I am done!

[JDMitchell]

Same post from the other side, but I can't post pics over there now.

I have replaced nearly every piece of my suspension. The only parts left are the springs, lower front a-arms, and track bar that I wire brushed and coated with bed liner. I finished up today with the front upper a-arms, shocks, and ball joints. The front and rear anti-sway bar bushing were completely shot. I should have never made my own trailing arms and track bar for the rear. I should have just bought them and been done with it. The lower trailing arms that I had made turned out to be perfect and the poly bushings pressed in tightly.

My expy sits a little higher now and it drives like a 70,000 mile truck instead of a 170,000. I ended up buying the 2 inch spacers for the rear and lifted the front 2.5 inches. I am done working on this thing until I get an exhaust or have one welded up.

 

[JDMitchell]

Here are some pics from underneath.

Custom made lower trailing arms, that are so much beefier than the stock parts.


I made a custom track bar but there wasn't enough bend in it to clear the diff so I just refurbished the stocker and put in some poly bushings.

 

[jacks3am]

dang **** now i have blue expy competition! lookin fresh really, those old pictures dont do it justice, great job!

 

[panda24619]

i like those. i want some new arms. but longer lower arms. for more flex.

 

[99 Expy]

Looking pretty good JD. I replaced all my suspension last summer. I like your new control arms, I should have fabbed some up when I replaced mine.

 

[JDMitchell]

If you are looking for a good deal on decent shocks get the Pro-Comp ES9000. I got the stock size and only paid $150 shipped, they made a big difference on my rig and the stockers were still in decent shape so it wasn't floating around like Uncle Buck's car.

 

[jacks3am]

how does the truck handle with the spacers? and how much did they set you back?

 

[JDMitchell]

I only paid $70 or $80 (can't remember which) and the handling is close enough to stock feeling that I don't have any problems. I think adding all the polyurethane bushings and new shocks actually made everything more stable even though the truck sits higher.