Complete front suspension rebuild

[MagusWyatt]

I am in the process of a complete front suspension rebuild, and I do mean complete!



As you can see, everything is out of the front wheel well except for the calipers. The steering rack is also loose for clearance of cam bolts (and bushing replacement). I am going to be putting everything back together this weekend and know there are some rules to pay attention to, such as waiting to torque bushings to spec until the weight of the suspension is on them. BUT I feel that there are some more things I'm probably not thinking of.

I was hoping that some of you all would weigh in on what order things should be reinstalled, what should be torqued to spec right away, what needs to wait until it's on the ground, etc. Here's what I have come up with so far. Please correct me if I'm missing anything.

• UCA - At ride height, torque to 87 ft-lbs
• LCA, cam sleeves, bolts, etc. - At ride height, torque to 96 ft-lbs
• Steering rack and bushings - Torque in the air; clamp bolt and nut to 123 ft-lbs, vertical bolt to 123 ft-lbs, horizontal bolt to 141 ft-lbs
• Shock and strut assembly - Torque shock absorber upper nuts (3) in the air to 47 ft-lbs; at ride height, torque bottom mount bolt to 101 ft-lbs
• CV axle - install
• Knuckle - Torque UBJ and LBJ in the air; UBJ to 80 ft-lbs, LBJ to 112 ft-lbs
• Install sway bar - At ride height, torque bushings to 19 ft-lbs, end links to 22 ft-lbs
• Sway bar end link to LCA - Torque in the air; 51 ft-lbs
• Outer tie rod - Torque in the air; 67 ft-lbs
• Brake calipers - Torque in the air; 90 ft-lbs
• Axle nut - Torque in the air (while holding brakes) or on the ground; 174 ft-lbs

I will keep this post updated with any more information that I remember or that other members mention so it can be useful to someone in the future.

Some helpful tips:

• Alternate way I devised to remove seized cam sleeves. This one is by and large the most helpful thing I can add: New method for removing seized LCA cam sleeves<br>
  
• For bushing removal on LCA and UCA, I followed Timmy's videos (the second LCA bushing one where he uses the press method) and found that a large chisel or punch works well to start bending the outer flange, but once they're bent down just a bit you can get a pair of angled pliers on there and really bend them down evenly all around the exterior. It even works well close to where the arm gets in the way of a chisel.<br>
  
• For UBJ removal, if you have the money do yourself a favor and either order the OTC specialized tools that Timmy uses in his video OR rent some from O'Reillys. The OTC tools are even more expensive (around $300) to piece together than they were at the time he made the video, so if you don't have or want to spend the money then go the O'Reillys route. Rental kits 67045 and 67048. Those two in conjunction will work for removal. For installation, the provided cup is too deep to push the UBJ flush into the knuckle, so invest in a 1/2" or 1" thick piece of steel. It really only needs to be a few inches square.

Thank you to everyone for the responses!

 

[Bad Luck]

UCA - wait to torque
LCA, cam sleeves, bolts, etc. - wait to torque
Steering rack and bushings - torque to spec
Shock and strut assembly - top nuts torque to spec, bottom bolt wait to torque?
CV axle torque to spec
Knuckle - torque UBJ and LBJ
Sway bar, bushings, end links - torque to spec torque to spec at ride height sway bar to frame bushing/mount
Outer tie rod - torque to spec
Brake disc and calipers
Axle nut - torque to spec
Reinstall wheel, drop vehicle to ground - torque all remaining to spec

How does that look so far? I will update this post with any more information, so it can hopefully be useful to someone in the future.

I added to a couple of them. Everything else looks good.

 

[WeakSauz]

You're spot on!

When you get it on the ground, it may be beneficial to back the truck down the driveway, rock the truck around some, steer the wheels some and let everything settle.

Then torque LCA cams and UCA long bolt once settled.

 

[MagusWyatt]

I added to a couple of them. Everything else looks good.

By "at ride height" do you mean to actually wait until it's on the ground, or just an estimate of where it will sit once it is?

You're spot on!

When you get it on the ground, it may be beneficial to back the truck down the driveway, rock the truck around some, steer the wheels some and let everything settle.

