New rims and tires

[verdesardog]

After two warranty replacements and three attempts to balance a set of Continental tires I decide to get new wheels and tires. Cooper AT3 XLT's and a set of American racing AR172, black. So far without adjusting the air perssure they ride nice, will do a chalk test tomorrow to find the ultimate pressure for my truck when unloaded.

https://unsee.cc/9135913f/

[TommyG]

They look great. Hope they work out for you better than the Conti's did.

[Mule007]

Looking good ! Hope they are good to you!

[verdesardog]

They do look good! But my real concern is how well they stand up to the torque of this diesel and my off pavement excursions for search and rescue. As you can see with all the Arizona pinstripes on the side of my truck this is no pavement queen.
Thanks for the comments guys.

[Mule007]

They are E & 10 ply, but god concerns for sure. Keep us posted on your thoughts & good luck w them!

[verdesardog]

OK, shop tried alignment, could not get within specs. Caster still way to low! Time for all new components. Carli leveling kit (springs, shocks, sway bar links), new Thuren control arms (+1/2" longer) and Synergy steering kit (drag link and tie rod).
I had already installed a Carli track bar and Carli ball joints.
SOOOOO, should steer better than new when done.

[verdesardog]

Let the fun begin!

[EasyDoesIt]

Nice! I'm betting that steering setup will make it feel like a new truck.

Steve

[Mule007]

good luck, should make a big difference

[RustyPW]

You need the Thuren shackles too.

[FirerescuePW]

Yeah, with the Thuren arms (.5" longer lower arms) you may need to get the stance closer to stock. Shackles may help, and they make the rear springs work alot better. I assume you carry a bunch-o-stuff in the bed (heavy), but I don't know if you have a leveling kit on the front. Let us know how you make out.

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[DamageWagon]

The longer Thuren arms don’t require changing anything else. The tires will clear the wheel wells better now and new joints are probably what will let you get on caster spec. The longer arms don’t require changing... stance? Unless you feel like some 20-wides and some panty dropping offsets.

[FirerescuePW]

I was refering to the factory, rear-high attitude. I can't tell from his pic if the truck is level, low in the rear, etc. I can't imagine .5" longer Thuren arms (same as my Carli set) throwing it out of spec unless the rear is really low, tipping the front axle back. That would have to be WAY low!. But I like the way my Thuren shackles freed up the rear springs. That was my main point.

Edit- sorry, beers earlier. I was going by his comment about the caster. You don't "need" longer lower arms to align a stock height truck.

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[DamageWagon]

I was refering to the factory, rear-high attitude. I can't tell from his pic if the truck is level, low in the rear, etc. I can't imagine .5" longer Thuren arms (same as my Carli set) throwing it out of spec unless the rear is really low, tipping the front axle back. That would have to be WAY low!. But I like the way my Thuren shackles freed up the rear springs. That was my main point.

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The control arms really don’t affect front bed height, and both lower and upper arms are lengthened. The arms themselves don’t roll the axle. New control arms joints definitely will though if the old ones are shot!!

You have a good point on power wagons that the rear shackles are normally necessary to get the rake right, especially as the leaves sag out, but it might be ok in this case with the diesel. Definitely something to consider! The power wagons easily get a reverse rake with the leaf springs sag and strong front coils. I’m happy thuren came out with the new Hemi coils for the 03-13’s

[verdesardog]

There is a level kit on the truck now. I think that's what giving me grief so everything should just bolt right up and be the same. Possibly a bit lower in the front than now which would be ok with me.

[RustyPW]

One thing you may want to have on hand when you start to tear things apart. New bolts and nuts for the control arms. When I did mine. On both sides. The lower bolts were seized into place. I had to use a fiber cut off wheel to cut the bolts, so that I could get the arms out. Use lots of anti-seize on the new bolts when installing them.

[DamageWagon]

^^^^ Yes. Rusty’s namesakes make a home in those cam bolts. Expect to need to remove them with violence.

[RustyPW]

^^^^ Yes. Rusty’s namesakes make a home in those cam bolts. Expect to need to remove them with violence.

3 hour job turned into a 6 hour job.

[verdesardog]

Well, I blasted the front driveline bolts with penetrating oil, may be should hit those arm bolts too. I"m waiting on a long t40 bit for the driveline bolts. Thuren did provide new bolts for the rear of the upper arms.
This is an Arizona truck so hopefully there won't be too much rust.

[verdesardog]

Well how did anyone get the bolts out of the front lower control arms??????
I had to cut the passenger side rear upper to get it out, was rusted to the sleeve.

[RustyPW]

Well how did anyone get the bolts out of the front lower control arms??????
I had to cut the passenger side rear upper to get it out, was rusted to the sleeve.

I had to cut all of my bolts. Used a sawzall.

When I installed those bolts. I put them in from the outside.

[verdesardog]

how did you get a sawsall behind the cams?

[RustyPW]

how did you get a sawsall behind the cams?

I put the blade between the arm and inside of the bracket. I cut through the sleeve and bolt.

[TommyG]

how did you get a sawsall behind the cams?

I put the blade between the arm and inside of the bracket. I cut through the sleeve and bolt.

I took an air chisel and split the cam plates then hammered them off. Once they are gone you have plenty of room behind the bold head on the outside of the bracket.

Love my Thuren Control arms but man that job was a pain.

[verdesardog]

Actually I left the lowers on, the upper urethane and sleeves looked very serviceable. If they ever do start to degrade then I'll have to cut them off. UPS delivered the last piece of this puzzle, a Borgesen lower steering shaft. I know I could have done the inexpensive fix using plastic tubing but my truck has almost 200,000 miles on it so I decided to replace and upgrade the oem parts as they wear out.