Simon Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Your idler arm is easy to check. Go to the passenger side front tire, and move it side to side as if you're turning. You will see the idler arm move front to back if it's bad. If there's no movement, it's okay. You can get idler arm bushings to replace them, rather than replace the whole arm, as there's nothing to really go wrong other than the bushings. Your problem, I'm 99% sure, from what you've described, is the rear control arms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 Alright that's cool I will check the Idler arm when I get home from class tomorrow. Are the bushings hard to change? I know the rears are press fits. I'll either have to have a shop do that, or remove them, and take it to the place beside my dads office that has a machine shop they let me use. I plan on driving the truck to Florida this spring break, so she has to be good to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Idler arm bushings can be done with basic tools I'd recommend a vise. The bushings themselves are plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 Thanks a lot. I guess If can do the tension bushings, I can probably tackle this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Pickles Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 If you figure out the exact cause, let me know - my truck does the same thing. Things I know with my truck: Both sway-bars are broken / end links are busted Compression Rods are shot Compression Rod bushings are shot Worn shocks (saving up to replace) I'm thinking of the possibility that my rear control arm bushings are shot... consideirng the nature (or perhaps... the simple lack thereof?) my compression rod bushings... I'd think the shocks were bout last thing on my list. Holy isht, Batman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Pickles Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 (edited) I was searching around and found a thread by chriskaw I think who reported that his clunking went away with new rear control arm bushings. I only have one rear swaybar link connected, as the other one got ripped off at adventure weekend. The one that is still on there is worn. And the sway bar as a little play in it too. I've replaced the front swaybar links, it helped a bit but not that much. I really hope my tension rod things aren't wallowed out Kitt, I thought that you had 4 new shocks put in? The swaybar is linked side to side via the frame, and that is functional suspension, so yeah... if one side is ripped off = no more sway bar action. Ya THINK it might have a LITTLE play?! Either fix it (if its a daily driver) or remove it (if its a trail truck). Right now, you're driving "removed" (one side broken off!!!) and it ain't so great on the road, huh? Not just broken, but worn bushings too. Rear control arm bushings are entirely different, but can also be bad. Check them out, or replace them. The front sway bar links are another part of the puzzle, and the tension rods/strut rods/compression rods are by FAR the most important part of this discussion. If you already suspect them, do that first. Failure could be catostrophic on the highway. Edited November 14, 2008 by Mr. Pickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 The swaybar is linked side to side via the frame, and that is functional suspension, so yeah... if one side is ripped off = no more sway bar action. Ya THINK it might have a LITTLE play?! Either fix it (if its a daily driver) or remove it (if its a trail truck). Right now, you're driving "removed" (one side broken off!!!) and it ain't so great on the road, huh? Not just broken, but worn bushings too. Rear control arm bushings are entirely different, but can also be bad. Check them out, or replace them. The front sway bar links are another part of the puzzle, and the tension rods/strut rods/compression rods are by FAR the most important part of this discussion. If you already suspect them, do that first. Failure could be catostrophic on the highway. Well I have changed the tension rod bushings, they were a little more than "worn", and I've found the front end is a lot tighter, and I don't notice the lack of rear sway bar. I would take it off, but, since I do a lot of highway driving my parents told me not to... I have 4 new rear control arm bushings, that I got from lgranch on here, I just need to put them in. And then hunt down another set for the other 2 arms. Looks like a PITA to get the control arms off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 It doesn't sway at all anymore, but it still shimmys and shudders...I don't think it's wheel balancing, because it does it all speeds. It's like it's feeling bumps that aren't even there. It does this on the smoothest of roads (read: recently paved). Bad engine mount, tranny mount or out of balance rear drive shaft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 I'll add binding U joints for good luck... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 Bad engine mount, tranny mount or out of balance rear drive shaft? How would I check the drive shaft? Would I have to get someone to do that for me? I gave a tug on the lower trailing arms and there was a bit, not a lot but a bit of movement. I don't know how much play there is supposed to be though....The truck was parked on the street not jacked up or anything... I checked the idler arm like you said Simon, and there was no movement, the only place I saw movement was between the center link and tie rod. Hopefully its supposed to be like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 (edited) Um...no. There should be NO movement in any of your steering parts, unless that movement is in unison....meaning; turning a tire, pushes tie rod, pushes centerlink (and idler arm), pushes tierod (and pitman arm) , turns tire. If there is movement at any joint, there is a problem. Edited November 14, 2008 by Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 Okay. Then I guess a new center link or tie rods are in order as well. Will have to check out which is the culprit there. Is it still safe to drive like that? I've been driving it 45km to school 2 or 3 days a week on the highway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Okay. Then I guess a new center link or tie rods are in order as well. Will have to check out which is the culprit there. Is it still safe to drive like that? I've been driving it 45km to school 2 or 3 days a week on the highway Uh, yeah, why it was enginerded the way it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Okay. Then I guess a new center link or tie rods are in order as well. Will have to check out which is the culprit there. Is it still safe to drive like that? I've been driving it 45km to school 2 or 3 days a week on the highway Okay.....If when you turn the tire, the centerlink rotates, it's the CL that's shot. If it's just the tie rod moving, but the CL doesn't rotate, it's the tie rod ends. If you crawl under, and someone else moves the tire, you can see exactly which parts are worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 It's the CL...Damn that is going to set me back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Contact hoohaa. Grassroots 4x4. Get a decent one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 (edited) Ok, that one is pretty expensive and since I'm in school (not working) I need to get this fixed as economical as possible. Since I don't really wheel would it be ok to just buy the 50 dollar spicer one, to get me through the winter, or if it can wait till spring when I start work again, that would be good too. But since you're not here you can't really tell anyways (how worn it is). Oh and can someone tell what the difference between a drag link and a center link is? On rock auto they have both listed, but the parts look the exact same in the picture. Just a different name I guess? The drag link is ac delco and the CL's are moog and spicer. Edited November 15, 2008 by redfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Oh and can someone tell what the difference between a drag link and a center link is? On rock auto they have both listed, but the parts look the exact same in the picture. Just a different name I guess? The drag link is ac delco and the CL's are moog and spicer. I guess the names could be interchanged, but typically a Center Link is connected from the steering box to the Idler arm and then to the tie rods so it does not connect to the spindles directly. A Drag Link typically refers to the setup on a solid axel and it is just a solid bar that goes from spindle to spindle only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 I guess the names could be interchanged, but typically a Center Link is connected from the steering box to the Idler arm and then to the tie rods so it does not connect to the spindles directly. A Drag Link typically refers to the setup on a solid axel and it is just a solid bar that goes from spindle to spindle only. Thanks for the info GG I will try not to drive the truck this week, so that I can remove the control arms to have the new bushings pressed in. My dad has the same issue on his pathy now, he was telling me that it will cause my tires to wear unevenly, and since I just got new tires, I don't want that to happen! I have no idea if that is true or not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 (edited) Oh yeah, here are the pics of the tension bushing replacement. I had more, but they disappeared. Thank god my grandfather helped me with that, or I would have never done it Edited November 17, 2008 by redfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted December 3, 2008 Author Share Posted December 3, 2008 (edited) Well, I got so sick of the vibration I took it into a shop to have the bushings pressed in, and they inspected the whole truck, and found that the bushings were fine. My truck got a report card so to speak: Edited December 3, 2008 by redfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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