Rebuild Resolution
By: Chris Hemer
Photos By: Dan Sanchez
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No matter how you pamper your truck, there is going to come a time when the front end has to be rebuilt. Nobody wants to do it, or even pay to have it done—it’s sort of like the automotive equivalent of a rectal examination. But, (no pun intended) if your truck is starting to wander, the steering feels sloppy or the tires are exhibiting uneven wear (or a combination of the above), the chances are good that a front end rebuild is in order.
Contrary to solid axle front trucks (which are simple, but ride stiffer), IFS trucks have lots of parts and pieces floating around underneath, and they’re all connected by an array of joints, bushings and the like. You’ve got the pitman arm with steering joint, the idler arm, center link, tie rods...you get the picture. Yes, you can rebuild an IFS front end yourself--if you have a lot of experience tearing stuff apart, have specialized tools and/or tend to be masochistic. But the best bet is to find yourself a good frame and alignment shop that can do the job for you.
< align=right marginWidth=0 =5 =5 marginHeight=0 src="http://www.truckmoxie.com/s/google_rectangle.asp" Border=0 width=300 scrolling=no height=250>To see what is involved, we took our lifted Tahoe to Off Road Unlimited in Burbank, CA. for a fairly straightforward re-build using factory-replacement Moog components. These pieces use OEM-style rubber bushings and dust covers, so they last like the stock pieces, and provide a smooth, compliant ride. off road Unlimited, meanwhile, specializes in all types of installation and modification of off-road trucks, and have been doing it for many years now.
But before we get into the knuckle busting, general Manager Mike Duval has a few suspension-related tips he wanted to offer up. First, if you’re not sure if your truck needs a front end re-build, you and a friend can perform this simple test. Safely support the front of the truck on a pair of jack stands and block the rear tires. Have a friend start the truck and work the steering wheel back and forth quickly (about a 1/4 turn in either direction) while you crawl underneath and watch the steering components. If you see any of the joints moving excessively, or deflecting as the wheel is turning from side to side, you’ve got a worn out front end. Another indicator is that the truck won’t hold an alignment (requires frequent alignment) or your alignment technician tells you, “I can’t align this truck. It’s too worn out.”
But, if your tires are showing signs of uneven wear, the good news is it doesn’t necessarily require a front-end re-build, or even alignment. “Most people don’t rotate their tires nearly enough,” says Duval. “On an off-road truck with big wheels and tires, it’s critical to rotate them often. We recommend rotating front to rear every 2,000-3,000 miles.” Of course, this depends on the tread pattern and compound, but frequent tire rotation is still recommended—plus it’ll save you money on tires. All that said, let’s see what’s involved with rebuilding an IFS system with Off Road Unlimited technician Danny Kempf.
SOURCES:
Off Road Unlimited
300 N. Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA. 91502
(818) 848 2020
www.offroadunlimited.com
Moog Corporation
Federal Mogul
26555 Northwestern Hwy.
Southfield, MI 48034
248-354-7700
www.federal-mogul.com
When inspecting the front end of a lifted truck, keep in mind that some kits have their own dropped center link or idler arm that may be unique to the kit and should be inspected separately. |
When the dust boots are old, they deteriorate and split. It’s also possible that the technician that installed the lift kit used a pickle fork when doing the installation and the boots were torn when separating the links. The dust boot acts like a reservoir for grease, and keeps dirt out. If you have a good joint but a torn boot, you can buy polyurethane dust boots in varying sizes. |
These upper control arm bushings are typical of a truck with 100,000+ miles. Also made of rubber, over time they just deteriorate and wear out no matter how well you treat your truck. |
Here, the ball joint nut is loosened, but not removed. |
Danny then gives the bottom of the steering knuckle a good whack with a hammer to remove it. |
Here is the worn ball joint after spindle removal. Not a pretty sight, but normal for an older IFS truck. |
A pickle fork is used for steering joints. It is wedged between the two joints, then either whacked with a hand-held hammer, or attached to an air hammer. |
Removal of the pitman arm requires a pitman arm puller—it won’t come off any other way. If you don’t have one, a lot of auto parts stores rent them. |
Here’s a quick trick: you can often access the idler arm bolts through the fender well. |
Here, the A arms are unbolted and removed. |
This idler arm is completely worn out and must be replaced with a new Moog part. |
The new idler arm connected is attached. |
The Pitman arm wears out normally, but a lift kit and larger tires puts more stress on all the steering components, and can cause them to wear out more quickly. |
New Moog heavy duty Pitman arm is an exact replacement for the original piece and should last just as long |
Here, the new Pitman arm is bolted in place. |
Likewise, the A-arm bushings were also worn out and in need of replacement. |
An air hammer is used to push out the A-arm bushings quickly and easily. |
The new Moog bushings are pressed into place. |
Removing the old (upper?) ball joints isn’t an easy job—they’ve got to be cut first and then punched out. |
This is how the new Moog ball joints look installed. |
The finished upper A arm. |
The steering ball joints are also replaced with new Moog pieces. |
The lower A arm bushing is pressed in place. |
he completed front end made a dramatic difference in the way the truck handles and steers. And with the Moog replacement pieces, it should last for the life of the truck. |
The tires showed signs of uneven wear, so they were replaced. To make them last as long as possible, Off Road Unlimited recommends rotating them every 2,000-3,000 miles. |
After any front end rebuild, alignment is always necessary. |
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