front emd vibration and pop

[TowerRigger]

My 02 taco with 3" aluminim spacers up front add a leafs in rear, 305 70's has started a nasty vibration at 30mph goes away and starts again at 65. It also pops in the front when I go over a bump or turn too sharp or do anything that quickly upsets the front end. The steering is also getting a little darty, but as far as alignment it doesn't pull. It just leads a little to the driver side. Nothing too out of the ordinary. Any ideas?

[RedRunnertc]

Get under there and grab anything you can and see if it wiggles - tie rods, ball joints, steering rack, etc. Jack each tire off the ground, put your hands at 12:00 and 6:00 and try to rock the tire. If it rocks (feels like lugnuts are loose) you likely have a bad wheel bearing. Then do it at 3:00 and 9:00. If it rocks that way, it's likely your steering - probably the ball joint.

Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to take it to an alignment shop and have it checked, too.

I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but if you need help checking it out, I am available tomorrow (Sunday) I think. I'm near 17th and Pace.

[TowerRigger]

I have nothing going on on sunday. Maybe I'll make it over. I also have an SWR meter. That's the biggest problem with living in an Appt complex. There's nowhere to do any work on my truck. If my truck is well enough I was thinking of going on that after work run the 4th. If it's ok.

[RedRunnertc]

I have a small garage, but at least we won't be baking in the sun.

Of course it's OK! I saw from your other thread that you don't have sliders though, so that will rule out Boulder Carnage ...

[TowerRigger]

If you know anyone that welds on the cheap I can get my sliders on. Just moved, and spent too much money at that damn American funiture warehouse. That's a bad place to have so close.

[spindleshanks]

Damn that Jake Jabs....!
As far as I can tell, all the stories of people getting their sliders installed for $50 are just fairytales, or at best just hearsay. I got ripped off on mine by Ft Collins 4X4.
Sometime next week TowerRigger, I'll have my CB set-up installed. I'll buy beer if you help me tune it with your SWR meter.
And RedRunner's right about your suspension. It's called a dry park test. It's best if you can unload your front suspension so that everything is hanging free, then start jimmying with stuff till you find what's loose.

[TowerRigger]

I know jacking it up and wiggling is what I should do. I just have to drive to some remote parking lot to do it. Looking for quick easy answers I.E. Lazy. Helping you with your radio will help me. I need to see if my CB even works. I installed it, set the SWR, and never turned it on again.

[RedRunnertc]

You want to come over tomorrow?

[TowerRigger]

I asked my boss if I could use his warehouse. He has a welder there. I weld once in a blue moon, so I don't know how my sliders are going to turn out. I might use the ol' hi lift to check the front, but that's a little unstable. If the welding falls through, and the jack's too flakey I'll come over.

[TowerRigger]

Talked to an unnamed shop in Longmont about my popping noise. They said they would replace my upper and lower ball joints and align my truck for the estimated price of 980 bucks. This sounds quite high. What does everybody else think?

[RedRunnertc]

Holy shnikes - yes, that seems a bit steep. I'm thinking we can borrow the kit from vatozone and do it, then just get it aligned...

[TowerRigger]

Man I hope nothing grenades on me on my first official trail run ever.

[TowerRigger]

Went to Hayes alignment today to have my truck diagnosed. They said the lower ball joints are bad but they've seen alot worse. At least I know what's wrong now. They are around 55 bucks a pop though.

[RedRunnertc]

Wasn't there a recall for Taco balljoints?

[TowerRigger]

Had that done when I first got the toy. If I remember right they drilled and tapped the nuckle to a larger size bolt. Some dumb asses who drive their trucks to hard in the mud, rocks, and sand were sheering them off.:D

[spindleshanks]

Hey, I checked Price and Availability for your ball joints at CARQUEST. Your local Longmont CARQUEST (BEMOR Inc.) has to order 'em in, and so does Steamboat. Moog Chassis, good stuff.

[TowerRigger]

Around 55 bones a piece right. Ah in the good ol' days when I worked for Radian I'd lay that down like pocket change.:( But I'd still be on the road for 2 months at a time and not be able to wheel with you fine people.:D

[tacotoy]

i gotta ask.... are your spacers mounted on top of the coil strut or as a part of the strut below the top plate and on top of the coil.

[TowerRigger]

Removed the strut assy. Bolted the aluminum spacer to the top. rotated the assy 180. Bolted it back in. Strut, spacer, strut tower. I might have to take a pic if that's too vague.

[tacotoy]

Removed the strut assy. Bolted the aluminum spacer to the top. rotated the assy 180. Bolted it back in. Strut, spacer, strut tower. I might have to take a pic if that's too vague.


nope clear as day. so your aluminum spacer is bolted to the top of the old strut plate with a new strut plate on the top of it persay?


if so this design has been known or even proven to cause ball joint failure. the reason for this is the fact that the front suspension has a set amount of travel to it that is set by the height of the strut itself. if you bolt a spacer to the top of the strut then you are in turn going to overextend the amount of travel of the strut. that is why a spacer lift that actually bolts inside the strut ( read this as you take the strut apart and bolt a spacer in above the coil so that the coil pushes against this instead of the top of the strut and then tighten the top plate back down) this style will push the spring down more giving it a stiffer ride but also pushing the spring

[TowerRigger]

I figured it had something to do with the lift. The lift was super cheap Ebay. You get what you pay for. Just biding my time till I can SAS the truck.

[tacotoy]

eh sell your struts again on ebay lmao and buy a set of decent coils.... you wait and you can get a good deal. i got a set of SAW's for 200 bucks and spent 60 on the rebuild. bargains are to be had you just have to find them. but ya your lift is what did in your BJ's