Chevy Tahoe - Control Arms, Shocks, Ball Joints & Links Replacement

This video will show you how to replace all of the front suspension components on a RWD('00 - '06) Chevrolet Tahoe with 150,000 miles. The customer had been complaining of noise and rough ride. Beginning in '99, GMC truck and SUV spring suspensions were redesigned with torsion bar suspensions. With the torsion bar design, (also used on the Yukon, Escalade, Silverado, Suburban, Savana and Sierra) the ride height of the front end can be adjusted.
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Parts & Specialty Tools:
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Left Lower Control Arm with ball joint:
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Right Lower Control Arm with ball joint:
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Upper Control Arm with Ball joint:
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Stabilizer Bar Link:
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Bump Stopper: (Protects shocks from over compression)
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[@sempertubby]

Excellent video done by someone who's obviously as busy as I am with no time to listen to random conversations on youtube. Thank you for getting straight to the job, pausing on important tidbits, and keeping this as short and thorough as possible.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks for your comments and support!

[@jluc155]

Iv watched this video like 30 plus times and I think I minus well knock out this 4 hour job at home.. thank you for the upload.

[@hardlymovingpro]

You're welcome and good luck with the job!

[@brianw338]

You did a killer job on this. Super informative. I really appreciated the information on the torsion bar. I’ve often wondered how to get the tension off of them.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks. I was motivated in making this video when there was nothing on KZbin dealing with suspension torsion bars.

[@beachwalker2574]

Thank you massively ! you saved me tremendously amount of money ! I have been working on my 2003 tahoe for awhile and notice the wobble ! over bumps! I know I need front end suspension so I am banking on your video ! I have worked on my truck for sometime such as water pump replacing the Catalytic converter and a rebuild transfer case. wheel hubs and etc ! I learn by use guys Thank You ! Not sure why you have 29 thumbs down but I can only think that you have pissed off 29 mechanics throughout the country ! I love the fact shops are pissed off because I was pissed off paying these prices !! anyone with confidence and mostly the right tools which I have been buying and love the new found repairs I do! Thanks again ! great Video !! F the Mechanics

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks for a great post and a wonderful story. What I've learned from working on suspension systems is that if you just replace the most obvious worn part and leave the rest alone, in a short time the newer part may stress out the older parts and the customer comes back po'd that the suspension has to be revisited. So I now advise customers on high mileage, older vehicles to replace ALL parts that CAN go bad so they can at least get 100k trouble free miles before touching anything on the suspension again. Also there's overall less labor involved since some of the parts that I'm removing and replacing have to be removed to get to a part in the future that wasn't replaced. The shops doing a partial suspension service may not recommend a complete suspension overhaul because they may want you to come back for more suspension work or they can't figure out how much to charge when replacing parts as a group. You see, repair estimate guides and the hours-to-repair estimates are for individual parts. I stopped trying to figure out why people give me thumbs down. I've seen some great videos in other channels with a bunch of thumbs down.

[@marcop.2587]

If you can save some money and learn how to do repairs yourself then that just shows great capacity of an individual's capabilities.

[@marcop.2587]

@@hardlymovingpro great advice I was recently thinking about the concept of high mileage vehicles. My Tahoe is over 300k miles. It's quite an awesome vehicle if you ask me.

[@youtubechangedmyname]

Why say F the mechanics? You are essentially a mechanic yourself if you work on your own vehicles.....It's more like F the shops that charge outrageous prices, however there are a lot of good shops out there also....

[@beachwalker2574]

@@youtubechangedmyname 2 years later, NO I am not a Mechanic and I am not knocking the Mechanics just I dont want to pay 80.00 to 125.00 per hour per vehicle

[@jenniferw5095]

Rust belt folks: use two pickle forks at either side of ball joint and use an air-hammer. It may take 20-30 minutes of beating it but add some tension and leverage whenever you can. My nephew used the jack to hold one pickle fork and kept adjusting it as he used a $30 air hammer from harbor freight with a pickle fork attachment.

[@hardlymovingpro]

@@jenniferw5095 Have to agree with you! Maybe a big ass pickle fork attached to a jack hammer; off in seconds!!!???

[@javierguerrero4253]

Mucho bueno amigo first time do that i didn’t read the instructions almost get hit by the lower control arm never release the tension, very helpful video my friend

[@WhoCareZ817]

From clueless to cluemore! Thank You for the video tips saved a lot of shins and toe brushing as well as not having to mortgage the house to pay off the swear jar.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Glad it worked out for you!

[@Rider-nb5ts]

Yup great video! No lift, real world DIY driveway work! Love it!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks!

