alignment shop. Don't forget to NOT fully tighten the mounting bolts until you have the vehicle on them at ride height. I lower it down with all four wheels on 10"X10" wooden blocks I got from a residential construction site when they trimmed the 10x10 wooden columns down on a front porch. This gives me much more working room to roll under it on the creeper to tighten them bolts with the vehicle at rest. A stack of 2x8s or cinder blocks would work, too.

Can the strut mounts be reused?

The top part with the three mounting studs? Sure, if they're not rusted out or damaged during removal. If you mean the bar pin of the lower mount, it shouldn't need to be removed as the new strut should have one in place.

 

[ls1frc]

If you're in a salty place, you may wanna get new mounting hardware for the control arms. You can get the bolt/nut/alignment cams as a kit. Other than that, it's all remove and replace. Mark the cams where the nubs are before you remove the upper arm. Install the new arm using the old hardware (if you can remove it without having to cut the bolts), with all the cams going in their original locations. Then, carefully remove the hardware without moving the arm. The friction from them being clamped in the mount pockets should hold the arm in place. Install the new bolts and cams, turning the bolts so that the cams go over the nubs. This keeps everything close to the original alignment so it's much safer to drive to the alignment shop. Don't forget to NOT fully tighten the mounting bolts until you have the vehicle on them at ride height. I lower it down with all four wheels on 10"X10" wooden blocks I got from a residential construction site when they trimmed the 10x10 wooden columns down on a front porch. This gives me much more working room to roll under it on the creeper to tighten them bolts with the vehicle at rest. A stack of 2x8s or cinder blocks would work, too.




The top part with the three mounting studs? Sure, if they're not rusted out or damaged during removal. If you mean the bar pin of the lower mount, it shouldn't need to be removed as the new strut should have one in place.

This was very helpful, thank you! Is the strut able to easily install with everything else in there? I figured I would install everything while my strut is getting rebuilt at the shop.

Obviously its much easier with everything out, but figured I'd save down time this way.

 

[iamdub]

This was very helpful, thank you! Is the strut able to easily install with everything else in there? I figured I would install everything while my strut is getting rebuilt at the shop.

Obviously its much easier with everything out, but figured I'd save down time this way.

Absolutely. It's a very easy design to work on. I install the strut with the top three nuts barely finger-tight, then raise the vehicle up so the arms are hanging at full droop. Then I use a scissor jack to push the bottom of the strut up until I can tap it with a rubber mallet to knock it off the jack and onto the ears that it sits on. I use a spike to align the holes so I can run the bolts in. Lower it down so it all has the full weight on it and tighten up all the control arm bolts and upper strut mount nuts.


Oh- If you ever wanted to lift it a little in the front, like 1"-2", now would be the perfect time to slip in a strut spacer kit. You can get some billet aluminum ones for around $25 on Amazon. I had mine lifted 2" front, 1" rear for about a year before I lowered it. Cheap, easy and harmless mod.