This van leans to the drivers side and I found that the centre of each wheel measured up to the fender is not the same across both sides. The drivers side is 3/4" shorter so I suspect a bent control arm. I am also getting some bad binding in the suspension when I take heavy turns and tire wear is a problem.

I am going to be ordering a new front for my 1991 B250 tonight. That includes control arms, tie rod ends, centre link, strut bar bushings, sway bar bushings, sway bar link kit, and spring isolators. What should I be ordering for fasteners? I was thinking just strut bar nuts but that is about it. Do you recommend anything else for this project? I am looking at AC Delco arms and Moog rod ends, Rock Auto does not have a complete set of the CK series arms and their RK stuff is supposed to be junk.

I need to take some measurements for the springs to decide if it's time for them to be replaced again, they are about 18 years old now but were a special spring rate when my dad had them put in. The van originally had SJH 1355/1490 springs with the 3300# front axle. Aftermarket springs are simply rated at 2264# and 2660# for HD but I don't see how this relates to the original spring rate.

 

if the van ride height is not level...the first thing to check is the springs. If the a control arm was bent; the alignment diagnostic angles would be out of spec....Included angle, cai, camber.
post a pic of the tire. the type of wear will determine what angle is out.

When the springs sag, the ride height changes. This changes the alignment angles...primarily toe; the biggest tire wear angle.

not sure what a heavy turn is or bad binding is. describe the symptom....you turn hard and what happens....the suspension hits a bump and _____________?

 

Uneven ride height has been a problem for a long time. My dad had new shocks and springs installed on all four corners about 18 years ago because the old springs had collapsed but it didn't fix the leaning. Ride height is off both when the vehicle is on the ground and up in the air. The van has had several alignments and they keep saying it is OK even though it leans. I will admit that the driver's side of the van is heavier due to the way the conversion is laid out but it shouldn't be off when the wheels are hanging from the air. (Measurements are 3/4" shorter when in the air, 1 1/2" lean when on the ground)

When I say heavy turn I mean a turn that puts lots of force on the front end. If you are in a parking lot and turn really hard to fit into a spot you'll hear a "cachunk" and the front suspension will move around. If you are on a twisty road and take a sharp turn fast the alignment seems to change and it sounds like you can hear the outside tire scrubbing on the asphalt. I have been chasing this problem for a couple years now and the garages always say the suspension is OK but it really is not. One goal of replacing the control arms is to replace all of the rubber in the suspension. At 27 years old the rubber on this van in areas such as engine mounts and bushings is totally rotten.

Tire wear is really fast on the front end now. The rear tires wear nicely but you can see the wear on the fronts getting bad after a few thousand miles. I now have 4 tires worn all lumpy. Hopefully in the photos you can see how they are wearing on both the outside and inside edges.

 

hard to diagnose over the internet based on a description. what are the rear measurements. if the spring is low in one corner...the diagonal opposite will be high. If you have unbalanced loads...maybe air shocks would balance this out. I'm not 100% sure the best way to address that.

the tire pictures show toe wear. a featheredged/saw tooth pattern that develops from incorrect toe. Instead of rolling straight...the tire scrubs and rolls. this pattern when engrained into a tire will emit a loud growl sound on the highway...similar to a worn wheel bearing. You have alignment issues. When you get it aligned; have it loaded with everything it normally would ride with.

 

I had a quick look and one of the rear wheels is off about 3/4" of an inch compared to the other side. I have Bilstein shocks on the van currently and am happy with them so I won't be changing them until they give up the ghost. I have ordered all of the parts and decided to up the springs to the Moog 9272s which are a heavier diameter than what I currently have.

You are right about the alignment but figuring it out is the problem. I've been chasing my tail for a couple years now and I've had it in for alignments and diagnosis with no luck. The alignment is OK when everything is at a stand still on the alignment machine but there is a problem when the van is in motion. Hopefully the tire wear improves and the lean goes away with the new springs and control arms. Traveling across the continent with a screwed up front end is no fun. I think it's got 240,000 km on it now (150k miles).

