Workflow and tools question

So this week I’d like to accomplish three items on my 2002 4x4 AC:

1. Bilstein 6112/5120 coil overs and shocks (already assembled) Keeping stock height at this point so clips set at #3 and #1
2. Steering rack bushings
3. Rotors and brake pads

Tools I think I’ll need: sockets and wrench, torque wrench, mallet, Jack, jack stand,breaker bar, pb blast, metal punch, bottle jack to help get coil over in, something to curse into out of frustration...

How would you approach the front end?

Remove sway bar first?

Jack both sides of front end up for both sets of rotors, brakes, coil overs, and bushings? Or should I leave one side for some reason that I can’t see now?

Any reason to do one before another or completely separate?

The problems I have seen:

Coil overs: don’t take off uca, helper or bottle jack to get new coil over in helps.

Rotors: no issues I have seen. Maybe soak bolts in pb blast the night before.

Steering rack bushings: take care with the “plumbing” nearby (power steering fluid maybe??), grease everything going back in, I feel like I saw some other issue here but can’t remember?

Thanks for all the help here. This truck is coming along and I am stoked to see the transmutation after all this is done.

 

I see two things that you forgot on your list of needed tools:

1. Beer. Lots and lots of beer.
2. Air conditioning. You do know it's like 1 million degrees out today?

Joking aside, good luck. I for one know that I'm not doing a damn thing outside today, my old ass would pass out in this heat.

 

Haha. I’ll start tomorrow morning. I wake up around 3 am; I don’t know why but it gives some time in the morning before the oven kicks on.

 

Brush up on Himalayan Hand Jujitsu Technique for the Steering Rack Bushings. That center bushing is a tweaker.

 

Sucks cause the metal in my left radius makes my hand pretty fatigued in short order but I was a jujitsuka!

 

Sounds like you have studied the jobs well, your plan of approach is solid. Yes, jack up both sides of the front, get the whole front in the air.

Yes, leave the uca alone. Use a good pry bar to push the lca down while stuffing the new coilovers in, really just for the bottom mount. Get the top mount in first, then do the bottom. You have 4wd so the bolt on the bottom shock mount will go back in backwards, this is totally fine and seems to be the only option. If it has been taken off before it is probably already in there backwards.

Brakes are straight forward. Bring a 5 gallon bucket and flip it upside down to use as a table to set your caliper on, or bring a bungee cord to hang it by the UCA.

Coilovers aren't hard at all, honestly 2 steps harder than changing a flat tire.

Steering rack bushings will be the faaaaawk part. Have patience, that center bolt on the rack will test you. Getting the old ones out will be stubborn, after that it isn't too bad. Some guys have done this with the truck on the ground, I found it easier in the air with the key in the ignition so I could move the tires as needed.

Best of luck, worst case if you're beat by the heat after brakes and coilovers save the steering for next weekend.

 

So check out these bushings.

 

Bottom of coilover

 

Hmmm could this contribute to the terrible road feel?

 

Pads driver side

 

Your truck will be handling way better after the new stuff. Looks like lots of dry rot.

 

Yup. The sway bar bushing won't change much in feel but that beat up lower shock bushing would.

 

The driver side brake and rotor done. Easy.

Do new coil overs come with bushings typically?

 

This would have been a good time to upgrade the calipers to the larger 2003 versions. And yes, should come with all new bushings.

 

wow, that's a nasty crack in the shock mount bracket. Wonder how that gets repaired?

 

Rotors and brakes done. Old bushings out. Used a block of wood between the rack and frame to give support r as I pounded out the drivers side bushing. I put a socket at the end of a screwdriver to punch it out. It worked well. The middle bushing wasn’t really difficult. What do you the of the condition of the old bushings? The passenger side looks fine but the others have large depressions.

 

The calipers are stamped 13 wl
already!

 

Those look like the originals with the ribs. Steering will be better now.

 

What crack?

 

Same. Went back and looked and don’t see anything.

 

Here is the wood.

also shoot, my torque wrench goes to only 100. I know they work best in the middle of the range as well

 

Looks like a big crack in the lower control arm...?

 

No that is just some edge of a metal piece that a bump stop?? Hits. Thanks for looking out!

 

So close to putting it back together. The rack is like a mm with getting the bolts through. I pushed, rotated around grabbed the frame a pushed with my legs, wiggled the ends. You are going back on. Why do you fight me rack?

 

Done! Well other getting to proper torque.

“another tool”
“Babe I gotta get it to spec. You wanna be safe when we head to the beach, yeah?”

thanks you guys. Man, how much would a mechanic charge for that? And it feels great knowing I did the work.

Cheers

 

I would guess at least $450 labor

 

Wow, that is how I am justifying some of the tools I am buying. I get to use em again.

MVP new tool: creeper I got off CL that was brand new for a song.

 

Let’s see some pics or it didn’t happen! Considering this same setup.

 

The suspension doesnt come in until later today, which means I will start the install tomorrow morning. Truck is sitting in the carport up on jack stands looking ghetto.

I am sure I will post pics as I'll likely get stuck somewhere along the way!

 

I might as well replace the sway bar bushings, yes? Or does one replace the sway bar end links as well. I ask that as most "bushing kits" that I see do not have the ones for the end links.