So its time to change out the front end, i just ordered some new ball joints and tie rod ends and am now looking into the pitman arm and idler arm. Does anyone know where i could get them for a good price? also i would like them to have zerk fittings. Thanks.

 

Moog brand has the grease fittings and do yourself a favor and rent the ball joint service tool from either advance or whatever parts store loans tools and if you have an impact it will go super quick. I did both upper and lower ball joints and inner and outer tie rods in less than 2 hours in my drive way. pitman arm is a little trickier but with a pitman arm puller and the impact it'll pop right off i think i used a long socket and went through the lower control arm to get at it but i could be wrong. All in all its not bad if you have the right tools

 

Thanks for the info man, now did the pitman arm come with a zerk fitting? and did you, or was it not nessisary to replace your idler arm?

 

Does anyone have anything else to add?

 

Like I suggest in every front suspension thread... use OEM Motorcraft lower balljoints. I've owned two lifted 2wd trucks that I offroaded once or twice a month and with the TRW/Moog parts I averaged about 35k miles before I had to change them again. I just traded my 99' F150 2wd w/5" of lift and about 80k on a new set of Motorcraft lower balljoints that were still good. They'll run about $60 each but they're worth it.

I will admit I skimped out and used TRW/Moog tie rods, pitman arms, etc but those parts are much easier to change out.

Will also suggest you get new tie rod adjustment sleeves. I never changed them in the past but one night while coming home from work I noticed my steering felt funny, the truck would gently start pulling to the left, I'd correct and hold the steering wheel, and it'd start pulling again. I pulled over in the Waffle House parking lot and had a buddy watch the front wheels as I sawed the steering wheel back and forth, and on the third cycle, heard a bang. The tie rod ripped the threads out of the sleeve. I had a spare so we changed it out and then I had some smothered and scattered hash browns and scrambled eggs, it was a good night.

 

The pitman arm has a fitting on it and I didn't change the idler arm and I don't know why because now it has some play in it so I will end up doing it any way so check it but my new theory is if one part is bad you wight as well just do em all when it comes to front end work but that's just me. The more you spend the less often you'll have to replace them.. I don't wheel my truck cuz I have a 78 bronco for that but good luck like I said before the right tools and its a breeze. Anyone can do it with very little knowledge

 

Amazon usually has good deals on moog parts. That is where I will get all of my replacement suspension parts when I lift my truck here in a couple of months.



Rock auto usually has good deals too.