Front suspension

[PARAGON]

A couple of things:

1) How much is your truck "sitting" down on your bump stops on the front?

2) Noticed a bolt that was slightly backed out. Not sure for how long this has been but the bolt/nut is not torqued up tight. This bolt is the front frame bolt for the driver's side lower control arm. Pretty signifcant part to not be tight. It's brother on the passenger's side is wrenched up tight had has 3 times as many threads behind the nut as the driver's side. I'll take a pic tomorrow before I take it to the dealer.

[PARAGON]

A couple of things:

1) How much is your truck "sitting" down on your bump stops on the front?

2) Noticed a bolt that was slightly backed out. Not sure for how long this has been but the bolt/nut is not torqued up tight. This bolt is the front frame bolt for the driver's side lower control arm. Pretty signifcant part to not be tight. It's brother on the passenger's side is wrenched up tight had has 3 times as many threads behind the nut as the driver's side. I'll take a pic tomorrow before I take it to the dealer.

[PARAGON]

Mine are resting pretty solidly on the bump stops. I was going to up the torsion bars but I didn't realize it was this bad.

The lower control arm bolt has a washer that has a "shoulder" to it that fits in a slot. I jacked up my front end with a small floor jack (didn't get the tires off the ground) and the driver's side creaked and groaned at each pump of the jack. I am now wondering if that shouldered washer is even seated and allowing the bolt to wallow around some in the control arm.

[PARAGON]

Took some pictures this morning. This is a picture of the bolt head. Remember this is the front of the driver's side lower control arm attaching to the frame member.

[PARAGON]

This is a picture of the nut and the threads that's on the back side of that bolt

[PARAGON]

This is the picture of the passenger side nut and threads

[Hummie2]

Paragon...

It definitely needs to be tightened or better yet replaced with new bolt, nut and lock tight.
If it runs loose like it is it will wallow out the hole in the crossmember.

Don

[PARAGON]

Don, come July it'll be 3 years old and I am wondering if it has been somewhat loose since and the damage might have already been done. I have had a nagging "slop" in the suspension that I have not been able to put my hand on, and still really can't knowing this.

This was one of the reasons I added shocks.

A good while back I had the PS torsion bar replaced. During that time I was telling the service tech about the "slop." While travelling at speed, it's like when the front gets light over a bump that bolt has slack in it and there is the slightest little chatter. It doesn't happen every time over the same bumps so it's been hard to pin down. It also hasn't been so bad as to be a problem but I am wondering if this bolt provides enough slack for me to really be feeling what I think I am feeling. Ya feel me?

[Hummie2]

If the bolt hole wallows out or wears sloppy you will have hell keeping the frontend aligned. It will let the lower control arm move around. Have the tech check idler and pitman arms too if you have play or road wander also. Three years and they might be worn out especially if you wheel very hard often.