Fixing up the front end.

[Rev_D21]

Driving home from work last week in heavy wind gave me quite a scare. The truck was everywhere on the road, I was so tense the entire time. Jacked it up on Saturday to find inner and outer tie rods shot on the left side along with the right side of the crosslink. I am not one for mixing old with new so when I do a project I usually try to replace both sides knowing if one side failed the other is not far behind. Here's the weekend project.



QSTEN is one OEM maker for Nissan. Nissan just sticks their name on the box. Energy Suspension sway bar kit = 7.5108G if you want black. My sway bar bushings are shot so I figured "While I am in there..."

[Desert Rat]

Want some tips?

You don't need a pickle fork to do this work.

Remove cotter pins and nuts and work from the outside in (outer TRE, inner TRE, centerlink).

Use a BFH and aim your shots at the spindle for the outer TRE right where it goes through. When you've hit it right, the TRE will pop right out and not destroy the boot, so you still have a spare.

For the Centerlink, you'll be hitting squarely the idler and pitman arms where the centerlink pin goes through. Same result.

You may also consider doing idler arm bushings while you're in there, as that's typically a wear item as well.

That little truck is gonna be just like new soon.

I know I still owe you some interior pics....seems I can't remember to do anything when I get home lately....been too busy wrenching on the wifey's Xterra.

[Rev_D21]

Thanks for the tips. I went balls out on the parts because I hate doing things twice.

No prob on the photos, I actually shot the wad on the Lotek gauge pod only to find it doesn't fit, it's huge compared to the HB A-Pillar.

[Rev_D21]

So this is what a sway bar feels like when it works!?! I found nothing left of the old bushings or who ever installed them did a poor job because half of the right side was gone. The end links had hardened, cracked and squished till there was nothing left of them. So I got my knuckles dirty swapping those parts out tonight. I also got the centerlink and both tie rods installed. Total time...about 3 hours. The alignment is wayyyyyy off but I counted on that so I busted out some old crappy tires for the test drive.

Going down the road the truck felt in command of the road, something I never knew I was missing actually. I always wrote the way the truck handled off because it was a truck but tonight one should have seen the smile on my face as I took some hard turns in the parking lot down the road. The truck barely leaned and that's with the alignment totally off. So this is what I have been missing for the last year?

Sadly I noticed both upper ball joint boots ripped open so those will need to be addressed before I can align and drive it again.

A shop quoted me $471 to replace 1 tie rod, the centerlink and align it. I replaced both tie rods, the centerlink and sway bar bushings by myself for $330. I have Moog tension rod bushings here in the morning and I might as well order me up some ball joints while I am at it. This truck is going to handle like no ones business pretty soon.

ES is the way to go!!

[Rev_D21]

Ramcoa (Made in the USA) poly tension rod bushings showed up this morning. Moog upper ball joints on the way for Monday. Carquest is great!

[Desert Rat]

I was going to suggest tension rod bushings too, but you're all over it.

The next bushings to look at are the leaf eye bushings. On 4x4s they get chewed up pretty good. Might still be ok on a truck that only sees road miles.

[Rev_D21]

This has been fun so far. My Performance Friction carbon-met brake pads showed up today through Fleetpride.

[Q451990]

The next bushings to look at are the leaf eye bushings. On 4x4s they get chewed up pretty good. Might still be ok on a truck that only sees road miles.

Mine were absolutely shot at 135K, all road miles, so definitely check them... They are a pain to remove, so be prepared with a hydraulic press, or use a sawsall to carefully cut the bushing sleeves out without damaging the springs. That was a tip I first read in this forum and thought it was kind of a redneck idea (no offense to the OP) and guess what finally got them out after all of my work with a big vice...

If you haven't replaced your shocks, that's a good idea too. Mine had lost every bit of pressure - staying wherever you put them. New ones made a HUGE difference.

Here's my suspension thread. zerothread?id=356011

Heath

[Rev_D21]

I have read that thread and it has helped me. I have Monomax shocks in my future but trying to free up the dollars can be a pain. I hate the current shocks for sure. I am sure I will dip into my pocket for shocks though for 2009.

The rear end might fall under a 2010 budget. I wasn't expecting to rebuild the front end this year so the cost is denting my pocket good right now. The nice thing is I know it's worth it.

Next year includes some body work like fenders and rebushing the rear springs. We'll see how things go. Last year was the timing chain, water pump and related. This year is the year of the front end. Next year is shaping up to be the year of the rear end. Sounds like a demented Chinese calender.

[Desert Rat]

Mine were absolutely shot at 135K, all road miles, so definitely check them... They are a pain to remove, so be prepared with a hydraulic press, or use a sawsall to carefully cut the bushing sleeves out without damaging the springs. That was a tip I first read in this forum and thought it was kind of a redneck idea (no offense to the OP) and guess what finally got them out after all of my work with a big vice...

If you haven't replaced your shocks, that's a good idea too. Mine had lost every bit of pressure - staying wherever you put them. New ones made a HUGE difference.

Here's my suspension thread. zerothread?id=356011

Heath

Heh, yeah, that sawzall tip was mine. I've done it that way. Saved me from having to completely remove the leaf springs and replacing the Ubolts (which you shoudl do if you ever remove them)

[Rev_D21]

Moog Problem Solver Ball Joints are now sitting in my dining room awaiting installation. Might start that project Friday night.

I also have an extra set of ES sway bar end link bushings if anyone wants to replace theirs. Let me know if you are interested.

[Rev_D21]

1 Tension rod has been re-bushed. The other is sitting on the floor because Ramcoa forgot one of the sleeves that the bushings sit on. It's just not there so I am going to have to wait and see what Carquest is going to do to help me. They have been really good so far.

The bushings that came off the tension rods were squished beyond any use, literally they stand at half the height of the new ones they are so badly crushed. I am sure my LCAs had some good forward and backward movement because of this which could explain why the truck would dive to the right or left when braking sometimes.

I also started taking apart the upper ball joints. No luck with the fork so far. I am going up to Harbor Freight to get a ball joint press for $20 that should do the trick. I'll continue this project tomorrow afternoon till ????.

I hope Carquest can get that missing part quick. I would have had both rods done tonight if it weren't for that. Oh well, s*** happens.

Tempted to replace the front shocks while I am in there as well. Thinking Monomax but that's a lot of money. I'll have almost $700 invested in the front end alone if I decide on the Monomax's. I am sure I won't regret it but it's just hard to fork out more money.

I was hoping to have ready to tow to the alignment shop this weekend but I guess I'll need more time.