[@askmehowiknow3571]

Thank you for not fast forwarding thru the hard parts. I’m glad you didn’t turn this into a “HotRod TV it’s so easy” video.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Glad it was helpful!

[@reyconcepcion134]

The best mechanic in youtube

[@Jtmcguire1]

Bro you rebuilt that whole thing! That was a great video. I’ve got a 1995 Chevy Silverado C1500 that I’m going to start working on the suspension. The good thing about these trucks is the parts are fairly cheap and they are easy to get to. Thanks for the great video, we all appreciate it.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Right on! The only thing I regret not doing was replace the torsion bar adjustment keys. It's a wear item that reduces ride height as it wears.

[@Jtmcguire1]

@@hardlymovingpro I’ll keep that in mind thanks

[@arthamilton5931]

Thats the way a video should be. Great Refresher, haven't done a arms in twenty-some years. Video helped a lot to refresh the mind.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks for your comment! Have another one to do on a 99 Tahoe 4WD. Suspension on this one looks really beefy and heavy. Will have to remove the CV axles. No one is sell complete lower control arms. Only option is to press out the old bushings.

[@arthamilton5931]

@@hardlymovingpro we are going to be doing my nephew's 99 four-wheel-drive Suburban this evening after work so like I said I really appreciate though refresher video. I was ASE certified in 93 but haven't mechanic much since then been doing construction. Anyway thanks for the video

[@jimbradley727]

Great video.. I'm replacing my entire front end with all moving parts parts... I knew individually how these components should go in but wasn't sure how to best remove and complete repair... Thanks for the extra details...

[@hardlymovingpro]

You bet!

[@dalemihocik4732]

Without a doubt this is one of the very best videos on front suspension repair I have ever seen . It is cheating that you don't have to deal with a rusty suspension though . The only thing that could have made this better was if the vehicle was a Colorado as mine needs the same repairs , still it is similar .

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks and you're right about rust. That's the advantage of working down South where they don't salt the roads and if you're not near the ocean.

[@chrisspires2889]

Thanks a million times. I'm getting ready to do this job on my 2002 Yukon and it made me dread it a lot less!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Glad it helped!

[@samsmithee7468]

Fuckin ditto right here

[@Tea2Sweet]

Definitely appreciate this informative and helpful video, very clear and got right to the point, no time wasted... Helped me replace the front suspension and brakes on my 2001 Silverado 2500 HD. Probably would have saved significant $'s, but after wanting to keep my original (USA or Canada made?) control arms I bought some nice ball joint and bushing presses, their respective sets of adapters, the torsion bar unloading clamp, a higher-rated torque wrench, a mini 3/8 drive air-impact wrench, a complete socket set to go with it, a second hydraulic roll-around jack... once I got into it, I identically found out the tie rods needed to be replaced, then the wheel bearings had some play in 'em, the pitman arm was worn, the surface of the brake hoses had cracks, and the brake fluid was slowly weeping around the pistons in the calipers, so they had either had to be R&Red or replaced. And of course took it in for alignment when I was done. All that has taken my disposable income to the cleaners for a couple months. Oh, and that part about weight training was no exaggeration for this 55 year old desk jockey.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Hey ... great story and glad it worked out for you. Was thinking about keeping the original control arms and replace the old bushings and ball joints ... however, sometimes the new pressed in bushings, over time, may not keep its tension. So I didn't want to chance it having to revisit the job and to deal with a po'd customer.

[@Tea2Sweet]

Well... you might have to deal with a po'd customer anyways - check your video again - you used a grease fitting on the lower ball joint that was pointing straight at the knuckle! I would've pressed that ball joint out and rotated it so the grease fitting was accessible when it was installed. Maybe you've lucked out and the customer isn't the kinda guy that gets under there with a grease gun, and on the brite side may be he'll eventually come back when it wears out ahead of schedule?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Actually, unless the customer insists, I let the customer provide the parts too me hence they own it and all its current and future problems. I do this with alternators, starter motors, suspension components and any other part that may have problems in the future. If I buy the part, place my mark up and the part fails in under a year, I own still own it and its replacement and repeat labor effort. Don't need that headache. Also, if the customer buys the part from a national parts retailer like Autozone, they bought a lifetime warranty part. If it fails, it's not my fault and I don't have to re-install it for free. This particular owner's Tahoe got into an accident and the insurance company wrote it off as a complete loss. If the customer insists I get the part, I only get OEM quality stuff.

[@beejay8719]

Amazing I did all this plus the tie rods and let me tell you all new shocks plus upper and lower and end links rides much smoother. Save myself over 1k in labor

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks for sharing and good job!

