Front Calipers (1 Viewer)

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Steve is right. Get a monkey wrench (I believe this is actually the OEM SST for the job;)) and twist both relay rod and tie rod to make sure the ends arent seized up. If they're not (hopefully not), then pop the ends off the steering arms with the OTC puller tool, count the number of turns off, turn on the new end the same number of turns and move on to the next end. Repeat till all 4 are replaced, reinstall rods and drive to get the alignment.

This is a pretty simple job if you're not rusted up and have the right puller tool. Mine was a pain because I didnt have the OTC puller.

By the way, arent you the same guy who never does his own work??? What the hell has gotten into you lately :lol::flipoff2:
 
LOL Brad! Hell, the guy that did the front caliper write up in the FAQ section mentioned that the dealer wanted $900 2 years ago to replace the front calipers with remans and no doubt new pads. My pads are in great shape so I didnt' replace them but did the whole job for less than $300.

I do have the puller tool. You're basically saying that I should not pull the two rods off before trying to break loose the threads for the ends? Probably worth giving them a good squirt of PB Blaster a day or two before doing this/having it done.

Truck has led a blessed life here in the OC, and, knock on wood, I've never had an issue with anything being rusted or seized yet... Tie rod came off very easily when we did the birf job a year or so ago.
 
You're basically saying that I should not pull the two rods off before trying to break loose the threads for the ends? Probably worth giving them a good squirt of PB Blaster a day or two before doing this/having it done.

Truck has led a blessed life here in the OC, and, knock on wood, I've never had an issue with anything being rusted or seized yet...

Exactly, break loose the threads to make sure and liberal PB wont hurt anyone. I put anti-seize compound on mine when I reassembled. Figured I'd make (many) future alignments easier for the Firestone dudes. Sounds like you'll have an easy time of it + enjoy saving some more coin for some more cervezas and golf :beer:
 
Calipers are changed and brakes bled. The hand Mityvac is a POS. Ended up attaching that and having my son pump the brakes.

Anyway, old dust boots were shot, so good to have reman calipers on, but driving around this afternoon, got the same 'click' out of the front suspension. I'm at a loss as to what it is. I'm almost afraid it's the birfs themselves, but just don't know.

Sorry I was in Moab and wasn't following MUD to closely. :p
I would have told you those Mityvacs are a POS and I would have loaned you my pressure bleed system. BTDT! Glad you sorted out the brakes; way to up your :wrench: rating!

I have a mysterious clunk feel/noise coming from the front ever since the Mojave Road and need to spend some quality time under the truck trying to figure it out. All of my cursory checks come back negative so I'm curious to hear your final outcome.

Good luck!
 
Sorry I was in Moab and wasn't following MUD to closely. :p
I would have told you those Mityvacs are a POS and I would have loaned you my pressure bleed system. BTDT! Glad you sorted out the brakes; way to up your :wrench: rating!

I have a mysterious clunk feel/noise coming from the front ever since the Mojave Road and need to spend some quality time under the truck trying to figure it out. All of my cursory checks come back negative so I'm curious to hear your final outcome.

Good luck!

What system to you have? Pressure from the reservoir side or air compressor vacuum from the bleed screw side? Curious because the FIL swears by his Vacula (vacuum type powered by an air compressor). Motive makes a nice looking pressure model. Cheap one in that line was about $50.

I'll certainly let the board know the results. New Relay Rod and Tie Rods ends should arrive from Cdan tomorrow or Friday. Crossing my fingers that pushing the truck and trailer thru Kern River Canyon winding roads this weekend won't be an issue if it truely is worn linkage bushings. My clunks have been maddening as well. I've retorqued every bolt on the front end except the castle nuts on the relay rod. They haven't moved since the factory installed them! Tie rod castle nuts an the control arm nuts are torqued to spec as are the caliper bolts! It obviously wasn't a stuck caliper piston, but they needed a rebuild or replacement anyway. One dust boot was ripped badly and all the others were showing their 15 year old age. Should have done the rears, but until I can solve the front end, they can wait.

I love those 100 series pads. Hardly any wear on them since the birf job in your back yard a year or so ago.
 
What system to you have?

IIRC I have the Motive. Must be time for me to do a flush if I can't remember who made it!

I love those 100 series pads. Hardly any wear on them since the birf job in your back yard a year or so ago.

Ahh, grasshopper. You are progressing.
 
Damn lot of clanking this weekend from the front end thru the Kern River Canyon and the beast was down to 30 southbound coming up from Grapevine. That's as slow a she's ever been by the time we got to the top. Very heavily loaded trailer and cruiser. Hopefully that's the last time I'll have to put her thru that ordeal. She's getting to old for that shiat!

I'd have to stare at another cruiser's steering linkage to be sure, but the PS relay rod bushing just looks like toast. There's a good inch of space between the bushing and the relay rod. New parts should be arriving from Dan today, so as soon as they're all on (relay rod and tie rod ends) I'll let you know if it solves my clunking!

Once I solve this issue, the breathers are getting an extension to the engine bay and the front diff will get drained again to get the remainder of the junk out of there from the water intake! Is it worth the extra $$ for the Mobil 1 synthetic?
 
Is it worth the extra $$ for the Mobil 1 synthetic?

I think it is worth it; but if you keep flooding your diff just use good quality dino juice and change it after every trip:flipoff2:

:hmm:Maybe it's time to start sending diff samples to Blackstone for analysis.

