Front end rebuild

[IDIBRONCO]

It kind of made me sick. It was a really nice looking truck before that happened. It dented the fender and door and ripped the molding off of both too. It was scary, but not quite as scary as the time I hit a deer on my motorcycle doing 70!

 

[chillman88]

It kind of made me sick. It was a really nice looking truck before that happened. It dented the fender and door and ripped the molding off of both too. It was scary, but not quite as scary as the time I hit a deer on my motorcycle doing 70!

That's what bothers me the most. My fenders are great but if I had to replace one the WHOLE truck would have to be painted to match. I'd run a mismatched fender if I had to, but she wouldn't be as purdy anymore.


My guess is you're lucky to be alive after the motorcycle accident. I want to get my license but all the stories are rather intimidating. Glad you're still with us.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I got lucky on the bike. I think I just caught a back leg. I was going into the rising sun and didn't see her until she was about 20 feet in front of me running full tilt. I closed my eyes and heard the impact. I came close enough to falling off that the toe of my left boot was drug off by the asphalt. I'm still not sure how I managed to hang on. I also know that if I had not been on a sport bike, I would have gone down. There was damage to both sides of the bike, but nothing was leaking onto the ground. I always tell people that the worst damage was to my underwear. They weren't any good after that.

 

[chillman88]

Well I just repacked the driver's side wheel bearing and replaced the driver's side radius arm bushing along with an oil change.

First off yes I know that everything is HORRIBLY FILTHY from a long lasting power steering leak (that I still haven't quite gotten rid of). So please go easy on me lol

I had the spring unloaded and turned it a little bit and a bunch of white plastic looking stuff fell out. I would assume it used to be a coil spring isolator? Is this a replacable part or do just ignore it?

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Also, I noticed a little heat ring on the inner bore of the outside wheel bearing. Should this concern me? Bearing surface and races looked fine.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[chillman88]

Just FYI I renamed the thread since it stopped being a TIB diagnosis and I just started replacing everything that's bad...

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I would sure wonder why the bearing got hot enough to discolor it. Just to be safe, I think I'd replace it.

 

[chillman88]

I would sure wonder why the bearing got hot enough to discolor it. Just to be safe, I think I'd replace it.

I would if I wasn't broke, and I would if the rollers looked bad.

That was the wheel that had excessive play in it. It still has a tiny bit but its about half what it was. I don't want it too tight but it was too loose. I was able to move the tire about 1/8" before.

It's really weird that its just that one spot.

The grease looked like it was two or three different colors anyway. That could have contributed to it too.

 

[Duke57]

When you are broke, as I am, just repack with fresh grease tighten bearing up, spin it, then back spindle nut out to next slot to slide in cotter pin. That bearing, if not excessively loose, doesn't look that bad.

Mike

 

[Duke57]

But...I alway wash bearing out completely with mineral spirits.

 

[Duke57]

I have repacked, by hand of course, bearings that were bluish from being burnt just till I could get new ones.

 

[chillman88]

When you are broke, as I am, just repack with fresh grease tighten bearing up, spin it, then back spindle nut out to next slot to slide in cotter pin. That bearing, if not excessively loose, doesn't look that bad.

Mike

That's exactly what I did.

But...I alway wash bearing out completely with mineral spirits.

Yeah it gave me an excuse to fill my parts washer back up. Haven't had a place to use it in years. Finally got into the new place and hadn't set it up yet.

 

[chillman88]

So, just to be sure. The radius arm bushings and pivot bushings are the only ones in the front end right? As long as balljoints are tight nothing else needs to be replaced before an alignment?

EDIT: I realize there are sway bar bushings but I'm asking about ones that affect alignment. I can always replace sway bar stuff later...

 

[chillman88]

Think I found my intermittent clunk...

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Passenger side radius arm bushing.

I'm set up to get an alignment Saturday. I pulled the toe in a little myself because after the pivot bushings I had over an inch of toe out!