[@cheeseit620]

Excellent video, you were awesome at explaining what you were doing as you went along which makes it so much easier to understand. Thank you

[@hardlymovingpro]

Glad you found the video useful and thanks for your comment! To help support this channel and to get notifications of new videos, please subscribe.

[@MikeyBadabingBadaboom]

Great video. You did everything correctly. I would have just rented a torsion bar removal tool from auto zone and removed the torsion bar completely before removing the lower control arm. It would have made life alot easier. Nice video!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks! Appreciate your post!

[@MikeyBadabingBadaboom]

@@hardlymovingpro liked and subscribed. Fully support your expert videos.

[@snakejr.9196]

Great job with your illustration. You just saved me $400

[@hardlymovingpro]

Nothing like saving money doing it yourself!

[@jm562_5]

Shouts out to you, and your camera man👊🏽 Thank you💯

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks!

[@carlospullen4806]

Great detail this was was done done with great vivid detail and its gives me more info than any other instructive video that I've seen great job in your detail descriptions, this is a BIG help!!! Thanks..

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks for you comments and critique! Appreciate your support! We'll keep more videos coming!

[@HeathMooreKentucky]

Thank.you from the bottom off my heart for this. I just converted my air ride to gas shocks and noticed how bad my ball joints and tierods are so they are next, working 6 days a week right now having to do in segments lol

[@hardlymovingpro]

Glad the video helped you out!

[@petermckenzie1735]

,@@hardlymovingpro

[@donaldgreen2238]

I just wanted to thank you for this very informative video, I replaced all of my front end parts minus the pitman/idler arms and frame bushings, I kinda took a different approach for the bars and I had some difficulty with getting the torsion bar back to the original position. I rented the GM torsion bar unloading tool from AutoZone which proved to be a lifesaver, other than that I followed everything else in your vid, torqued everything down, so far no issues, I used a mix of GM professional and Moog parts though and once again thanks for the video!!!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks for sharing your experience and glad it worked out for you!

[@kenman1717]

have done this job many times, and i wish it was this easy, but sadly i live in the western canadian rust belt, just getting one torsion bar to move can be a 4 or more hour job, with lots of torching and air hammering. great video by the way. i have to do the lower control arm on my '02, an with me being a mechanic, i hate working on my own truck so i have been watching a few vids to see what steps everyone else was taking, to make things easier on myself and it seems a common theme was to take the arm off and slip it off the torsion bar, rather then drive the torsion bar out of the key and arm all at once, which i'm used to, because i'm usually doing a lift or something along those lines at the same time. its a big thing up here for guys to lift 15 year old fleet oil field trucks with 300k and are all rusted out so they can use them for work.

[@hardlymovingpro]

I here you! Glad I'm not in the rust belt. But then again, I have to deal with transplants that lived in the rust belt. Anytime you feel you have to use a hammer to get something loose, use a jack hammer instead. The hundreds of times of pounding per minutes will get the most stubborn rust on parts off. You can get yourself an electric one for around $100.

[@sparky1044]

I feel your pain, I've been rebuilding my dad's 2002 yukon xl over the summer. All the brakes,calipers, rotors and lines done. Master cylinder and booster (that was a pain getting those 4 bolts by the pedal). O2 sensors, up and downstream. Did the hub/bearing assembly last month and he decided to change the control arms,guess what I'm doing next week? I'm east coast rusty crusty road salt quebec, thank god for fire scissors to loosen this crap.

[@stayfly17jm]

What have you found to be the best way of hammering the T bar out of the keys ?

[@scottylyall1565]

Man if only I could have that zero rust on my Tahoe 😂. Great video thanks for the insight!

[@hardlymovingpro]

You bet!

[@michaelwilliams1973]

I couldn't help but notice that you tighten the control arm bolts with arms in down position. this will cause a binding of the rubber bushings. The control arms should be tighten at full load position. I did this with the following alignment. I found the rest of the video quite compelling good job!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks for your comment. I was careful about the position of the lower control arm which is why I positioned a hydraulic jack under the control arm BEFORE I torqued down the supporting nuts and bolts. Look at the 10:49 time mark.

[@worknman78]

It's worth mentioning the factory rake when looking at leveling the truck. Factory rake is usually around 1.5" I think? The rake is annoying until you hook to a heavy load. Great detailed video! Glad you didn't skip the ABS sensor and all the little aggravation points like most do!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks for your comment. My only regret was not replacing the torsion bar key. Relatively cheap replacement part. The key adjustment bolt was pretty much maxed out. The owner doesn't tow so the rake didn't matter.

[@rogerpfluger6547]

This a real mechanic very nice your hired

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks!

