Well, I knew that I needed a track bar for a while.

I got a pickle fork from a guy at work so I could replace it this weekend, I had a freind steer the truck while I was under there just so I could see how much movement was in the track bar.
There was about 4mm of movement at the balljoint end, but I also noticed a little bit of movment at the tierod ends and that joint where they connect.

I figured I would wait on the track bar untill i got the new tierod ends and stuff...

Can some one help me on what all it is that I should get? I want to replace the tierod ends the steering stableizer, and everyother part that usually goes out.

The truck has 100k of very abusive miles, so im ok with replaceing alot of the steering components.

I dont know the names of everything underthere, and I was alittle confused with the results of parts I got from rockauto.com, there was like "inner", and "outter" tie rod, drag links, ect ect ect...

What all is it that I should get? Pretty much every joint where that maze of steering "rods" connect had some slop in it.

Basically I just need help with the names of the components I need to get, ive never done any work on 4wd's before so im kinda new to it.

 

Inner tie rod, outer tie rod (driver and passenger) 4 parts in all I believe, upper and lower ball joints (driver and passeneger) also 4 parts in all. Drag link, Pitman arm, trac bar, idle arm, and steering stabalizer. Thats all the stuff that wears out. Although, I've never heard of a pitman arm going bad, so I'd just leave that alone. While you do the ball joints, if you choose to do so, I'd do the u-joints on the front axle as well, if they haven't been replaced already. if your sway bar is still in use, you could probably use new sway bar end links, and possibly new bushings.

If you do all of that, you should be in good shape for another 100k if you use good quailty parts.

 

I'd get new tie rod adjuster sleeves if I was changing them. I couldn't get the tie rods out of them on my Chevy I just did so I had to go get the sleeves. Upper and lower ball joints like said. Idk what else I would just do whats bad. Do you know how to check the tie rod ends and ball joints? We always jacked it up and grabbed the tire to see if it had any play up and down for the ball joints and then put a prybar under it. You can watch the ball joints and see if they move if you have someone else do this.

Then the same for the tie rod ends only side to side instead of up and down.

 

Yea, I knwo how to check that stuff, as well as change it... I was just unsure of what the proper names of the parts were.

Ill see how much the adjuster sleeves are, if they are halfgway cheep ill pick those up too...

Ill price all the stuff when I get home from work tonight.

Thanks

 

For my chevy I think I paid like $15 per side and Advance and cheaper places had them for like $7 or something a side. I bought the best ones Napa had. If they are anything like they were on that Chevy it's no point in even trying to get them apart.

 

They are more for these trucks. Looks like they vary depending on what kind you get.

Cheap ones
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...ont+Suspension

Napa Chassis Parts ones that are middle priced(This was the best they had for the Chevy so I used them)
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...ont+Suspension

I don't know who makes these but they are a little more.
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...ont+Suspension

 

I think everyone covered everything when it comes to the names of what your going to work with so I'm just going to say that if your going to want the best stuff to go into your truck, stick with genuine NAPA parts. Their stuff is made in the USA and is better then most everything else I've seen around. Spicer joints are made in Taiwan, Moog are not made in America, and Chrysler stuff is just too damn expensive most of the time thanks to the stealer... NAPA all the way is all I gotta say.

 

I have always heard good things about Spicer joints. I was wanting to go with all parts from the dealer on my Chevy to keep it all original but I could see spending double the price. I got the Spicer ball joints and they kept messing up stuff or having stuff not right with both those and the tie rod ends so I got fed up and took the tie rod ends and all back. I already had the ball joints in. I then went to Napa and got the tie rod ends.

 

I got spicer ball joints on my truck right now. I needed ball joints and that's what was available to me at the time. I don't see how they are going to fall apart or anything, I just know that things made in the USA are usually higher quality then Taiwanese or Chinese stuff, that's all. So knowing this, I'm just trying to share what I know so at the very least, a person in the market for these kinds of things can make an informed decision as to what one wants and where one wants it from...