Builds Gerry's Build thread: "If it happens again I'm buying an Abrams" (1 Viewer)

[MongooseGA]

The result of getting grease in to the Jonny Joints was that the truck no longer sounds like a prom-night bedframe going over bumps. the "EEEH-UUHHH, EEEHH UUHH" is gone. Hellelujah!

I also noticed that my sway bar bushings and link bushings are pretty smooshed. So I've ordered a set of urethane replacements.

I also found the source of a clunk, and I'm pretty sure a vibration felt under my left foot as though something were loose.

A toasted front diff bushing. The horizontal one. I could jiggle the diff by hand. So I ordered a new SuperPro replacement.

This was supposed to be a simple job that I took on in the afternoon, expecting it to be done within 30 minutes including press work. Well, well, well... No. I didn't have a perfectly sized press tool to drive the shell out, so I tried to just cut it. Then I broke some chisels trying to curl the steel out of the arm. Then I yelled and banged a ballpeen hammer against my work bench a few times and took the Lord's name in vain. Then I took a shower, had a whiskey, and devised a plan.

 

[MongooseGA]

This morning I found a piece of pipe that was sized to press out the old steel shell, but I didn't have anything to then press the pipe out of the arm. So I made a steel disc, welded it to the pipe, and voila, I can now press that sucker all the way out.

To those asking why I didn't use the new bushing to press out the old: I didn't trust that the new bushing wouldn't be destroyed in the process.

So now the typical clunk is gone and I'm pretty sure the loose feeling under my left foot is gone as well. And I have a tool for next time.


Lastly, I installed the Rad Rubber engine skirts that have been in the garage for ever. I'm not really sure why I thought I needed these. I think, in my head, they were rubber fender liners. But regardless, they went on, along with the brand new fender liner that @ClassyJalopy was kind enough to send me a little while back.

That's it for now until sway bar bushings show up. Mileage is just a hair under 317k.

 

[YezusLX]

Little things, but crossing things off my list nonetheless.

The other day I pulled all of my rear control arms to service them. Because of their location in the housings/mounts, getting my grease gun on some of the zerks has been nearly impossible. The result: my truck has horrendous squeaks. So the move was to ditch the existing 90* zerks and replace with some angled ones. I also cleaned them arms and joints up before going back on to the truck.

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I bought a LocknLube coupler for my grease gun as well. Way easier to get it firmly on and easily off the zerks.

While I was down there, I went ahead and removed these LCA 'skids' that have been on for a while. They worked for a while, but then they didn't. Ultimately I will build a plate steel surround for that mount, and weld a slider bar diagonally up to the frame.

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That magazine is a piece of history. Was the venerable Hunter S. Thompson still a contributor in that volume? Cause everyone knows that one obtains these for the excellent articles that make your brain cell move around faster. Also, how long did that job take you to complete minus waiting for parts?

 

[MongooseGA]

That magazine is a piece of history. Was the venerable Hunter S. Thompson still a contributor in that volume? Cause everyone knows that one obtains these for the excellent articles that make your brain cell move around faster. Also, how long did that job take you to complete minus waiting for parts?

I'll have to double check, but there are definitely a few with him in there. There's an even better one behind it with women of the Federal Government

Referring to the diff bushing? I spend a few hours screwing with it yesterday, wrapped around dinner time, then was finished within an hour and a half today, including making the tool and test driving. I spent a while trying to just remove the arm as the bolts were torqued down by Thor previously. Mid-torque gun, hi-torque gun, PBB, heat, breaker bars... Nothing was touching them. So soaking time and just letting the impact eat at it for about 30 seconds finally did them. Had the bolts come out simply, and the press work been as easy as it should have been, I expect the job could be done in under an hour.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Job well done! May be post dimension for your new tool just in case another poor soul find themselves in the same predicament!

BTW: have you tried your new fancy shocks and low TC gear on trails yet? Sorry if you have already posted your thoughts and I missed it somehow!

 

[MongooseGA]

Job well done! May be post dimension for your new tool just in case another poor soul find themselves in the same predicament!