[@CarlosRodriguez-zx4us]

Fantastic Video! Had some issues along the way but your video helped so much. Keep up the good work!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Glad you liked the video and the repair worked out for you!

[@miloco76]

Thanks for the great video! I just did all the same things to my 2005 Tahoe.

[@hardlymovingpro]

You're welcome and thanks for your post!

[@eldude831]

Will be doing this once I get a another job. Got a 2001 that hasn't had any work done shakes like its having a panic attack over small bumps in the road

[@hardlymovingpro]

I feel your pain.

[@raedalbabili3960]

Very informative video now I feel ready to do this job on my avalanche. Nice work

[@hardlymovingpro]

Good luck with the repair!

[@kurtragucci5092]

living in Boston myself, looking at those upper and lower arms along with the sway bar links them things are mint! lol damn North East 😕

[@hardlymovingpro]

Used to live in the North East. Blew out!

[@frankbarone4065]

Great tutorial, doing this job on my 2006 silverado this week.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Good for you and hope everything works out!

[@stuartwason583]

Great video you make it look EZ 😂! Have to do same job on my 2WD Tahoe

[@hardlymovingpro]

With good tools, not to difficult of a job.

[@juliogonzo2718]

Awesome very helpful video! Bought a sierra to replace my tahoe as trans is pooched and so is front end. Sierra has been a money pit and I end up driving the tahoe too often. Going to sell the sierra and buy parts for the tahoe. Sad it has 370000km and it's more reliable then the sierra with 270k. Starts in -35°c after sitting for weeks not plugged in too. She's a champ!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks for you post and comments! The Tahoe is a very reliable truck with that V8 engine. The parts are not that expensive and are readily available. Approaching 200K miles, the timing chain cover begins to leak and the chain may stretch a little. Both the cover and chain are cheap and relatively easy to get to. Watch out for the upstream O2 sensors. They go bad without triggering a MIL code. Another annoying problem are those pollution control air pumps that inject air into the exhaust stream during warm up.

[@jlrockafella]

Thank you sir. You saved me a lot of time 👌

[@hardlymovingpro]

Glad to be of help.

[@AGhaziAGhazi]

Thanks a lot man you saved me 2000$ by showing us how is it easy to do it

[@hardlymovingpro]

Hey that's great news!

[@juanrivas4686]

dude please fix mine...your freaking cool

[@Des420]

Your video helped a lot. Everything went smoothly... Until I discovered that the upper control arm bolts were rust seized in the holes, via broken bolt heads. Hope the cutting them out today goes well.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Had same problem last week on a Honda. Seized lower control arm bolts. Had to cut them off.

[@hawkofthenorth4829]

Getting ready to do this project now, and seeing how easy your upper arms came off.. I had to cut the last ones I did on a silverado off and it took 6 carbide blades 3 each for both sides. Corrosion sucks.

[@hardlymovingpro]

I hear ya!

[@mekanktank5741]

great job man organized and using the correct tools excellent instructions

[@hardlymovingpro]

Glad you liked it! And yes, using the correct tools makes the job go easier and quicker. To support our channel, hit the thumbs up and subscribe to get new video notifications!

[@mekanktank5741]

@@hardlymovingpro I am planning replacing most bushes, balljoints ,steering rack bushes... any recommendations on selecting a complete bushes kit best brands than OEM ?

[@hardlymovingpro]

@@mekanktank5741 6 months ago a poster asked the same question and here's my response: "Moog ... but Moog doesn't appear to sell shocks for this vehicle. Moog does provide an excellent parts warranty (which may explain their high cost) but I don't believe they produce vastly superior parts. (Mevotech and AcDelco are very good) You can't go wrong buying Monroe, Gabriel or KYB for shocks. I do occasionally buy off of Ebay based on the following conditions: 1. Very good parts warranty 2. Vendor rating 3. Number of units sold. Since almost every part is now manufactured in China ... even by the established OEM parts manufacturers, I'm guessing the OEMs are selling to both established and small, independent retailers. I recently purchased a water pump from Gates and guess what ... made in China! The only hold out OEMs are Aisin and Denso. But recently bought some Denso oil filters and guess what .. made in China! The stuff coming out of Mexico isn't so great either. Their metals aren't as good as the stuff produced by American smelters. And guess what ... 44% of a Cadillac Escalade SUV's parts comes from Mexico! In closing, by a part with a excellent parts warranty."

[@mekanktank5741]

@@hardlymovingpro thanks and appreciation for your explanation. very handy info.

[@SonNguyen-dj5or]

Awesome video, you make it look easy!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks! It's easy if you have a plan, know what you want to do and have the tools and equipment.

[@johnytorres8770]

Good work I need the same on my truck to

[@hardlymovingpro]

thanks!

