Rebuilding Front End of 04 GMC Sierra 1500 4.3L

[@donwhelan9369]

This is just what the doctor ordered. I am so glad I found your video. I was beginning to think I was the only one with coil springs and 2WD. My 2002 GMC and 2006 Silverado are just like this. You saved this old man a lot of grief. I've been battling this beast for a week. Great job. Thanks little brother. Papa Don.

[@bucketofsteam9260]

Finally!!!!!! I've looked all over and couldn't find an answer to my question about "what is the right sequence or requirement before putting the truck down?" .... you clearly explained that you just need to raise the truck off the jack on each side one at a time to put all the weight of the vehicle on them and then torque the pivot/bushings on U/L control arms. I guess other people who make videos just assume you know that? Thanks again. Feel a lot more confident I'm doing this right today. I'll send you an invoice if I fuck up my truck 😂

[@silver5051]

This is prblt the best video out there. I feel so confident on doing on this. 2000 Chevy Silverado 2wd ext cab 3dr long bed. 5.3l stock pushing 390K miles strong. Getting ready to order my control arms off RockAuto. My ball joint uppers are worn out to a point of vibrations, and also my bushing are worn out via has some play. Thought about getting ball joints and bushing themselves and doing the work myself (got access to a ball joint press and hydraulic press) but the price difference is a hundred bucks or so (before shipping) so I've settled on the whole control arm with pre installed ball joint (grease able) and bushings. Wish me luck. Also P.S. have a question for y'all out there willing to read my long ass rant and give their 2 cents worth. Warning first, Bear with me now. My Chevy 1500 stock is 255/70r16. When I bought it, the previous owner has these 31x10.5R 15IN with 2In(55.8) wheel spacers. Yes the rubbed on the front inner fender(looking into the Norcal?mod) but the look it gave without a lift,.on stock ride height and suspension. I honestly. Its stupid so good it looks alright. Big ole tires on a smaller rim spaced out idk man..just looks good..old school ish. Believe 2wd should be lowered and 4wd lifted mindset. I don't know why the 15s(going down 1 size) but the wheel spacers? Those was because the 15s wouldn't fit on the knuckle assembly due to the brake Caliper hitting the 15in rim. So got a 2in space to kick the wheel out far enough to fit without touching brake caliper. First it rode like crap.. vibrations, shakes and alignment off. Did a front end shake down and found the rack n pinion inner rod loose and rack leaking. (Sway bar Drv missing 😅 replaced it) So replaced the entire rack with pre installed inner tire rods. (Yes swapped old outers TR over). Took it to a alignment shop. He got it Toe out within spec but couldn't get the camber within spec, Got a close as he could though. (Still on the 31x10.50R15 2in spacers) (also by this point in time I've done both front wheel hub assemblies and front rotors turn down, new rear rotors, new pads all around) after alignment, the front tires still have some alignment wearing on the inner sides. I currently swapped the wheels to some 17in rims off a new Chevy 6lug so no more spacers. I've been told that to make those 15s and 2 in spacers work, I would need 4wd upper control arms cause they are 2in longer? Idk if that's true, and if it is wouldn't it put the upper ball joint position over passed the lower ball joint so the wheel would look crooked? So my question is. How would i consider to mount 15in rims(wide rim.idk. uh. 15X I think 8-10 wide rim? Lug nut is centered it's not offset at all. ) with 2, in spacers on my 2wd 6 lug truck without a lift?(and not lowering it either) I need like a stock ride height heavy duty extended wheel knuckle that pushes the wheel hub outwards a inch or couple. Is there a thing like that? If you made it this far Thanks for reading. I watched the whole video multiple times and absolutely loved it all. By the time I've typed all this out I've done basically sold myself on these control arms. LoL. Keep wrenching mate!

[@Hannibalsshow]

Your video was the only one that gave me a little confidence in doing the job myself. Thanks for the upload.

[@greghollinger9370]

Finally a vid out there that looks like my 02 Silverado! Couldn't use the lower ball joints or the inner tie rods of the "kit" I bought online (my mistake). Lower control arm assembly was like yours and rack and pinion had the big boot. Put a three inch lift kit on at same time. Thanks for the great effort... It is a lot of work.

[@boydmerriman]

Just got a 2004 GMC Sierra and will need to do this. But it may be a bit more challenging than I imagined!! Thank you for the heads up! Especially the knock out tools needed!

