Timing had a lot to do with this purchase-Dad wanted to make darn sure there was no rush to freshen it up, and plenty of lead time to ensure all systems were completely road ready. Having been through a few owners, first on the list was returning it to California smog-legal status. Next, a complete suspension and brake rebuild was sorely needed. After all, a neglected front suspension results in lots of play in the steering wheel, coupled with unnecessary tire wear, and general driveability problems. This thing had to drive (and feel) like a new truck. Again, we stress the importance of timing. Don't wait until the last minute and wind up putting your kid in a vehicle that's not 110-percent road worthy. There's just too much at stake. While the anticipation may drive him crazy, he'll come to appreciate why you took such a methodical approach.
Performance Suspension Technology (Pst)Parts ListOriginal performance frontend rebuild kitG-Max sway bars, front and rearG-Max 13-inch rotor upgradeAlu-Max calipersHigh-performance brake padsSpindlesBraided stainless brake hoses2 1/2-inch dropped front coils4-inch lowered leaf springsRear disc brake conversion kit (with 11 1/4-inch rotors)
Later that day, we continued...
Later that day, we continued by replacing the new lower ball joint and decided to bolt on the control arms before removing the uppers.
A few zips of the impact wrench...
A few zips of the impact wrench and the upper arms were ready for disassembly. Since they're a little less bulky than the lowers, we opted to swap out all the pieces in the shop instead of sending them out.
Jason removed the nuts on...
Jason removed the nuts on either end of the shaft, though that's the easy part.
Would you want your 16-year-old...
Would you want your 16-year-old kid driving a vehicle with ball joints that look like this? Yeah, we thought not.
We always have some JB (Justice...
We always have some JB (Justice Brothers) chemicals around the Tech Center-a few shots of JB 80 helps loosen rusted parts, protects metal from corrosion, and eliminates squeaks.
Jason found his air chisel...
Jason found his air chisel worked well for removing the bushings. After being soaked with JB 80 and alternating the pressure from one side to the other the task went smoothly.