So give me some feedback

AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
IMG_1991.JPG IMG_1992.JPG IMG_1994.JPG IMG_1995.JPG IMG_1995.JPG
Drivers side and there is a groove on the brake rotor?

IMG_1998.JPG IMG_1999.JPG IMG_2001.JPG IMG_2002.JPG IMG_2003.JPG IMG_2004.JPG So I will be replacing upper and lower full arms, upper ball joints, shocks and springs. Passenger side
IMG_1991.JPG IMG_1992.JPG IMG_1994.JPG IMG_1995.JPG IMG_1995.JPG
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
I guess I miss the need for feedback, unless you want to hear my first thought....Why replace perfectly good lookin parts?
 

AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
I guess I miss the need for feedback, unless you want to hear my first thought....Why replace perfectly good lookin parts?

Well I value your feedback you've been on the board for a while so let me know your thoughts? my upper arms bushings are shot on one of the sides I forget, I have inside wear on my tires, so if I'm going to put new tires on I want to make sure that they wear evenly
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
I cant tell you much at all from pics. Jack it up and grab the tire and shake...If it moves side to side look at hubs and tie rods. if it moves up and down, do the ball joints.

Upper arms are cheap and easy. I am still on lower control arms that are stock, but have done the ball joints. That said, i have spare LCA with ball joint for the next round because they are an utter bitch to do. The upper ball joints are cheap and easy though.
 
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Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Only way to tell what's shot is the wiggle test and/or unbolt stuff and check the joints directly.

You've already narrowed down that one of the UCAs has bad bushings.

If you go the unbolt and direct check route, ball joints and such should not have wiggle in them. They should be fairly tight when you move them around, and stay in whatever position you move them to. If they bounce around (like mine did) then the ball and/or socket is shot. From appearance though, the upper ball joints look like their boots are shot, and that lets contaminants in, so those very well could be bad. inside tire wear can be an indicator of that (or just a crappy alignment with negative camber).

Springs... why replace them? Unless you're going with a Quickstrut setup from Monroe. They're OK, I guess, I personally prefer something a little firmer like Bilstein but that is a personal preference thing. Quickstrut is less work.

Groove in the brake rotor - could have caught a rock between the pad and rotor at one point. I'd probably just ride it out.

Do yourself a favor and start spraying EVERY nut and bolt you're going to work on with PB blaster and hit it every day or two for a little while leading up to the actual work. It'll make stuff come apart much easier than only spraying it right when you're working on it, and hitting it several times lets it work in further each spray.
 
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AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
From appearance though, the upper ball joints look like their boots are shot, and that lets contaminants in, so those very well could be bad. inside tire wear can be an indicator of that (or just a crappy alignment with negative camber).

Springs... why replace them? Unless you're going with a Quickstrut setup from Monroe. They're OK, I guess, I personally prefer something a little firmer like Bilstein but that is a personal preference thing. Quickstrut is less work.

Do yourself a favor and start spraying EVERY nut and bolt you're going to work on with PB blaster and hit it every day or two for a little while leading up to the actual work. It'll make stuff come apart much easier than only spraying it right when you're working on it, and hitting it several times lets it work in further each spray.

Yup both boots on both sides are shot for upper ball joints Ac Delco advantage upper balls joints at $33 are cheap insurance https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006N9I7BG/?tag=gmtnation-20
Why replace the springs? I have these
McGaughys front 1.5" lowering coils that i bought waiting to be put on, the rear 3" drop coils are already on. IMG_2006.JPG

And for shocks going with the Belltech 9510s for my 3"inch rear drop and to raise the front 1" to 1.25" depending which has less camber affect
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007ZDTS0I/?tag=gmtnation-20

I already sprayed the front with PB, but I think I'm going to take it to a high-pressure water cleaner and clean the front suspension really good and then spray again with PB
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
I know we like to say, if there's no pics, it didn't happen, but damn!! :raspberry: :poke:
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Who you calling old? :biggrin:
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
20 years of lifting and beating trucks just makes me.....well an asshole really. Not old, yet...

