C20 Steering & Suspension Rebuild

[LTZ C20]

Thanks, I found the Fastenal ones, tho none of my local Fastenal retailers have any. They would need to be special ordered. I actually found some on Summit Racing. Black and just a bit cheaper for 25 count. I need to order my sway bar bushings from Summit anyway.

[LTZ C20]

Update:

Yesterday was paint day, lots of painting actually. Just about everything got painted, except hardware, nuts and bolts and what not. Since I'm getting different grease zerks, installed the ones that came with all the parts to plug the grease holes. Then I taped off what I didn't want painted and used my "professional" painting skills to not paint to much of anything else. Anyway, if you guys divert your attention to the screen, we will proceed with the slide show.

Now these six pictures are of everything I wanted painted hanging up ready to be brake cleaned and primed.













Now we have everything wearing 2 coats of self etching primer. One light-medium coat and then one medium coat on top of that.













Finally we have everything with its final coating. Starting first with a light mist coat, followed by light cover coat and lastly a medium wet coat. Coats were as instructed by the directions on the can.









In my opinion, the number of and consistency of the coats provided the best finish. The primer helped create a smoother surface finish, while still leaving a somewhat cast metal appearance, so it's clean looking but not highly expensive looking. They look better than OE parts but in fact just are OE parts. My exquisite tape masking job I'm sure did wonders also. Of the 4 cans each I had of primer, paint and brake clean, I was left with 1 can of brake clean and 1 1/2 cans of primer.

And as an added bonus, an extra picture!



Took this just because it was a nice day here it looked good. Truck is actually dirty but it got washed later in the day while waiting for coats of black to dry enough for the next coats. Blue sky, green grass, neighbors are far enough way to not be annoying, dairy pasture across the street and Old Glory and the Fallen Police Officer's flag waving lightly in the breeze. It was a beautiful, sunny and warm day. Couldn't ask for better in farm country.

[philo_beddoe]

Nice! 2 weeks ago we hit 80, snow last night. Typical...

[LTZ C20]

Yea it's been nice here. I have today and tomorrow off work also. Been trying to decide what I'm gonna do today. Just decided to repaint the color on my headlight bezels and clean up my fender emblems.

[philo_beddoe]

I'd like to see those headlight bezels after you paint, that gives me an idea... Do they sell those reproduction...metal, not plastic?

[LTZ C20]

No problem. I'm about to apply to first coat of black. They sell them yea, metal or plastic I'm not sure. I think it varies by company and model year. Also, new grease fittings.

[LTZ C20]

We interrupt this program for a special commercial announcement.





Now back to our regularly scheduled programing.

[LTZ C20]

All of the new front end parts now have all new grease fittings which have been chosen and installed to be most easily accessible. That's what I did this afternoon.

[philo_beddoe]

Straight, 90 and 45's...nice. Ya just cant beat "new" parts!

[roundhouse]

Make sure you save all the receipts and get some insurance that's going to cover it if it gets stolen or in a bad accident

And maybe a theft deterrent of some kind.  Like a tiny hidden switch to ground out the coil or something

These trucks are really easy to steal


Nice work !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LTZ C20]

Straight, 90 and 45's...nice. Ya just cant beat "new" parts!

I had a few issues with the tie rods. They were all supposed to be 1/4-28 threads but for whatever reason the ones I bought wouldn't fit, straight, 90 & 45. Even tho they worked fine in everything else. Went to Orchard Supply and picked up 2 individual 90s and 2 individual 45s in 1/4-28 and they fit perfectly. Not sure how that works. Probably the 7th part of Murphys law lol.

[LTZ C20]

Make sure you save all the receipts and get some insurance that's going to cover it if it gets stolen or in a bad accident

And maybe a theft deterrent of some kind.  Like a tiny hidden switch to ground out the coil or something

These trucks are really easy to steal


Nice work !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I save all my receipts for this truck. I have an alarm and insurance. I'm not to worried about it. Plus I have friends in law enforcement.

[LTZ C20]

Grease zerk caps and poly sway bar bushings are here. I think that just about covers all of the needed parts. I've gone over it a few times and it looks like I have everything needed. Now just have to find a free weekend and get it done.

[philo_beddoe]

Grease zerk caps and poly sway bar bushings are here. I think that just about covers all of the needed parts. I've gone over it a few times and it looks like I have everything needed. Now just have to find a free weekend and get it done.

Thats gonna be the hard part...

BTW, what are you into this, thus far?  $$

[LTZ C20]

Nah, shouldn't be too hard. It's basically just nuts and bolts holding everything together and most staff has grease on it so it shouldn't be that hard to separate. I want to say about 1100-1200. Probably little closer to 1200 tho.