[@troya441]

Awesome video, thank you very much John and believe it or not your video is the only one I found that shows me safely how to remove, and rebuild upper and lower suspension "Removing" shock, and Spring on a 2003ish 2WD 1500 :) My story is my Dad passed away and left me the 2003 GMC Sierra base model 1500 4.8l the good thing is it only has 60,000 miles on it...:) The not so good thing is Dad kept it parked in the grass in the back yard which rotted out the break lines, and front end Suspension. Believe it or not everything else is prime and taken care of ever 3500 miles so all is good with motor & Tranny . I just need to do a total front end right and left Suspension complete rebuild - Break lines, and breaks Rotors - Hub - Calipers and after all that I'm hoping to revive Dads Truck to good as new 😃.....Troy

[@biggerfish6083]

Wow, I'm glad to hear it man. Sorry for your loss, one love 💕

[@biggerfish6083]

I often wonder just how many older vehicles are left collecting rust, with minimal miles on the engine, just waiting for some TLC. I'm sure there's a LOT of hidden gems out there.

[@daviid77]

GREAT VIDEO THANKS👍👍

[@BONDRO]

Nujabes while working on a truck 🔥

[@defsownds]

The ol Sierra gave me 8-9 years of faithful service. Developed a horrible knocking, got a 2016 Chevy Sonic now because I'll be driving 80 miles six days a week for the next several years at the Blue Oval Ford EV plant job in Stanton, TN. I decided I'll probably just be selling the truck.

[@defsownds]

Clearly this has helped some people and that's pretty cool. I wasn't as thorough as I could've been in describing the process, but I guess the visuals were decent enough. The truck is still going strong now at 250,000+ miles so I'd say I did something right.

[@Jasonps3]

Any idea what brand control arms you have?

[@defsownds]

@@Jasonps3 nope, sorry wish i did

[@defsownds]

the biggest lesson learned from this project was that i should buy air tools lol

[@artm5583]

Lol

[@devannaquin1815]

Man when you took the glove off went in the pocket and I seen the word nicotine I said heard that and did the same 😂😂 appreciate the video

[@jamesray9009]

im digging those end links those are nice

[@itzdatsilentkid580]

I want to try this to mine but I am just afraid of the spring lol and that’s the part i have to change

[@slowedsteven478]

What were the torque specs on the control arms?

[@frederickbautista5358]

Good job . that help me too much my friend

[@gerathug]

Im trying to replace my lower arm contrl n my lower ball joint all together is it nessery to take of the spring on my 2000 gmc sierra 4.3 stepside . Thanks !!

[@strykerman8590]

Bro, thanks for vid. Why didn’t you do a new tie rod and shock?

[@defsownds]

Thanks for the comment. only reason I didn't do them is because I had already done them very recently

[@BIGREEN5K]

What type of lower control arm did you purchase and springs? How has it held up?

[@CooldudeQ]

You got part numbers? I want to do this to my truck as well

[@Jasonps3]

What brand are the Control arms?

[@hiimnice10]

thank you

[@SuperBullyone]

I put new springs and shocks in my GMC sierra 2004 and now when I hit a bump it makes a scraping sound. Is there supposed to be part to keep the springs from grinding and rubbing?

[@zimarokas]

May be the ball joints.

[@christophergaboury5930]

Nice job. But next time replace the tie rods while you’re in there. Those looked beat.

[@defsownds]

The tie rod ends (not the inners) were replaced a month or two before

[@jeffybuddhem145]

I need to do this to my 03’ GMC Sierra 1500 4.3l V6 regular cab, how much would it cost with parts and labor do you think?

[@caleblewis157]

$1000 ish give or take. I just did all of this to mine.

[@waitandbleed55]

Was the peice of wood necessary?

[@defsownds]

Just helped spread the load out on the jack

[@pjnegale8082]

You for got inner and outer tire rods and wheelbearings then it will be a rebuilt front end

[@davemontano3790]

I was confused while doing mine because I got inner tie rods in the kit. I then realized that you could not remove them because they were attached to the rack and pinion. So I purchased a new one and attached the outer tie rod ends to it and that actually completed the whole front end on my silvey.

[@david_kg]

That is a 2WD truck. You can’t just replace the wheel bearings. You have to buy the whole hub but they are around $100 a piece so not that bad.

[@david_kg]

@@davemontano3790 you can take the inner tie rod out of steering rack but it requires a special tool, a inner tie rod removal socket. When I rebuilt my whole front suspension, I just removed the whole rack with the outer rods still attached too. I then measured grease fitting to grease fitting and used that exact measurement in the new rack after I attached the others.

[@pjnegale8082]

2wd drive truck is easy to change the "wheel bearing assembly " 3 bolts behind the spindle...

[@pjnegale8082]

I think I already know that bud