I am curious as to what you find once you give things a good shake.
 
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AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
20 years of lifting and beating trucks just makes me.....well an asshole really. Not old, yet...

I am curious as to what you find once you give things a good shake.

Ok I had to re-tighten the front tires to make sure my spacers were on their good and tight.

Passenger side tire off the ground trying to shake it seemed very tight going back-and-forth very small play

Driver side tire shaking it again felt tight, back-and-forth felt tighter then passenger

re-inspecting the suspension I think it looks a little bit better than I thought it was
 
Sep 20, 2015
501
Western Mass.
Ever stopped and just driven your truck. I know it's natural to be inquisitive. But for the love of God, just drive the damn thing and when something feels different then you can fix it. Close that RockAuto tab and put your wallet away.
 

AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
Ever stopped and just driven your truck. I know it's natural to be inquisitive. But for the love of God, just drive the damn thing and when something feels different then you can fix it. Close that RockAuto tab and put your wallet away.

I drive my Trailblazer everyday, it's my daily drive. unfortunately it got neglected in the repair department, so I'm in repair mode. I have to say this is the only vehicle that I've actually enjoyed working on, due to ease & availability of low priced parts. The fourm has been a great help in helping me repair the trailblazer, it's one the better ones that I've joined. I got a tab at Amazon and that's definitely a horrible habit, RockAuto burned me once and that was enough for me to never go back.
 

Texan

Member
Jan 14, 2014
622
If you are looking for a old guy (shade tree), you got one here.
Worse project ever. New bushings in UCA's of 1974 Camaro.
 
Sep 20, 2015
501
Western Mass.
That doesn't at all look neglected. Mine too is my Daily Driver, I don't do anything unless it needs it, or gets close needing it. You asked for feedback and here it is.
 

SnowBlazer

Member
Jun 9, 2014
5,775
Colorado Springs
Who you calling old? :biggrin:

What old guys?
Can confirm. They're old....Well that's coming from a 20 year old. :tongue:


I gotta say, that thing is nicer looking than my truck and mine has been garaged for a good chunk of its life. Now that I have it, not so much.

If you haven't, check out Chris Fix's earlier You Tube videos. His mom used to own an 02 Trailblazer so he has videos on how to fix a lot of the common maintenence with these trucks. @MAY03LT (Drew) has a YouTube Channel as well, only he is more in depth and way more entertaining than Chris imo.

But for sure post pics when everything is done! :pictures::pictures:
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
There is a reason it is called young and dumb
 
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AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
I gotta say, that thing is nicer looking than my truck and mine has been garaged for a good chunk of its life. Now that I have it, not so much.

If you haven't, check out Chris Fix's earlier You Tube videos. His mom used to own an 02 Trailblazer so he has videos on how to fix a lot of the common maintenence with these trucks. @MAY03LT (Drew) has a YouTube Channel as well, only he is more in depth and way more entertaining than Chris imo.

But for sure post pics when everything is done! :pictures::pictures:

That doesn't at all look neglected. Mine too is my Daily Driver, I don't do anything unless it needs it, or gets close needing it. You asked for feedback and here it is.

Neglected as in tranny fluid, transfer fluid, gear fluid, thermostat not fixed, items like that. Going to get new tires so I don't want to have inner wear and that's why I'm asking for feedback on suspension parts, even with testing, they seem fine. I may just need an alignment
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Honestly, with the boots torn on the upper ball joints even if they aren't bad now they won't last all that much longer allowing dirt, salt, and crud in there. I'd go ahead and replace them at least, so that it is on your timeframe and not when it feels like it, and then no risk of the joints wearing rapidly and chewing your new tires.
 

AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
Honestly, with the boots torn on the upper ball joints even if they aren't bad now they won't last all that much longer allowing dirt, salt, and crud in there. I'd go ahead and replace them at least, so that it is on your timeframe and not when it feels like it, and then no risk of the joints wearing rapidly and chewing your new tires.

Since I have to disconnect the upper arms to get to the ball joints I'm just gonna replace those, just to have new bushings all around since 1 side is getting bad. I assume autozone will have the loaner tools I will need to replace them? I guess the worse is redoing struts and upper ball joints vs having to do lower joints as well, this should be interesting
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Autozone (or Advance Auto) should have a ball joint press you can rent for the upper joint. The upper wasn't too terrible to do IIRC, the lower is the one that really sucks.
 

littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
I bent the press on the lowers... still came out... be very careful, a three foot bar and a cheater pipe is your friend.
 

littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
Lower what? I'm just doing upper arms & ball joints and struts, not touching the bottom
Sorry, I was just echoing sparky. The uppers are a cake walk. And you don't need to pull the upper arm to do the ball joint.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
He's got bad upper arm bushings on one side which is why he's pulling them.
 

AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
Anyone ever have grease just show up? I checked the drivers side boot on the driveshaft they are intact and not ripped, I checked the drivers side boot on the tie rod and lower ball joint all intact and in great shape. I cant figure out where that grease came from?

IMG_2193.JPG IMG_2195.JPG IMG_2199.JPG IMG_2200.JPG
 
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AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
Just got done with the upper ball joints and upper arms, I have to say that sucked installing the upper ball joints

Don't ever use this Ball Joint Press from Autozone, misaligns badly due to no centering notch on the pressure point adapter http://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tools/ball-joint-press

I had to go to Orileys to get a better ball joint press with a centering notch, still ended up denting the lower ball joint area pressing them in and hammering out both upper ball joints to get them out.

Also noticed that stabilizer links are shot front and rear, I am not going to do the struts, Ive going to pay someone to do that. After installing those upper ball joints I have no desire to do anymore work on the Trailblazer that deals with those type of parts...
 
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AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
So should I be worried that there is a small gap between the snap ring? The kit came with a snap ring that goes all the way around the ball joint, but I don't have the special pliers that were needed for that

2.png

You can see it better here, the snap ring is on but its got a very small gap and yes both sides are like that

FullSizeRender.jpg
 

Matt

Member
Dec 2, 2011
4,019
I wouldn't worry too much about it.

What did O'Reilly's charge you to rent the ball joint press?
 

AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
I wouldn't worry too much about it.

What did O'Reilly's charge you to rent the ball joint press?

Those gaps just look wrong I will prob changing out the snap rings to the ones that came with the ball joints. I'll just let the arms settle and drive it some more...Deposit was $127, which I got back when I returned it. Just a FYI, these kits that Autozone and O'Reillys have, are not the correct joint press kit, if they had more adapter rings than 3, like most the pro kits, it would a lot easier to install the upper joints
 
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AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
Todays project install Moog sway bar bushings and Raybestos pro swaybar links...Just FYI I am thking that Raybestos makes the Ac Delco pro links, they look identical but I was able to get 3 swaybar links on Amazon for $20 and just had buy a rear link for $20... $40 vs over $80 for all 4

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AzTruckGuy

Original poster
Member
Dec 1, 2015
501
scottsdale, az
Here's a huge reason to never go back to the OEM sway bar links especially the rears, the fronts were not that bad to do. The rears well that's a different story due to the top link brackets and little room, and POS locking nuts that get tighter towards the end of taking the nut off. I just wasted 2 and half hrs trying to get the links from moving using vice grips, open ended wrenches, etc. I just give up, these links are a piss poor design and I am surprised they even last past 5,000 miles.

I am either going to take off the rear tires and try again tomorrow or just take it to a shop to have them cut off the nuts and also loosen the rear swaybar nuts as they are super tight and I couldn't even remove them using a pipe for leverage. I cant say enough how these OEM links are complete junk.
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