Upgrading the GM 3/4- & 1-Ton IFS Trucks for that Extreme Experience
Majority of the Chevy and GMC ¾- and 1-ton truck owners always customize their rides, giving them a lift by adding larger wheels and tires in addition to horsepower and torque. These extreme makeovers make it strenuous on the front components of the car as well as the steering. When thinking of an uplift, it is important to put into consideration the stain it will have and support it with the following upgrades.
photo Andreas Lischka via pixabay
Tie-Rod Sleeves
The small diameter of tie rod sleeves mainly hinder the attainment of the stock ride height as well as power levels desired in powerful GM trucks, the 1500-3500cc truck models, more so when extra horse power is used. However, they can be strengthened by tying a thread around them to prevent them from flexing especially when using your truck in rough rugged terrain, using bigger wheels and tires, pulling trucks and launching four-wheel drives. Also, use stainless steel sleeves, they are easy to align and do not rust easily.
Torsion Bar Keys
Use calibrated bar keys that offer incremental adjustments. This is for comfortable use with any levelling kit to get the exact height adjustment required. The keys are adjusted to the required height, to seamlessly incorporate the stock suspension. This eliminates the torsion bar preload, retaining of the factory shocks and enhancing the truck’s ride quality.
Pitman & Idler Arm Braces
The pitman arm links the steering gearbox to the vehicle’s centerlink, while the idler arm supports the opposite end. Each idler arm has ball joints designed to move only horizontally. When the horsepower is increased or the vehicle is loaded, the centre link rotates causing a toe-in at the front wheels. Having Pitman and idler arm braces, hinders the factory centerlink from twisting and allows it to move from side to side steering the truck. Modify the truck with spherical-rod ends in place of the factory arm joints, as well as utilize frame-mounted brackets especially on trucks with a suspension lift or a front locker giving the extreme experience. Check out the extreme truck experience at black smoke media
Steering Shaft Replacement
Adding a suspension lift on the truck, adds strain on the previously installed factory components in the truck, especially on the steering shaft. The steering shaft connects the steering box with the steering wheel along the frame. If this is strained, the splined split joint at one end loses its lubrication, due to the lubricant sitting on the other end, which is lower. This results in clanking or creaking noise in the steering column. Upgrade your truck with a bolt in replacement ready shaft that has a double D sliding joint and a vibration reducing machined needle bearing U-joint.
Upper Control Arms
Upgrade your truck with tubular upper control arm kit to fix the binding ball joint angles created by the installation of the levelling kit. It also relocates the bump stop to the A-arm increasing suspension travel, making the torsion bars fully cranked.
Author: Carol Trehearn
