K2500 Front End Rebuild, Anything Else While I'm Here?
 

Truck is a 1992 K2500 5.7/4l80/14sf (8600lb gvwr)

I have some questions, and want to make sure I'm not missing anything while I have it this far apart.

What I'm doing/have done

Energy suspension bushing kit
MOOG Everything else (tie rods, ball joints, damper, c link, etc)
Monroe shocks (all 4)
New CV Axles (don't remember the brand)
Oil pan gasket while it was convenient (still wasn't convenient)
Rear brake rebuild
Actuator lockout until/if I ever feel like doing another posi lok installation

I'll start with the only input I have to someone doing this.

The rivets can be stuck harder than a hammer can remove. After having several rednecks apply several hammers, and drink all my beer, we decided to give up for the afternoon. Or the season...I have too many vehicles.

With a fresh head, I got all the rivets out in about 45 minutes. Cut the heads off the rivets first, obviously. Lower control arm rivets came out pretty easily with an air hammer. Uppers I drilled out. Don't use a chisel point of any sort in the air hammer. Use a flat punch just don't be a cowboy. With the drill, center your pilot holes well, and chase them out 1-2 bit sizes at a time. The steel the controls arms are made out of is no harder than the rivets, it's easy to stray with a sharp bit.

Use a bottle jack and a large socket to press the control arm bushings out. A plumbing torch will be as much heat as you need, it at all.

The other thing I wouldn't miss while doing this rebuild is the oil pan gasket. The only good way to do it, is with the engine hanging on a stand, but it wasn't bad with the diff lowered (removed top two bolts in the carrier, don't crush the oil filter housing letting it down, I almost did).

Questions:
1. Factory hub assemblies are visually sound, repack or replace? If/When replace, are the timken or MOOG assemblies actually higher quality?

2. Has anyone tried to put the rear bolt on the lower control arms the other direction? Will the nut hit the axle mating surface? I ask because I cut it off this time, and will cut it off again next time if HAS to go that direction :lol:

3. The outer grease seal on the pitman shaft is a little beat up from removing the pitman arm without a puller. My local parts store 'expert' could not find it based on my description. Anyone have any luck sourcing it? It's doesn't do much, but it looks like it needs to do it well.

4. I'll replace the rag joint, but the upper steering shaft has a U Joint, the rubber boot has been eaten by rats, it works fine. Replace immediately or just keep an eye on it?

5. The bushing kit includes the cab mounts and leaf spring bushings. Is it worth knocking those out right now?


Most importantly, did I miss anything?

Re: K2500 Front End Rebuild, Anything Else While I'm Here?
 

In addition to oil pan, I would put new o-rings in the filter head and take a look at the oil cooler lines, if equipped. I'd probably remove them, take them to a hydraulic shop and have them build a replacement to the rubber/flex portion and just put new o-rings on the ends that clip into fitting on block/filter adapter.

Flush the power steering fluid, if it hasn't been lately. I added a magnefine filter to the return side of my power steering line.

Regarding your questions:

1. The wheel bearings are sealed/non-greaseable.

3. Contact one of the steering box rebuilders, Redhead, AGR, etc...

4. There is a flaming river (generic available as well) universal joint that will delete the rag joint altogether, firms up steering feel quite a bit, but may transfer some vibration.

5. Yours are 26 years old now, I'd imagine the body mounts are due to be replaced.