Chevy & GMC Vans

Rileysowner wrote:And how would one check/test the tie rods? And while I am under there, how do I check the ball joints. You know pics would be very helpful for this.

If you would like, after my apprentice program i could take pics of the method i use at work to check for ball joints and tie rods?

That would be great. As the van ages, I am sure there will be some need to replace them. Knowing how to check them would be helpful.

Jboy2 wrote:

Rileysowner wrote:And how would one check/test the tie rods? And while I am under there, how do I check the ball joints. You know pics would be very helpful for this.

If you would like, after my apprentice program i could take pics of the method i use at work to check for ball joints and tie rods?

Much appreciated!

Well. I couldn’t take pics of the procedure with the tire on the truck because it was pouring. So I just took some pics with the tires I had downstairs.

To check for Top ball Joints you grab the front and back of the tire at the top and shake the wheel back and fourth slowly. There shouldn’t be any play.



To check for bottom ball joints just do the same thing, but do it to the bottom of the tire.

To check for Tie Rod ends, grab the front and back of the tire at the right side of the tire and shake the wheel back and forth slowly. As stated before, there should be any play.



To check for idler arms, grab the front and back of the tire on the left side and shake the wheel back and forth slowly. Again, there shouldn’t be any play.



Hope this helps [-o<

Wow, that's simple enough. That's what I've always done, but didn't realize that was the "official" way to do it. Thanks!

Good post. Someone should make this a tech tip or sticky it.

ahh just a suggestion....clarify back and forth and side to side, oh don't forget and jacking the wheel off the ground.....

thanks for the pics =D>

I was going to say that as well. I am not to sure what front/back back/forth and several other terms mean. I think I know, but I am not clear.

Jboy2 wrote:Well. I couldn’t take pics of the procedure with the tire on the truck because it was pouring. So I just took some pics with the tires I had downstairs.

To check for Top ball Joints you grab the front and back of the tire at the top and shake the wheel back and fourth slowly. There shouldn’t be any play.

By the picture the front and back of the tire are the inside and outside of it when mounted, so does shaking back and forth mean in and out or front to back of the van?

Jboy2 wrote:To check for Tie Rod ends, grab the front and back of the tire at the right side of the tire and shake the wheel back and forth slowly. As stated before, there should be any play.

So is the right of the tire the back of it when mounted on the van and I take it the shaking is side to side not front to back of the van as it would just rotate.

Jboy2 wrote: To check for idler arms, grab the front and back of the tire on the left side and shake the wheel back and forth slowly. Again, there shouldn’t be any play.

Same sort of comments/questions as above. I know I am simply missing the obvious, but my brain is fried after a day at the zoo.

Also, where would I be looking for the movement, at the actual part (upper/lower ball joint, tie rod, idler) or in the steering components as a whole?



Hope this helps [-o<[/quote]

This is how to check any tie-rod end, this one just happens to be on a LandRover Disco (junk) at my work. Please notice that there is no shaking of anything involved here.

Just squeeze the tie-rod joint with a large pair of channel locks, any movement more than 1mm the ball-joint is bad, and if you have safety inspections in your state they may fail it. Always replace them with Moog items that have grease nipples, and grease your nipples every oilchange.

I always grease things when I change the oil, although there is one grease nipple I didn't even know existed until I was changing the tires this week. Apparently I am not the only one as they were covered with a thick shell of rust and looked like they had not been touched with grease in years. I thought of changing them, but decided it could wait until after I get back from my trip as the last thing I need is to snap one off because I am rushing. I will have to put all this testing off until I get back. Hopefully all it well, although I have had the van long enough that something is probably worn, I am simply out of time to check and fix as tomorrow we head out to volunteer at the Ontario regional dog agility trial for the weekend, and Monday bright and early we leave for Grantham PA. Nothing looked bad when I was doing the oil change, but my tests were far from what they should be based I what I have read so far in this thread. Maybe we need to get some videos of the various tests and post them somewhere.

Doing this job tomorrow. Got all Autozone Lifetime parts - idler arms, drop link, tie rod ends and adjusters. Physically it looks like a pretty simple job, but does anyone have the torque settings to be used on each of the nuts and bolts in doing this job?

Thanks,
MCA

Ooh! Nevermind ... I just found this.

Autozone steering page

mca wrote:Doing this job tomorrow. Got all Autozone Lifetime parts - idler arms, drop link, tie rod ends and adjusters. Physically it looks like a pretty simple job, but does anyone have the torque settings to be used on each of the nuts and bolts in doing this job?

Thanks,
MCA

Make sure that you buy everything HD Moog...... everything else that is lower quality, will wear out in less than a year......

Then you will be doing this job over again.... when your new tires scrub out, > again.....

SoCalli V8 wrote:

mca wrote:Doing this job tomorrow. Got all Autozone Lifetime parts - idler arms, drop link, tie rod ends and adjusters. Physically it looks like a pretty simple job, but does anyone have the torque settings to be used on each of the nuts and bolts in doing this job?

Thanks,
MCA

Make sure that you buy everything HD Moog...... everything else that is lower quality, will wear out in less than a year......

Then you will be doing this job over again.... when your new tires scrub out, > again.....

Well, too late for that this time. Autozone had parts made in Turkey and Taiwan (with the same part numbers on the box) . The Taiwanese parts looked to be of better quality so I went with those. I'll just try to be religious about lubing all those nice new zerk fittings. This was a fairly simple job - But Autozone didn't have the special tool that their site mentions for setting the tapers. I don't really see how a special tool would help in that regard. Simply torquing to 40 ft-lb, loosening, then torquing to 35 ft-lb should do the same thing, right?

Everything feels lots tighter with parts that don't rattle when I go over bumps!

MCA