I'm running synthetics everywhere to try and push fluid changes to an easily remembered interval. Engine = 10,000 miles; Diffs/transfercase = 50,000miles.

You can't do that wit dino!:D


















Who am I kidding, I could never let the diffs go 50,000 miles. My OCD kicks in waaaay before 50,000 miles:mad: I have been holding pretty tight on the 10,000 mile engine oil though (but not without Blackstone):rolleyes:
 
I think it is worth it; but if you keep flooding your diff just use good quality dino juice and change it after every trip:flipoff2:


LOL! Let's see, 15 years of ownership, 5 years wheeling, first flooded diff. :flipoff2: Believe me, extended diff breathers are in the near future. Going to find the breather(s) for the auto trans and transfer case termination point per George S.'s write up and see about connecting them in as he's done. I get the impression from his write up that they are already up somewhere in the engine compartment, so it doesn't look like he's extended them up too much further.

The Castol stuff Pep Boys had was all of about $5.50 per quart x3. Just nasty smelling stuff!
 
The synthetic stuff smells just as bad when it's used.:eek:
 
The synthetic stuff smells just as bad when it's used.:eek:

Damn! That would have been enough of a reason to switch on it's own! :D
 
ppsssssh.... brent... if you go synthetic you don't have to do it as often, ...... more golf time! :flipoff2:

This was the FIRST time I've EVER changed the diff oil myself Dave. :rolleyes:

I can't believe what a stealer gets for doing that. Hell, Mazda gets $139 to change the rear diff oil. FAWK - it's a 15 minute job. I can't crawl under the Miata like I can the cruiser tho. :D

Being the bean counter I am, I can't even add up the $$ savings from what I've learned on MUD and thru help from fantastic folks like you, Mo and Boyd just to mention a few locals, plus Cdan, Romer, Beo and others who have contributed to the FAQ here.

2004 I took a stock truck to SnT...the rest is history. :cheers:

While I'd love to tackle the tie rod and relay rod ends myself, I just don't have time before another major trip to Norcal to move my daughter. It's very doable. I did squirt some PB Blaster on the threads of the four ends and castle nuts to help get those things off.
 
Jesus $139? I'll change it for $138 LOL :D

It's not only savings Brent, but it's the knowledge you gain for when something goes wrong
on the trail and you need to make a field repair. I think part of being a good wheeler is
carrying proper tools and knowing how to work on the rig you drive. It's always been an
important thing for me.
 
It's not only savings Brent, but it's the knowledge you gain for when something goes wrong
on the trail and you need to make a field repair. I think part of being a good wheeler is
carrying proper tools and knowing how to work on the rig you drive. It's always been an
important thing for me.

I couldn't agree more! I have the same compulsive disorder as Mo and Boyd...Ok, maybe not quite as bad because I'm willing to live with an orange display on my Yaesu and Boyd won't. :flipoff2:

Every trip I go on now, whether wheeling or just a long trip with the scouts, I've got the full compliment of tools to handle just about anything. Hell, recent scout outing to clear down branches at Lost Valley - our chipper got jammed - who had the tools to get the lid open and fix the darn thing - me! Shocked all the other leaders there that I would carry the tools I had! My tools list includes the FSM! I don't yet carry any spare parts to speak of, but given the recent loose locking nuts in the front hubs I do have new lock washers and outer gasket I'll be throwing in on future trips. I don't know if I'll get to the point where I'll want to carry a spare birf, etc...but I've learned never to say never on this board any more! :D

With scout trips and the 2nd row seats in I miss the extra storage space in my drawer/sleeping extension for all the tools, oil, etc. :princess: may shoot me, but I'm going to measure for Jeff Kaufman's drawer for the PS to see if it'll fit with the CO2 tank mounted where it is. He's back making a his drawer system now.

You used to have the fridge mounted up on top of drawers prior to the AT, right? How much of a PITA was it mounted that high? Obviously you'd have to slide it out just to open the lid.
 
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Brent:

A a word of advise. For the cost of having a shop swap out your TREs you could buy Slee’s HD Tie & Relay rods. Hell it may even be cheaper then having a shop do it and you get sexy gold bling for your ride.
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If you do it this way it’s way, way easer.

Most people struggle to remove the old TREs.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/274418-when-tres-tierod-become-one.html#post4271890

I did it myself and it only took a couple of hours.
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Tare - I've got a friend...with a shop on this one, or I'd try myself this weekend. I've got a 1000 mile road trip beginning next Thursday and I need this done. Steering clunk is driving me nuts!

Cost to me is the ends from Cdan...at this point. Hopefully taking the ends off won't be an issue with a mostly pampered SoCal truck and I've soaked them with PB Blaster once already for good measure and will probably do it again after reading the link (and scaring the s*** out of me), but I'll certainly let the 'friend' know if their are any issues at all that I'll replace the relay and tie rods themselves. I'm just trying to save the $220 plus overnight shipping if there's an issue for the pair of rods from Christo at this point.

If they give the shop any trouble at all or appear bent in any way, I'll have them call me and make the expensive call to Christo for the bling rods! Relay rod has a few scrapes, but the tie rod looks just fine. Yours do look purty Tare.
 
Well, new ends are on. Steering is crisper...but I still have the DAMN clicking on an occasional turn or braking. It's not a constant click while turning, so I think that rules out birfs going.

I'm back to describing the sound like the coil unseating and clicking back into place. I'm out of ideas.

Time for SD Trux? I don't know what else it could be.
 

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