[@stuartwason583]

Great video but i did want to mention that you did not go over the pre-load for the control arm bushings you just wrenched them up

[@hardlymovingpro]

Good point but I figured since the front end was going to get re-aligned, the techs will loosen everything up when on the alignment machine platform.

[@ericcartercarter2707]

Doing some this weekend hope I don't got too get the torch out again. Had too cut the upper control arm bolts off

[@hardlymovingpro]

I here you. Soak for 24 hrs with penetrating oil.

[@svantenordstrom]

Wouldn't it be a good idea to lift the wheel hub up to ride height before tightening everything up? ...and maybe torque things to spec? I wouldn't use grease on the control arm bolts...some kind of loctite would be preferable, right? But I actually liked the video because it was easy to follow and and every step was visible.

[@hardlymovingpro]

At the 17:37 time mark I am raising the steering knuckle. Grease on the control arm bolts won't hurt anything. With the amount of torque being applied to keep things tight, loctite wouldn't be necessary.

[@rogermuir5609]

How do you tell where the control arm adjustments should be when you made marks on the old upper control arms? How do you transfer the marks to the new control arm? Did that make sense?

[@hardlymovingpro]

You don't transfer paint marks to the new control arm. The shims have the paint marks and they control the camber of the control arms.

[@rogermuir5609]

@@hardlymovingpro do I just put the new control arm on and tighten? Also if I don't get it in the right spot will they fix it when I get a alignment?

[@billyba3043]

Thank you for the video!

[@hardlymovingpro]

You bet!

[@jalton9416]

Well done video.

[@bufflake]

Nice work! A great vid. Where did you source your sensor shocks...I cannot, for the life of me, locate a replacement set.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks ... Try rockauto.com

[@jammy46235]

Nice job 👍

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks!

[@Yamaha350w]

Do i need to release the tension from the torsion bar if im just replacing upper and lower ball joints?

[@hardlymovingpro]

I'd say yes.

[@iammee1111]

Use the proper tool while releasing tension on the torsion bars before you eat them!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Just turn the torsion bar key adjustment bolt counter clockwise with a ratchet wrench and socket. When it gets loose, the tension is gone.

[@robertv8851]

You don't need a tortion bar unloader tool

[@junkname9983]

I've been hitting the lower ball joint for what seems like hours and it's not moving... Any other tricks I should be using to get it off?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Apply heat with a propane torch then hammer away.

[@franciscosotelo442]

Great job

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks!

[@Afrattzz1]

Great job as always. How long have you been working on cars? I learned a lot of great tricks from you!

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks! Since my early teens

[@thtnig]

Great vid! I'm about to tackle this on my 2004 Tahoe. What kind of impact wrench are you using??

[@hardlymovingpro]

I use mostly Milwaukee power tools. I've collected quite a few over the years. Have not been disappointed with any of my purchases. I've updated the "Show More" description of this video providing you product links to Amazon to get more details.

[@RobPGamerVaper]

Damn I did this today just the upper arms well I started yesterday and man I wish mine came apart so easily 4 hours pounding on each bolt and torching and PB blasting and in the rain nonetheless so my paint marks ended up disappearing either from the torch or the PB But nice demonstration

[@hardlymovingpro]

I feel your pain dealing with rusty parts!

[@zachpierce4589]

What brand of parts did you use for this and which ones do you typically recommend? Also, since you are already under there what else should be replaced as my suburban has 193,000 miles on it and all parts are original besides shocks. Just figured it may save on some labor costs since it is already broke down.

[@hardlymovingpro]

If you want to avoid no-name brands, you can choose from SKP, Ultra Power, AC Delco, Mevo Tech, Moog, Monroe, Gabriel, KYB, Quick Steer, to name a few reputable brands. One things for sure with US manufacturers outsourcing to China, most or all of whatever part you get will made in China. Recommend you buy from a manufacturer with a reputable warranty. To narrow your choices, go with Moog, Monroe, Gabriel or KYB. AC Delco tend to be overpriced ... IMHO. I've provided links to the parts I used in the "show more" area of this video. After linking to Amazon, they usually provide alternative manufacturers to choose from. Good luck with the repair!

[@oralwayne7273]

That impact make it looks easy what brand impact is that ?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Milwaukee.

[@B_HarTz]

@3;27 yup same sound I hear coming from under my truck . Was gonna replace both lower and upper ball joints now ima need new tie rods 😤😤😢😢 do I need to remove the hub assembly and rotor off? Like is it a must ? I really don’t want to touch that area lol

[@hardlymovingpro]

To replace the ball joints, don't see how it can be done without removing the hub assembly. Here's the video on how to replace the tie rod ends: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zn6QpXqoa7-Vq5o

[@pillowbugg]

Do you have to get an alignment after this job?

