see above

 

The naval jelly worked for the rust, although it took some hours to complete.

Some others have commented about upper ball joints, that this socket looks like stripped threads. I don't think that's it. Instead, I think it was actually a smooth bore, and the threads were more-or-less cut when the original ball joint was installed. The only question is whether I will be able to find the same "threads" when I install the new one. They are almost nonexistent... Maybe the thing to do is like Alfred E. Newman: "What, me worry?" Just turn it in and let it "cut" its own set of threads if it can't find the old ones...

 

Ive done my uppers twice. Yes the threads on the control arm do look weird. They are large, rounded, and there is only about 3 of them.

Autozone's and a cheapie from eBay worked fine both times for me.
If you have excessive rust, we need a pic to see that. Mine had no rust in them other than grime and road dust.

It is worth getting an impact wrench for these for install if they are tight. You will need it. I would not want to put 5ft of leverage on the control arm as you can crack a control arm bushing with that amount of torque. The second time I did mine they screwed right in like a normal bolt. All I needed to use was my 1/2 ratchet and moderate, basically normal force.

Basically, 5ft x 150lbs of pushing force = 750 pounds of torque. Not good for control arm bushings.

 

I understand the concept of torque.

I managed to get the ball joint threaded in without cross-threading, but there was no way it was going to torque to 125 ft-lb. I guess the thing to do is just snug the damn thing up.

The boot went on no problem; a 2" socket was not needed to install, a good thing as I had none. I noticed the note on the side of the boot about which side should be inboard, in time to do that right.

Then I tried torquing down the nut.

Moog has a nut using a 1" socket. This is what happened when I was trying to get up to 135 ft-lbs:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-z...ew?usp=sharing

You will just have to click the link. For some reason the website is not letting me do an inline photo.

Notice the "USA" (it's an S-K socket). Moog nuts have 3 castelations (or whatever you call them) rather than 6. The socket, not being a deep one, could only engage the castelations, not the full 6-point nut. This amount of torque was too much for it. I guess the moral of the story is to use a deeper socket...

I guess I will just use 100 ft-lb on the caliper bracket attachment bolts, since nobody came up with anything about them.

 

Boy I am having no luck with finding torque specs for the B3500 caliper bracket mount bolts. Anybody know where I can find a manual? The Chilton is questionable for this model, I don't think it really supports this one.

Any other hints on finding this number? Maybe I'll just walk into a dealer and see if the service manager will have pity on me.

 

My FSM from 2002 says 210Ft/lbs for 2500/3500

 

Good job, I haven't blown out the side of a socket in a long time. A socket like that can do a lot of damage to the human body when combined with an impact gun.
The OEM castellated nuts are the same, they have large openings for the cotter pins.
Cheers, Steve

 

Wow, 210 ft-lb? I should have guessed, these are honking bolts. Now I just need to figure out how to get up that high. Easy when the van is on a lift (50 lbs on a 4 foot lever), but not in my garage. Thanks for digging that up for me.

I should have got a 1500 after all...

 

I figured out a nice, easy and accurate way to check toe-in with two laser levels (about $30 each, and I already had one anyway). Currently the wheels have negative toe-in (that is, toe-out) by quite a large amount.

I tried to break the adjustments loose but I just don't have the strength any more. Nor can I apply much leverage since the truck is not on a lift. Maybe I can jack the front up again enough to get a breaker bar to work under there. Looks like I need to use my big pipe wrenches on this. The PB Blaster didn't help much.

Let me know if any of you are interested in this toe-in checking procedure.

 

I sure would like to know.

I have noticed when hitting a bad pothole or similar thing that the toe does go out. I think if you hit the lower control arm hard enough the ball joint spins and can make the adjustment bolts turn. That would do it. lol

I think you could get a 1/2 swivel, and a impact gun with a (I dont remember right now) a 7/8s socket and get the adjustment bolts loose.

I have replaced my upper control arms and I used a 1/2 bar and a 2in inside diameter, 18in long (somewhere like that) PVC extension .