[1992safari]

Got it all put back together today and test drove it and it seemed okay. The camber on the driver side looks like it may be a bit too much, the top of the tire is tilting out quite a bit. I put all the shims back in where the were so im not sure whats up.

I was planning on taking it in to get it aligned anyway when i was done with it.

The guy who did the lower ball joints said he could do it tomorrow. We'll see how it ends up.

 

[1992safari]

Okay. Got it back from the alignment shop.

It turns out one of my shim packs had fallen out when i was torquing the upper control arm bolt to frame, which was causing the really bad camber on driver side.

The guy said it took him 4 hours to replace the shims on that side. Charged me $220.

Well see how it drives on my drive home. So far it seems pretty smooth. Im so used to the old wobbly steering so not used to the new ride lol.

Thanks everybody for any advice or input, and if theres anything from my posts in this thread that helps anybody else out thats great.

 

[Ericglo]

We are/were in the same boat/van. My next project is the brake lines followed by the power steering pump.

It took me forever to torque the bolts with it on the ground. I think I spent two days trying to get into those tight spots and killing my arm torquing them down.

And you got it on removing the upper bushings. I used my big chisel and sledgehammer to knock them out. It took maybe half an hour.

 

[1992safari]

It took me forever to torque the bolts with it on the ground. I think I spent two days trying to get into those tight spots and killing my arm torquing them down.

Oh man... the upper control arms were so hard to torque cause its so tight in there. I had to remove air intake and vacuum ball case the ball was in the way of my wrench.

Lower control arms the torque specs were higher (cant remember exactly how much) but i had to put everything i had in it to tighten them down there cause the van was lower. Still pretty sore from all this work lol, not good for my carpal tunnel.

My power steering pump is leaking im pretty sure but its impossible to tell from where cause it has splattered everywhere in that area. I think im going to have to wash that whole area out to see where its actually coming from.

 

[Ericglo]

Oh man... the upper control arms were so hard to torque cause its so tight in there. I had to remove air intake and vacuum ball case the ball was in the way of my wrench.

Lower control arms the torque specs were higher (cant remember exactly how much) but i had to put everything i had in it to tighten them down there cause the van was lower. Still pretty sore from all this work lol, not good for my carpal tunnel.

My power steering pump is leaking im pretty sure but its impossible to tell from where cause it has splattered everywhere in that area. I think im going to have to wash that whole area out to see where its actually coming from.

I believe the upper control arm bolts were 105, the lowers 66 and the upper arm to frame 81. The driver side upper about killed me trying to get to it.

 

[1992safari]

So i drove home, a 300 mile drive. Seems like when going above 65 MPH it still is "shuddering" like before. Maybe even a little worse. The steering itself seems better.

I have a new set of tires im going to get put on it and see if that helps.

Its a weird vibration cause it shakes the whole van... and its like it has a cycle. Smooth for a second, then vibrating for 2 seconds, i dont know how else to explain it.

The steering and everything i put in there seems good, tight and responsive. So its either the tires are off balance or the wheel bearings. I have new wheel bearings but the ones in there "seemed" fine and i wanted to get home, so after i got the suspension rebuilt and aligned i was ready to go home.

I would do the wheel bearings this weekend or tomorrow, but its supposed to be pouring the next 3 days. So im right back in the prediciment i was in before as far as needing to work on it but not having a flat level spot to work on it out of the rain.

Anyways. Ill repost on here after new tires and wheel bearings on whether or not that fixed it.

Speedometers not working again too lol. I replaced the speed sensor a few months ago but that didnt fix it. The odometer and speedometer randomly stop working for a time then work again for a time. Im guessing theres a loose connection or bad wiring between the sensor and ECU. But thats not related to the suspensison so doesnt really belong in this thread. Just seems like theres never enough time or decent weather where i live to do all the work i need to do on this thing and its my work rig so i have to do it. Ill stop ranting lol.

 

[Mmusicman]

Usually vibrations that cycle like that are tires.
Maybe you have a bent rim

 

[Ericglo]

Don't tell 3M and me about rain!

 

[Astro-Seed]

but have any of you guys had a tire shop dent the bottom of the body of van by improperly placement/use of lift?

Several folks. One fellow posted his fix and his technique. Really simple approach. Basically grabbing the seam and pulling it down - reverse of how the guys on the life crushed it by putting the lift pads in the wrong place.

He posted pictures. Its on here somewhere!

 

[1992safari]

Hey astro seed, yeah i believe he actually posted pictures on page 2 of this thread! Makes them easy to find if i ever get to fixing that.

So i replaced the front wheel bearings, took the van for a drive, at 65+ it still was feeling shaky, but its hard to tell without being on the freeway. The back road i tested on has a nice straight stretch, but its not the smoothest road lol.

Got the new tires mounted and balanced and did the same drive and that feels a LOT better. No way to know until i drive on the freeway, but i think it was the old tires.

Guy at the tire shop said when they get old they can actually start to delaminate on the inside, which can cause them to go off balance, and front end shaking is usually 100% due to wheels or tires. Unless theres something REALLY off with front end suspension, and in that case it would be steering wonky.