BTW: have you tried your new fancy shocks and low TC gear on trails yet? Sorry if you have already posted your thoughts and I missed it somehow!

Good point, I'll take measurements and share.

I have tried the shocks out and they're really nice on the trails. I didn't even adjust them from my road settings at COTR. No real experience with the t-case gears other than some mountain roads a few weeks back. Overall impression: I hope the 35s tame the gearing down a bit from my 33s. They are way too low on 33s.

I know guys with the 10% reduction gears running the 5 speed. I know a guy running the 25% reduction gears in their 4 speed. I am the only person I'm personally aware of running the 25% reduction with the 5 speed transmission.

 

[YezusLX]

I'll have to double check, but there are definitely a few with him in there. There's an even better one behind it with women of the Federal Government

Referring to the diff bushing? I spend a few hours screwing with it yesterday, wrapped around dinner time, then was finished within an hour and a half today, including making the tool and test driving. I spent a while trying to just remove the arm as the bolts were torqued down by Thor previously. Mid-torque gun, hi-torque gun, PBB, heat, breaker bars... Nothing was touching them. So soaking time and just letting the impact eat at it for about 30 seconds finally did them. Had the bolts come out simply, and the press work been as easy as it should have been, I expect the job could be done in under an hour.

Like actual "ladies" or the new flavor (see Admiral Levine) of the federal government? Because there are some additional question I may have offline.

An hour to knock out bushings that really make a big difference not including the battle for removal seems entirely worth it. You have already replaced the clunky front diff bushing prior to this failure correct? About how many miles/years would you call that timeframe between replacements?

Also, seconding Classy's question.

 

[MongooseGA]

Like actual "ladies" or the new flavor (see Admiral Levine) of the federal government? Because there are some additional question I may have offline.

An hour to knock out bushings that really make a big difference not including the battle for removal seems entirely worth it. You have already replaced the clunky front diff bushing prior to this failure correct? About how many miles/years would you call that timeframe between replacements?

Also, seconding Classy's question.

Correct, original recipe.


The other bushings would have been done when the gears were done. Or maybe when the rack was done. Or maybe when the rack bushings were done. Idk, I'm pretty sure @Wermz Did the other two.

 

[2000UZJ]

My bushing is shot on mine as well. Glad to see you finally got it swapped out. Now my turn...

 

[MongooseGA]

My bushing is shot on mine as well. Glad to see you finally got it swapped out. Now my turn...

I just did a round trip to the airport and back. I feel like I need to do the other 2 now.

Looks like they were all 3 replaced at 247k. 70k later, maybe it's not far fetched that they're all due.

 

[Wermz]

Yeah, i did em

 

[ClassyJalopy]

I just did a round trip to the airport and back. I feel like I need to do the other 2 now.

Looks like they were all 3 replaced at 247k. 70k later, maybe it's not far fetched that they're all due.

Usually the bushings should last a lot longer than 70k miles - but it depends on the type of miles too. I think yours are rougher than most

 

[abuck99]

This morning I found a piece of pipe that was sized to press out the old steel shell, but I didn't have anything to then press the pipe out of the arm. So I made a steel disc, welded it to the pipe, and voila, I can now press that sucker all the way out.

View attachment 3273946
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To those asking why I didn't use the new bushing to press out the old: I didn't trust that the new bushing wouldn't be destroyed in the process.

So now the typical clunk is gone and I'm pretty sure the loose feeling under my left foot is gone as well. And I have a tool for next time.


Lastly, I installed the Rad Rubber engine skirts that have been in the garage for ever. I'm not really sure why I thought I needed these. I think, in my head, they were rubber fender liners. But regardless, they went on, along with the brand new fender liner that @ClassyJalopy was kind enough to send me a little while back.

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That's it for now until sway bar bushings show up. Mileage is just a hair under 317k.

While you had the control arms off, were you able to replace the Johnny joint bushing internals? ( there’s a kit for that) I’ve found them to last about 20k miles before they get loose and introduce some slop to the rear end.

Interested to see your new home brew control arm skids- mine are toast as well- and getting to the zerks even with angled fittings is a pita with those bolt on arm skids.

