DIY Network

	AUTOS & BOATS Index
	Auto Restoration & Kit Cars Air Conditioning Automotive Body Work Automotive Cooling System Electrical Systems Exhaust System Fuel Systems Boats Brakes Buying Detailing Engine Exterior Interior Parts & Accessories Safety Security Small Engines Stereo Suspension Tires Tools Trailers Transmission Vehicle Types Windows

Best of Autos Boats

Classic Car Restoration
Preventive Maintenance
Ultimate Car-Care Guide

SPONSOR LINKS

Chevy S-10 Truck: Front-End Inspection

From "Weekend Mechanic"
episode WKM-305

Bruce Bonebrake addresses common front-end problems on pickup trucks.

Part of the problem identified on this truck was "locked out" tie-rods, which can cause a variety of problems with steering and handling. Replacing the tie-rods with new ones that can swivel properly will enable the truck to handle bumps and irregularities in the road.

Figure A

In this episode, Weekend Mechanic host Bruce Bonebrake addresses common front-end problems on pickup trucks. He looks into problems like play in the steering and pulling to one side while driving, diagnoses the problems and undertakes the necessary repairs. In this first segment, he conducts an inspection and preliminary diagnosis, then begins the disassembly process.

The problem: Our project car, a 4-wheel-drive Chevrolet S-10 truck has a lot of play in the steering wheel, and requires constant driver-correction of the steering when the truck is in motion. It also pulls to the right fairly severely under braking.

DIY Difficulty Rating for Repair: This job is relatively straightforward for the experienced automotive do-it-yourselfer, but requires some special tools and experience. We gave it a difficulty rating of 3 on a 5-point intermediate-level scale. With two people working on the project, it took us about 12 hours to complete. Allow yourself an entire weekend to complete this project.

Important: Included below are the steps in this automotive procedure as shown in the episode. These steps are general guidelines that are applicable to most vehicles. With any particular vehicle, there may be procedures, specifications, settings, tolerances, components, etc. that are specific to that vehicle. There are also variations according to the type and brand of repair-kit you select. Always consult your vehicle's service manual when undertaking significant automotive repairs, and read and follow the manufacturer's directions and precautions that come with your kit or replacement parts.

Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection and ear protection, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with pneumatic or power tools.

Materials used in this episode:

In addition to standard auto-mechanic's tools, some of the specialty tools that will be needed for this project (figure A) include a forked pry-bar, ball-joint press, brake-fluid bleeder with reservoir, and a heavy-duty vise. An air-compressor and set of pneumatic tools is optional, but will help speed the assembly process.

advertisement

Front-End Inspection and Diagnosis

In preliminary inspection of our Chevy truck, we noticed some significant play in the steering linkage (figure B). Part of the play was the result of a loose idler arm (figure C), which ordinarily should be tight.
There was also evidence that the front brake on the passenger side was dragging somewhat, indicating a brake problem. This may be related to the hard pull we experienced during driving.

Figure B

Figure C
After removing the right front wheel and tire, we were able to inspect the idler arm as well as the tie-rod end. It became evident that there was some play in the inner and outer tie-rod end (figure D). The tie-rod was also "locked out," meaning that it cannot swivel as it was designed to.
The steering damper was visibly leaking fluid (figure E), and in need of replacement.

Figure D

Figure E
Inspecting the brakes, we were able to identify two significant cracks in the brake hose (figure F).
The brake calipers were also well worn (figure G).

Figure F

Figure G
To fully repair this front end, we opted to replace all four of the tie-rod ends (inner and outer, on both sides), idler arm, steering damper, brake hoses on both sides, both brake calipers, rotors and disc pads.
To begin the repairs, we removed the old brake hose from the caliper and main brake line (figure H).
Next, we unfastened and removed the old brake caliper (figure I). The caliper was too worn to be reused or rebuilt. A new caliper will come complete with brake pads.
The worn rotors were also removed and would be replaced due to excessive wear.
Safety Alert: Do not attempt to remove brake rotors immediately after driving. They may still be very hot.

Figure H

Figure I