taintedmeat

iTrader: (1)

I've had a clunking sound in my front suspension for a while, and crappy tire wear for a few months now. I finally decided to take a look at it here on my lunch break. I found that front pass. side wheel is solid, but I can grab the driver's side back and forth(left and right) like half an inch either way but I can't move it up and down at all. Does that sound like a wheel bearing/hub issue or a tie rod?

Thanks in advance

taintedmeat

iTrader: (1)

In thinking about it, I guess I kind of answered my own question. I could see the outer tie rod moving when I was moving the wheel. I guess the wheel itself is supposed to move, and the tie rod in combination with the rest of the steering linkage is what's there to stop it.

Next question would be, how hard is a tie rod end to change?

alamantia

iTrader: (10)

tire rod is easy to change provided you have a seperator and its not to rusted up. You will have to have the car alligned after you change it though

taintedmeat

iTrader: (1)

I guess I'll just buy a cheap pickle fork and hammer the old one off since I'm replacing it, no need to worry about the boot. I figured I'd have to get it aligned too, I'll try to just mark the threads of the actual tie rod with some tape or something so I can get it as close as I can to how it was set prior to replacement.

Thanks for the help

alamantia

iTrader: (10)

as much as i cringe at the thought of going to autozone they do offer loaner tools if you dont feel like buying the fork, but they are pretty cheep and its good to have if you feel you will be doing future front end work, my blazer eats idelr arms for breakfast, every god damn year i tune it up and replace the god dam idler arm, i almost look forward to it now, its like I go to the parts store every year and say i'll take some plugs, cap rotor, air filter PCV valve... and oh yeah, idler arm please i bit the bullet and bought one.

taintedmeat

iTrader: (1)

I'll see what they cost, I'm gonna hit Napa here in a few minutes. If they're under 20 bucks I'll probably pick one up. Otherwise I may just borrow one.

taintedmeat

iTrader: (1)

Wow, sure am glad I bought the pickle fork, those things were on there! Steering feels a lot better, more solid and a lot more smooth. I don't see why GM didn't put greasable suspension components on in the first place.

taintedmeat

iTrader: (1)

Another thing that sucks was when I was loosening the lug nuts to take off my wheels, one lug on each side twisted off the hub Wtf kind of garbage material do they make lugs out of that they would just twist off like that?

Does that mean the hub has to be replaced?