Extended CV's when using a diff drop?

[DILLIGAF]

I have mine as close as I can. But Im just a backyard mechanic.

 

[Quick_Shifter]

Started driving like **** when it left the exhaust shop? Did you figure out what was wrong?

Yes…definitely want the track bar and drag link parallel. Sometimes its tricky to “see” it because the track bars typically have bends in them. But yea, the straight lines between the two bolts should be parallel (which you obviously know haaaa). Did the lift kit on it have a drop pitman arm but no lowered track bar frame mount?

No brackets until I got it.
I know the exhaust shop story made me chuckle. Apparently they installed the teraflex tie rod/ drag link kit. There was so much not right I haven’t really got into the meat of it yet. The new steering box came with a loose bolt holding the pitman arm on so there’s that……. LOL

 

[olyelr]

No brackets until I got it. View attachment 537685
I know the exhaust shop story made me chuckle. Apparently they installed the teraflex tie rod/ drag link kit. There was so much not right I haven’t really got into the meat of it yet. The new steering box came with a loose bolt holding the pitman arm on so there’s that……. LOL

Haaaaaa. Keep up the good work bro! Fixin others f ups is probly not your most favorite thing to do…but you should at least feel accomplished!

 

[Quick_Shifter]

Haaaaaa. Keep up the good work bro! Fixin others f ups is probly not your most favorite thing to do…but you should at least feel accomplished!

Yeah trying to figure out what someone else’s mindset is, is one of the hardest things to do. But my perfection is a gift and a curse

 

[ginandtonic]

Put the washer for the 5100s on the wrong side of the upper strut bushing perhaps? Did you install them yourself or take it to a shop? Check your sway links too, those will pop if they're loose or the ball joint is wore out

Is this something I'd be able to see or would I have to take them apart? I checked the steering components this week and everything seems tight. My only other guess could be a sway bar bushing thats shot but only budges under load (aka when I yank on it it doesnt move)

 

[mrack]

Is this something I'd be able to see or would I have to take them apart? I checked the steering components this week and everything seems tight. My only other guess could be a sway bar bushing thats shot but only budges under load (aka when I yank on it it doesnt move)

Unless you don’t have the shock bellow (plastic dust guard) on, you will have to take them out of the truck but won’t need to take them apart. If you see the washer on top under the nut, it’s in the wrong place, if you don’t see it you can assume it’s in the right place unless someone left it out altogether.

 

[ginandtonic]

Unless you don’t have the shock bellow (plastic dust guard) on, you will have to take them out of the truck but won’t need to take them apart. If you see the washer on top under the nut, it’s in the wrong place, if you don’t see it you can assume it’s in the right place unless someone left it out altogether.

Damn that's too bad. I love doing this stuff but unfortunately right now just don't have time to DIY it with a baby and all. The noise got exponentially worse today and clunks over the smallest of bumps, when starting, and then when stopping.. I loosened off all the sway bar nuts and bolts and retorqued them again with no improvement, yanked on the tie rods and no play, no hum from the bearings... I'm at a loss but suppose at some point I'll have to take it back and ask them to double-check that washer on the shocks. Part of me still wonders if it's a LCA bushing.. they look fine visually, but maybe only show movment with the force of the truck squeezing them.. definitely metal on metal at this point.

 

[mrack]

Damn that's too bad. I love doing this stuff but unfortunately right now just don't have time to DIY it with a baby and all. The noise got exponentially worse today and clunks over the smallest of bumps, when starting, and then when stopping.. I loosened off all the sway bar nuts and bolts and retorqued them again with no improvement, yanked on the tie rods and no play, no hum from the bearings... I'm at a loss but suppose at some point I'll have to take it back and ask them to double-check that washer on the shocks. Part of me still wonders if it's a LCA bushing.. they look fine visually, but maybe only show movment with the force of the truck squeezing them.. definitely metal on metal at this point.

If you trust the shop, it might be best to just tell them what your experiencing and let them do the diag. But a lot of shops will just throw parts at it claiming they know what the problem is, and cost you a lot more money so it’s tough to say.

 

[ginandtonic]

If you trust the shop, it might be best to just tell them what your experiencing and let them do the diag. But a lot of shops will just throw parts at it claiming they know what the problem is, and cost you a lot more money so it’s tough to say.

Ya they're good guys, just a bit skeptical about this diagnosis but it goes in today for the new CV's so I'll report back. Fingers crossed!

 

[ginandtonic]

Alright, well, got the truck back and.... no improvement. Clunk is still there. Brand new trakmotive extended travel CV's didn't solve the issue, like I suspected, but living in Canada in the winter without a garage I'm not able to do my own work so I didn't have much of a choice to hand it off to someone else. My only possible thoughts are a bad LCA bushing or something to do with the steering rack. There's 0 play in the steering and I checked the aluminum bracket bolts where it goes through the firewall. I'm considering taking it to another shop or just ripping it all apart myself in the cold and seeing if I can find the issue.

New parts as of November 2023:
- Bilstein 5100's
- Lower ball joints
- CV axles
- Mevotech TTX tie rod ends
- Sway bar end links w/ bushings