[@hardlymovingpro]

I think that would be worth doing.

[@sempertubby]

Can this job be done the same way for a 4x4 model with just removing the axle as an extra step?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Yes ... I believe you can.

[@choyjimenez4112]

Awesome video, what was that adjustable extension bit called?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Torsion bar key.

[@bensonhedges5471]

No torque wrench for the control arm bolts?

[@hardlymovingpro]

My impact tools produce more than enough torque.

[@Tiktok_nostalgic_Gaming]

Would this be the same for a 2010 Tahoe LT?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Believe those use coils in lieu of torsion bar.

[@MegaHowtoMan]

Wow. Great video. You have an impressive tool collection. Can you do this to my Tahoe?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks ... sure ... if you willing to come over to Memphis.

[@kevinr5187]

Big project. Nice work. How long did it take? You just saved yourself about $1500.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks. I'd say under 2 hours each side pacing myself.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Unless you're replacing the key with the other end of the torsion bar connected to the lower control arm. Replacement of the lower control arm is a good time to replace the key since the bar must be detached from the arm.

[@jluc155]

Damn that's a big project...

[@hardlymovingpro]

With all the parts replaced, a regular repair shop would charge you big $$$$ ... that's why you should do it yourself. I used power tools but you could use long handle breaker bars ... it'll just take longer to finish the job.

[@jluc155]

@@hardlymovingpro someone thats a starter like myself would it be best to do this in parts instead of doing it all in one day?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Absolutely. Expect problems with the attitude that you'll eventually figure out a solution. For a first time repair, do not set your goals based on time. Give yourself a budget of a couple of days. I've helped out guys on this channel take a week to complete a timing belt/water pump replacement. They eventually finished the job with no regrets and feel a sense of accomplishment. Work on one side of the vehicle, learn from the experience then do the other side. It'll go faster and smoother.

[@jluc155]

@@hardlymovingpro thanx a bunch man.... god bless...

[@youtubechangedmyname]

Great Video! I am doing this on my 02 Escalade today, wanted a refresher.....I would think you would of mentioned to get the truck an alignment after tho ?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Yes ... getting an alignment would be in order. Didn't because i did a follow up outer tie rod end replacement video.

[@youtubechangedmyname]

@@hardlymovingpro Gotcha, I am doing those as well 👍 Just finally got driver side all apart, lower ball joint was the only PITA! Ended up having to heat it with a torch and it finally popped.

[@hardlymovingpro]

@@youtubechangedmyname I hear ya!

[@jjrock5]

What quality parts did you use? Cheapo or higher end like Moog? I’m worried of buying Ebay parts and feeling like junk afterwards.

[@hardlymovingpro]

I hear you. Moog doesn't appear to sell shocks for this vehicle. Moog does provide an excellent parts warranty (which may explain their high cost) but I don't believe they produce vastly superior parts. (Mevotech and AcDelco are very good) You can't go wrong buying Monroe, Gabriel or KYB for shocks. I do occasionally buy off of Ebay based on the following conditions: 1. Very good parts warranty 2. Vendor rating 3. Number of units sold. Since almost every part is now manufactured in China ... even by the established OEM parts manufacturers, I'm guessing the OEMs are selling to both established and small, independent retailers. I recently purchased a water pump from Gates and guess what ... made in China! The only hold out OEMs are Aisin and Denso. But recently bought some Denso oil filters and guess what .. made in China! The stuff coming out of Mexico isn't so great either. Their metals aren't as good as the stuff produced by American smelters. And guess what ... 44% of a Cadillac Escalade SUV's parts comes from Mexico! In closing, by a part with a excellent parts warranty.

[@jjrock5]

Hardly Moving Productions thanks for the detailed answer. Your suggestions on brands resonates with what others are saying. I’ll keep that in mind.

[@hardlymovingpro]

No problem ... glad to help.

[@sbtompkins]

My 2002 Tahoe has 170K miles on it, but all of it in Texas, so no salt and the control arms still look pretty good for being 19 years old. However, the original ball joints are done. My neighbor has a well-stocked press kit. Would you keep the OEM control arms and just replace the ball joints, or would you replace the OEM control arms with something less than OEM, like MOOG? New OEM upper arms are $200 each and OEM lowers aren't even available.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Good question. Not only the ball joints but you need to replace the control arm bushings as well. If you have the time and tools, dont get a complete arm replacement. Bushings may be a big hassle to get out.

[@sbtompkins]

@@hardlymovingpro Thanks for the feedback. I'm going with new ball joints and bushings and keeping the original OEM arms.