317k Nice

 

[MongooseGA]

While you had the control arms off, were you able to replace the Johnny joint bushing internals? ( there’s a kit for that) I’ve found them to last about 20k miles before they get loose and introduce some slop to the rear end.

Interested to see your new home brew control arm skids- mine are toast as well- and getting to the zerks even with angled fittings is a pita with those bolt on arm skids.

317k Nice

I wondered if I should replace the joints yet. When they first came off the truck they didn't feel great. Some were very loose, some were pretty snug. Once I greased them they all felt pretty nice to manipulate.

But if you're saying only 20k... I'm well passed that. I did find them online, just didn't confirm exactly which model yet. Looks like you just pull the snap ring and it'll either fall or press out.

Crap, I hadn't even thought of accessing the zerks with new skids on there

 

[abuck99]

The grease will squeeze out in the 1st 10miles if you used regular grease- slop to return.

I’ve got the part numbers on my parts sheet at home and will send them to you for reference. The bush replacement is a press fit but a tad more challenging than press in out unless you have Currie’s tool which I didn’t- the bushings were pretty worn out (compressed and hard allowing excess movement) on mine which I attributed to using the wrong grease (synthetic moly fortified) idk?

Use the Energy Suspension Formula 5 silicone grease from the tub (no cartridges available) when you replace them . Buy a small grease gun and pack the gun with formula 5 and hit your Currie joints with that annually- the grease interval with that stuff is longer and I “think” it’s better on the bushing life.

 

[2000UZJ]

I just did a round trip to the airport and back. I feel like I need to do the other 2 now.

Looks like they were all 3 replaced at 247k. 70k later, maybe it's not far fetched that they're all due.

I think mine have 300K on them. I can rock the truck by hand back-forth and the entire front differential assembly rocks. I can get the front bushing to hit the frame and make a nice thunk pretty easily! D>R or R>D Shifts sound like somebody underneath with a hammer

 

[MongooseGA]

The grease will squeeze out in the 1st 10miles if you used regular grease- slop to return.

I’ve got the part numbers on my parts sheet at home and will send them to you for reference. The bush replacement is a press fit but a tad more challenging than press in out unless you have Currie’s tool which I didn’t- the bushings were pretty worn out (compressed and hard allowing excess movement) on mine which I attributed to using the wrong grease (synthetic moly fortified) idk?

Use the Energy Suspension Formula 5 silicone grease from the tub (no cartridges available) when you replace them . Buy a small grease gun and pack the gun with formula 5 and hit your Currie joints with that annually- the grease interval with that stuff is longer and I “think” it’s better on the bushing life.

Great info, and thank you for sending me the part number. For anyone else reading, the Jonny Joint bushing part is R/JCE-9110RK.

I think mine have 300K on them. I can rock the truck by hand back-forth and the entire front differential assembly rocks. I can get the front bushing to hit the frame and make a nice thunk pretty easily! D>R or R>D Shifts sound like somebody underneath with a hammer

Yeah that's no Bueno. Sounds like there's some baselining in your future!

 

[2000UZJ]

Yeah that's no Bueno. Sounds like there's some baselining in your future!

Care to receive a six pack (beverage of your choice) for some assistance? I am ok with declines.

 

[MongooseGA]

Y'all ever see what happens to your rear sway bar mounting brackets when you don't care about them?

They do this: I had to bash the sucker with a mallet enough to even get a tool on the fasteners to remove them.

So this was my stopping point for the day. I'd set out to replace all the sway bar bushings (f/r) and then rebuild my trailing arms, and adjust my pinion angle.

Part #s visible for sway bushings:

New front link:

But weather turned so I pulled my 560 back inside so it wouldn't get wet. I'll do the rest within the next few days. Rear sway bar is sitting on the floor in the garage while I wait for Mr. T to receive my new brackets in the morning.

 

[abuck99]

Lol I’ve replaced a few rear sway bar mounting brackets too with similar look- and will assume the lower side of the sway bar infront of the axle are pretty scrubbed on the bottom as well?

Blame it on Windrock-