Re: Re: Moog and factory ball joints ...

From: Wayne Allewelt (wallewelt@mai-aec.com)
Date: Wed Dec 17 2003 - 11:23:33 EST


I retract my earlier much hastily thought out conclusion. I didn't realize
that the Daks had a droop bump stop. There is where might thought process
took a wrong turn. I was thinking that the lower control arm would reach a
limit of travel and prevent any more load being put on the ball joints. I
didn't take the droop stop into account of putting the ball joint into
tension.

Wayne
01 QC Sport 4x4 V8

----- Original Message -----
From: <david.clement@verizon.net>
To: <dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 9:16 AM
Subject: Re: DML: Re: Moog and factory ball joints ...

>
> Torsion bars or springs it does not matter. When the truck is jacked into
the
> air by the frame the lower control arm is forced down by the
spring/torsion
> bar. The downward motion is contained by the droop bump stop which acts on
the
> upper control arm. Under these conditions the ball joints are being loaded
by
> the spring/torsion bar which can be several hundred pounds. When you jack
up
> the truck by the lower control arm the upper control arm is off the bump
stop,
> all the load being applied by the spring/torsion bar is being supported by
the
> jack and the ball joints are only loaded by the weight of suspension parts
> above the lower control arm. This is when you can load and unload the tire
and
> feel for loosness in the ball joints most accurately.
>
> The only time you would let the supension hang by jacking on the frame is
in
> those designs that the spring acts on the upper control arm and in
McPherson
> strut designs.
>
> Dave Clement
> 99 SLT+ CC 4x4
>
>
> In article <06f701c3c40d$f9d1c8c0$1a00a8c0@Wayne2000>,
wallewelt@mai-aec.com
> ("Wayne Allewelt") writes:
> >
> >
> > IMO, I believe that Josh is right, and this being my third truck with
> > torsion bars I have to side with Josh.
> >
> > The only time that the torsions bars are putting a load on the front
> > suspension is when the lower control arm is being pushed up from below,
as
> > in sitting on the ground or ramps. When you jack up the truck and let
the
> > suspension hang clear of the ground you do not have any tension load on
the
> > ball joints except the gravity load put on them by the hub, brakes and
> > tire/rim, and you are actually putting a load back onto the torsion
bars.
> > The idea behind jack up the truck and letting the suspension hang is to
take
> > the bigger load off of the ball joints, that way they are easier to
> > move/check. You do not have to jack up the truck to check the upper ball
> > joint. If it is bad it will move with or without a load on it, but
jacking
> > up the truck does make it easier. I hope this helps.
> >
> > Wayne
> > 01 QC Sport 4x4 V8
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <david.clement@verizon.net>
> > > In article <brnapu$k2q$1@bent.twistedbits.net>,
jbattles@bankfinancial.com
> > > ("Josh Battles") writes:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Phillip Batson" <pbatson68@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > > > >
> > > > > Hmm. Ok, silly question: How would I know if they are
> > > > > going out?
> > > >
> > > > Okay, this is what you do...
> > > >
> > > > jack vehicle and support by frame with front wheels about 4 - 5
inches
> > off
> > > > the ground. take a LONG pry bar (i use a 4 footer) and move the
> > suspension
> > > > (wheel) up and down (loading/unloading) while having someone look at
the
> > > > joints. If any sort of extraneous movement is observed, then it's
time
> > for
> > > > new ones.
> > >
> > > Actually you would want to jack the truck up by the lower control arm
so
> > that
> > > the spring/torsion bar is not loading the suspension.
> > >
> > > Dave Clement
> > > 99 SLT+ CC 4x4
> >



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