[@shawndavis6326]

Would i have to relive the torsion bar if I'm only replacing the upper control arm?

[@hardlymovingpro]

With all that weight on the lower control arm (brakes and steering knuckle), no ... I don't believe you have to relieve the tension on the torsion bar.

[@chesterdoodlevich]

Very good video I'm doing it this weekend however do you need to relieve the tension on the torsion bars to do ball joints only thank you

[@hardlymovingpro]

Yes ... because the bar is twisting the lower control arm down. Very simple to turn the adjustment bolt counter clockwise to relieve tension on the bar.

[@chesterdoodlevich]

@@hardlymovingpro thank you very much for your Speedy reply

[@hardlymovingpro]

@@chesterdoodlevich No problem!

[@SuperKiller177]

How do you know you have to replace the lower control arm and not just the ball joint?

[@hardlymovingpro]

With high mileage cars, I don't piece meal parts replacement ... that is, I generally replace everything. If the customer is on a tight budget, I warn them that the failed item I'm replacing my lead to failure of another connected part in short order.

[@robertavery8897]

I guess I have to get a bigger hammer. It appears most of the tension is released when you loosen the screw on the torsion arm.

[@hardlymovingpro]

That's correct and the wheel are off the ground.

[@telesasmith4573]

Awesome..I can only wish that the mechanic that done mine messed up

[@coojoza]

Is that a dewalt 1/2 in impact?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Yes it is.

[@beachwalker2574]

I bought a air compressor and impact set !! I am glad I did !

[@stuartross8284]

thanks for linking the parts to buy. I assume ill need 2 of the shock absorbers, one for each front wheel correct?

[@hardlymovingpro]

That's correct.

[@zimarokas]

Whats the piece of rubber name pinned up ?at 7;36 min i need a couple of those

[@hardlymovingpro]

It's called a "Bump Stop" or "Strut Bumper" or "Bumper Bushing". Prevents the suspension from over compressing to protect the shock absorbers. Here's a product link if interested: amzn.to/3QcYd88

[@zimarokas]

@@hardlymovingpro nice thanks for the info.

[@sbond1963]

Thanks for making this video. I'm assuming the rough idle is unrelated to this repair?

[@hardlymovingpro]

That's correct. He needed new plugs.

[@sbond1963]

@@hardlymovingpro Thanks. One last question. Jacking up the front and letting the wheels hang helps relieve tension on the bar? I was fearful of getting messed up when I removed the key bolt.

[@hardlymovingpro]

That's correct. With the front end off the ground, there's very little tension on the torsion bars. The torsion bars are there to support the weight of the engine, transmission and front end. If your going replace everything that I did in this video, you might as well replace the torsion bar keys since that's also a wear item (the thing that the key bolt screws in to on the chassis side of the torsion bar). When you disconnect the torsion bar from the lower control arm, the bar can be easily be removed and the torsion bar key replaced. Sort of regret I didn't do it in this video. You then adjust the ride height with a tape measure from the ground to the top lip of the fender. Compare the ride height with the rear end and get the front to match. Turn the key bolt clockwise to raise the ride height and visa versa. Hope this helps you out.

[@illustr8phee100]

Thank you!!!!

[@hardlymovingpro]

You bet!

[@RicardoA1996]

What brand control arms did you use i have a silverado that i want to do this to

[@hardlymovingpro]

Mevetech is good quality at a more than reasonable price.

[@Superstarent]

Damn I didn't do something right did my passenger side everything went smooth drop it down slow. It( front end) drop all the way down. Had to get my other jack to jack it back up

[@hardlymovingpro]

Probably the torque rod key is completely worn out.

[@Superstarent]

@@hardlymovingpro ok I was going to tightening up some more when I get off. If that don't work I will buy some new key. BTW before I took it off it work fine

[@hardlymovingpro]

When the keys are worn, the front end will sag below its normal ride height.

[@Superstarent]

@@hardlymovingpro I found the problem I will have redo everything the key is up. And the bolt screw not touching the key at all and no tension. Thanks for help every hero does not wear a cape

[@patrickheath220]

Is this process fairly the same with 4x4

[@hardlymovingpro]

Yes but you'll have to detach and remove the front CV axles from the steering knuckle and the transmission.

[@stuartwason583]

I have the tools , need the time & motivation lol

[@hardlymovingpro]

I hear ya!

[@chriscoffman9991]

Is this more difficult for a 4WD Tahoe?

[@hardlymovingpro]

You'll have to remove the front cv axles.