I will report in a week or two when I get this thing blown apart and back together.

 

I plugged away at it today. I've got the new centre link in, the new tie-rod ends in, and the new upper control arms in.

The idler arms are kicking my ***. The last person who put them in did not use the washers that go with them so the openings in the frame are caved in. You almost need a hydraulic power pack spread those cavities back open. I suspect that some of the clunking would have been coming from the idler arms walking around but that's just a theory so far. I also noticed that the upper rubbers on driver side shock are toast so I'll need some of them but no smoking guns so far.

Parts used and work with the 3300# front axle:
1 x AC Delco Professional Upper Left Control Arm 45D1104
1 x AC Delco Professional Upper Right Control Arm 45D1105
1 x Moog DS1000 Centre Link
2 x Moog K7106 Idler Arm
2 x Moog ES2121L Tie Rod End
2 x Moog ES2120R Tie Rod End

I would have liked to use Moog CK type control arms but Rock Auto isn't stocking a complete set of 4 for some reason so I went with the AC Delco Professional. Do not buy Moog RK products as they are garbage.

Apparently the heavier front axles use different diameter ball joints so watch out when picking complete control arms or you will run in to problems.

 

get an alignment

 

Here's the first video.

 

I did the lower control arms and springs today.

Parts used and work with the 3300# front axle:
1 x AC Delco Professional Lower Left Control Arm 45D3159
1 x AC Delco Professional Lower Right Control Arm 45D3160
1 x AC Delco 45G0603 Stabilizer Bar Bushing (You get 4 in a box and only need 2)
2 x AC Delco 45G18701 Coil Spring Isolator
2 x AC Delco 45G25049 Strut Rod Bushing
1 x AC Delco 45G2013 Stabilizer Bar Link Kit
1 x Moog 7272 Heavy Duty Coil Springs (I took out a pair of standard duty springs)
1 x Moog K4006 Strut Rod Bar Rear Lock Nut (You get 10 in a box and only need 2)

You will also want to get the following:
2 x lower control arm rubber bumpers
2 x new lock nuts for the lower control arm pivots
4 x new washers for the lower control arm pivots
4 x new lock nuts for front strut rod bolts
4 x new thick plain washers for the front strut rod bolts

I still have to get the vehicle back on the ground and put the video together.

 

The work is done for now. The van is much better but problems persist. The #1 problem is the outer brake pad noises which I never addressed and the #2 problem is some remaining clunking which may very well be caused by #1 or improperly torqued 1-1/8" nuts on the upper control arm pivot bolts. Replacing the suspension has resolved a lot of hammering I was getting from the center link and tie rods flopping around when hitting bumps (they weren't loose enough to be bad but they wouldn't support their weight and rotated with every bump). I also continue to get some howling on heavy corners such as found in intersections and mountain passes.

Going with the heavy Moog 7272 springs on the 3300# front axle in a van that runs at the upper weight limit was a great choice. It rides really nice and doesn't bottom out anymore.

The leaning was not resolved. I am going to have to go back in and add spacers to the front drivers side coil spring and likely the rear drivers side leaf spring. I will need to find a nice flat location to take the measurements. The coil spring is midway in the lower control arm so I think the coil spacer thickness will need to be about 1/2 the desired height increase. Next year also looks like a new steering gear and tires to resolve the last of my front-end problems.

Inspect your cross member prior to the job because this will be the best time to replace it too.

The lower control arm video:

Can I do better with the alignment? It seems good but I always like perfection.

Alignment Values:
Three years ago (never really liked this alignment, didn't feel right and seemed to degrade), https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-r...nt-values.html
As-found after front end replacement (this was quite bad, the van was trying to drive in a circle),


As-aligned after front end replacement (no hands required at 70 mph),