Then torque LCA cams and UCA long bolt once settled.

Good info. Thanks for the responses!

 

[nhenscheid]

Subscribed. Gearing up to do a similar steering & suspension rebuild on my (new to me) 1998 Limited.

Have you encountered any big unforeseen issues so far? About how long do you think it's taken? (Edit: since you're not done yet, I guess I should wait to ask these questions until later!)

Cheers!

 

[Skulking]

By "at ride height" do you mean to actually wait until it's on the ground, or just an estimate of where it will sit once it is?



Good info. Thanks for the responses!

I'm not sure about the CV axle, but for the sway bar, you want to torque to spec with full weight on it. Otherwise you will be tightening it down with things out of position. Then when you put weight on it things want to rotate to back to the proper position, and you can damage bushings.

 

[Bad Luck]

By "at ride height" do you mean to actually wait until it's on the ground, or just an estimate of where it will sit once it is?



Good info. Thanks for the responses!

Once it's sitting on all 4 tires

 

[MagusWyatt]

Subscribed. Gearing up to do a similar steering & suspension rebuild on my (new to me) 1998 Limited.

Have you encountered any big unforeseen issues so far? About how long do you think it's taken? (Edit: since you're not done yet, I guess I should wait to ask these questions until later!)

Cheers!

It's always good to know that a post will help someone, even if it's down the line. I will update my original post to make it kind of a quick guide. Unfortunately I haven't taken many pictures along the way, but I can always add helpful tips and information like torque specs and such. Besides, there are a lot of videos (especially Timmy the Toolman's videos) that show the details of the process. It's just tough because they are all separate videos on separate jobs, so you have to piece them together. Still, it's better that way because most people do a job at a time rather than the crazies like us that take on the whole shebang!

Looping [MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] in here in case he thinks any of this is worthwhile to add to his guides.

I think most of the issues most run into are on the removal section, so here are a couple of things I ran into that could be helpful:

• Alternate way I devised to remove seized cam sleeves. This one is by and large the most helpful thing I can add: New method for removing seized LCA cam sleeves<br>
  
• For bushing removal on LCA and UCA, I followed Timmy's videos (the second LCA bushing one where he uses the press method) and found that a large chisel or punch works well to start bending the outer flange, but once they're bent down just a bit you can get a pair of angled pliers on there and really bend them down evenly all around the exterior. It even works well close to where the arm gets in the way of a chisel.<br>
  
• For UBJ removal, if you have the money do yourself a favor and either order the OTC specialized tools that Timmy uses in his video OR rent some from O'Reillys. The OTC tools are even more expensive (around $300) to piece together than they were at the time he made the video, so if you don't have or want to spend the money then go the O'Reillys route. Rental kits 67045 and 67048. Those two in conjunction will work for removal. For installation, the provided cup is too deep to push the UBJ flush into the knuckle, so invest in a 1/2" or 1" thick piece of steel. It really only needs to be a few inches square.

As I think of more I'll update the original post.

 

[nhenscheid]

Unfortunately I haven't taken many pictures along the way, but I can always add helpful tips and information like torque specs and such

I'm planning to take lots of pics and put together a somewhat complete write up.

...there are a lot of videos (especially Timmy the Toolman's videos) that show the details of the process. It's just tough because they are all separate videos on separate jobs, so you have to piece them together. Still, it's better that way because most people do a job at a time rather than the crazies like us that take on the whole shebang!

Indeed, those videos are a gold mine. I've been watching all of them several times to try and piece together a complete parts & procedure list (also using the FSM). For me it makes a lot of sense to do it all at once, because I need to replace just about everything. I have complete service records and not a single steering or suspension part has been replaced, with 225k mi. Lots of parts are rattly, cracked and leaky...

 

[WeakSauz]

Op, let me know when you get the LCAs installed with the whiteline bushings in them. Doing this install now as I type this, and finding the whiteline washers *almost* impossible to squeeze in. They are a bear

 

[Poorboy64]

I am also going to start this project, LBJ to outer tie rod torque suspended or on the ground?
Trying to make sense in my old simple mind.

