Steering rebuild parts question

[shifty]

Okay, so I'm breaking down and going for it. Kudos to the people who said I would end up doing it even though I swore I wouldn't in a previous post.

In the process of my GenIII swap, the front clip came off. I got to looking at it and next the manual gearbox and pitman arm came off. I had a well-used power gearbox laying around, so I core'd it and bought a rebuilt one ($160). Bought a new pitman arm for $29.

Then I sat down and really started looking at things and realized....hell. I got half the truck torn apart and the center link and tie rods are right there and the idler arm is also there....might as well spend another $100, yank the center link and replace the idler arm and tie rods and all the bushings.

I don't want to do the ball joints or anything else, just the steering for now. I'm doing suspension mods later and I'll just replace it all then.

Who sells a kit with all the bushings I need? I would also like to find a good place to buy all new Moog tie rods and idler arm (per suggestion from cableguy0)

If anyone can help, thanks!

A big picture of my setup (200k): http://satellitehead.com/uploads/framerails05.jpg

Oh wait - where can I get a steering coupler? I bent mine taking it off the old gearbox.

[krue]

I believe O'reilly's sells moog suspension parts.

[shifty]

Online or no? I am not familiar with the company.

[72CSTC5]

You may as well put 73 and up control arms on there now and go with the urethane bushing front end instead of the squeaky steel shaft control arms on there and go all new tie rods and such while you are there. I yanked a complete front end out of an 87 suburban and painted suspension viper red and going to press all new bushings that I have in it and install that under my 2wd Blazer. Go to one of the board members or do what I did and go to www.p-s-t.com.

[shifty]

ttt

[shifty]

surely someone has to have a suggestion?

[Primered_69]

call the local parts houses. O'reily's is a place that is in texas and other states. But just call and ask.

[Tx Firefighter]

Moog is the most common brand of steering and suspension parts. You're sure to have a dealer locally.

I don't agree on the 73 and newer swap. These trucks don't squeek if you keep the bushings greased properly. Plus, steel deflects even less than urethane, so theoretically, the handling will be better with the older parts.

[shifty]

Ok, I know the name of the parts. Does anyone know if local parts stores will sell a bushing kit for tie rods, center link, idler arm - like, is there a part number to look for for steering bushings and stuff?

Thanks again

[Tx Firefighter]

There are no steering bushings.

You buy 4 tie rod ends, an idler arm, and a pitman arm. That replaces everything that wears out in the steering linkage. The parts aren't servicable. You simply replace them.

[shifty]

Really? It looks like there's a rubber boot on the center link?

As always, thanks Tex.

[Tx Firefighter]

The rubber boot is simply to retain the lubricating grease. The new parts will come with new boots too.

You'll be suprised how cheap the cost will be to refresh all of the parts we're talking about. Not bad at all. That original stuff is 35 years old, for 100 to 150 bucks, you can expect another 35 plus years of use. The new Moog stuff will be better quality than the stock original parts ever were.

[shifty]

Yeah, I was reading at the fedora site and they noted about how they upgrade everything. I shoulda got a fedora pitman arm while i was at it, but ... ah well.
Hope to get this done this weekend. Thanks again for the help Tex, and - good to see you posting again

[Swbman]

By the way if it wasnt already said, very nice and clean looking 68 stepside you have their, and tex firefighter hit the nail right on the head reguarding how easy and the big difference you will notice in replacing ball joints idler arm pitman arm and tie rod ends, and in the midwest moog is carried by Oreilys.