[@tragik7542]

i doubt you still respond to these comments but, what is the name of the bushing that’s above the lower control arm? you can see it at 10:15. mine are dry rotted on my truck and i wanna find it online and order it

[@hardlymovingpro]

That's called a "bump stopper" to prevent the shocks and springs from over compressing. A link to the part is provided in the description area of this video.

[@tragik7542]

i appreciate you

[@hardlymovingpro]

You bet!

[@SuperKiller177]

How do you know you need to replace your control arms?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Noise whenever the suspension is compressed/stressed, car wondering from left to right with the steering wheel straight, veers to the left or right at braking, with the wheel off, pushing or pulling on the steering knuckle you can see the weak spots in the bushings.

[@monauxstudio4793]

Is this set up the same as on a 2002 Silverado 1500?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Should be the same if you truck is a 2X4 with torsion bar suspension.

[@monauxstudio4793]

@@hardlymovingpro Thanks alot!

[@taylorboy6447]

I did the same thing you did everything worked out perfectly but when I lowered my truck it sat down on the wheels instead of being up what did I do wrong please help

[@hardlymovingpro]

Believe your suspension torsion bar was positioned incorrectly in the new lower control arm or you forgot to tighten down the torsion bar adjustment bolt.

[@taylorboy6447]

Hardly Moving Productions what can I do to fix the problem?

[@taylorboy6447]

Hardly Moving Productions reposition the lower control arm?

[@hardlymovingpro]

@@taylorboy6447 Take the load off the lower control arm with a hydraulic jack ... that is compress the control arm up to relieve tension on the torsion bar. Relieve the tension on the torsion rod adjustment bolt. Slide the rod out from the lower control arm and turn the rod counter clockwise to the next groove in the control arm then slide the rod back in. Re-tension the rod adjustment bolt. Adjust the ride height with the wheels on the ground via the adjustment bolt. Use a ruler to measure the ride height from the ground to the inner lip of the fender to ensure both sides are equal.

[@taylorboy6447]

Hardly Moving Productions I’ll try it in the morning & I’ll let you know what I come up with

[@Adil6880]

جميل جدا

[@peterpollock1414]

Ball joints are going bad in my suburban and it has 197k miles. Would you say I should just rebuild the front end suspension like this video or just go ball joints? Also would you say the parts you linked are good or would it be better to buy from autozone and pay more?

[@peterpollock1414]

Mechanic also said other parts are on there way out and everything is rusy due to michigan winters so I'm leaning towards complete rebuild the truck is an 03

[@hardlymovingpro]

Not a bad idea if your 03 is a keeper.

[@peterpollock1414]

@@hardlymovingpro ok thanks for the advice and would you also say the parts you linked are good quality?

[@hardlymovingpro]

@@peterpollock1414 SKP and Gabriel are good in that they have good warranties and haven't had any problems with them. If you want high quality but willing to pay more, you can go with Mevotech and MOOG. Mevotech offers 2 or 3 levels of durability and strength. Alternatives to Gabriel are Monroe, KYB and Sachs. Don't like the other off road brands ... too stiff.

[@peterpollock1414]

@@hardlymovingpro ok thanks so much for your help. The world needs more good guys like you

[@thebro5540]

Do you need to remove the axle?

[@hardlymovingpro]

Only if a 4X4 truck.

[@thebro5540]

Hardly Moving Productions ok thank you brother, gonna be doing the whole front end on my 2003 Tahoe. This helped a lot.

[@alonsorivera1499]

Very good 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

[@hardlymovingpro]

Thanks!

[@bigboy8037]

@@hardlymovingpro where are you located?

[@hardlymovingpro]

@@bigboy8037 Outside Memphis, TN. Can contact me through my email.

[@robertavery8897]

They want $1500. To $2000. To do this job.

[@hardlymovingpro]

Enough $$$ motivation to do the job yourself! You don't need high priced specialty tools to get this job done. But I'd recommend you have a powered impact driver tool with good torque.

[@robertavery8897]

My biggest problem is ... mines a 4 x 4.

[@hardlymovingpro]

That adds only a little more time to the job. Just detach the CV axle from the steering knuckle.

[@nestoravila9659]

Tks broo👍👍👍👍👍👍🍺🍺🍺

[@hardlymovingpro]

You're welcome!

[@Range-X]

Dont think the keys wear out. Rather the spring bar its self

[@hardlymovingpro]

Nope ... Keys are a wear item

[@Range-X]

Hardly Moving Productions interesting. I know theyre cast steel and usually that doesnt like to bend. Could see that maybe the key hole gets slop in it. Did you regain height from replacing with stock keys?

[@hardlymovingpro]

@@Range-X I maxed out on the adjustment to get the ride height up. Told the customer he'll one day have to replace them.