Thanks!

 

[D'arce]

I tore my front end down this last week as well. Found these on another posting...

Torque Specs and Service Information Revisited.

Brake caliper mounting bolts: 90 ft-lbs

Brake caliper banjo bolt: 22 ft-lbs

Steering knuckle to lower ball joint: 59 ft-lbs ~USE LOCTITE~

Outer tie-rod to lower ball joint: 67 ft-lbs

Lower control arm to frame (alignment cams): 96 ft-lbs

Lower control arm to shock absorber: 101 ft-lbs (may vary with aftermarket equip)

Lower control arm to swaybar end link: 51 ft-lbs

Lower ball joint to lower control arm: 112 ft-lbs

Upper ball joint to upper control arm: 80 ft-lbs

Upper control arm to frame: 87 ft-lbs

Shock absorber upper mount (3 bolts): 47 ft-lbs (may vary with aftermarket equip)

Shock absorber center nut: 22 ft-lbs

Swaybar to swaybar end link: 22 ft-lbs

Swaybar brackets to frame: 19 ft-lbs
Outer tie-rod to lower ball joint: 67 ft-lbs

Inner tie-rod to rack: 76 ft-lbs

Tie-rod end lock nut: 41 ft-lbs

Steering rack mounting clamp: 123 ft-lbs

Steering rack vertical center mounting bolt: 123 ft-lbs

Steering rack horizontal mounting bolt: 141 ft-lbs (96 ft-lbs newer number?)

 

[MagusWyatt]

Op, let me know when you get the LCAs installed with the whiteline bushings in them. Doing this install now as I type this, and finding the whiteline washers *almost* impossible to squeeze in. They are a bear

I got the passenger side LCA installed today. The frontmost connection was buttery smooth, but the rear definitely took some massaging. I was able to press it in with my hands, then when it wasn't aligned with the sleeve I had to use a small prybar to get it aligned. I assume you got yours in?

I am also going to start this project, LBJ to outer tie rod torque suspended or on the ground?
Trying to make sense in my old simple mind.

Thanks!

Outer tie rod can be torqued to spec in the air.

I tore my front end down this last week as well. Found these on another posting...

Torque Specs and Service Information Revisited.

Brake caliper mounting bolts: 90 ft-lbs

Brake caliper banjo bolt: 22 ft-lbs

Steering knuckle to lower ball joint: 59 ft-lbs ~USE LOCTITE~

Outer tie-rod to lower ball joint: 67 ft-lbs

Lower control arm to frame (alignment cams): 96 ft-lbs

Lower control arm to shock absorber: 101 ft-lbs (may vary with aftermarket equip)

Lower control arm to swaybar end link: 51 ft-lbs

Lower ball joint to lower control arm: 112 ft-lbs

Upper ball joint to upper control arm: 80 ft-lbs

Upper control arm to frame: 87 ft-lbs

Shock absorber upper mount (3 bolts): 47 ft-lbs (may vary with aftermarket equip)

Shock absorber center nut: 22 ft-lbs

Swaybar to swaybar end link: 22 ft-lbs

Swaybar brackets to frame: 19 ft-lbs
Outer tie-rod to lower ball joint: 67 ft-lbs

Inner tie-rod to rack: 76 ft-lbs

Tie-rod end lock nut: 41 ft-lbs

Steering rack mounting clamp: 123 ft-lbs

Steering rack vertical center mounting bolt: 123 ft-lbs

Steering rack horizontal mounting bolt: 141 ft-lbs (96 ft-lbs newer number?)

Thanks, that's helpful. I'll have to edit the original post with these.

 

[MagusWyatt]

Updated original post with torque specs and whether to torque in the air or on the ground.

 

[Poorboy64]

Is it difficult to torque some of these (accessibility) with the wheels on and sitting at ride height sitting on the ground?

 

[96RedRunner]

Just preload suspension, lift vehicle off jackstand with jack under LCA equal to being on ground/wheel.
Tire not in the way, easy access to everything. Torque the CV axle when you do have tires on setting on ground.

 

[Poorboy64]

Thanks!