1999 Lifted 2 Door Rebuild

[HighRollerRich]

New to this forum but been on many forums before. It seems like this forum has a lot of maintenance and tech information. Not just the "what lift can i fit" or "spray painted XXX today" threads

Doing a lot of necessary maintenance to keep it reliable and a daily driver.

Tahoe: 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe 2 Door 4wd(autotrak), 165K, Superlift 4.5-6". 17 inch rims, 35" KM2's
-5.7/4L60E/NP241/3.42's

^^ No dent on door, just picture angle. Ranchhands front and rear. (front is priceless when working in engine bay)

4 years ago, last offroad session.

GOALS:
1.Make this truck, with lift and 35" tires as reliable and driveable as new modern 1/2 ton chevy truck/suv. I want to be able to drive 85 and straight on highway and sit in stop and go traffic in summer and not worry about anything failing.

2. Fix all leaks! front diff(seals), tcase (swap it, tried fixing autotrak tcase too many times), oil (oil cooler mount seals, oil cooler lines), overflow can is bone dry and not leaking (find out why), mastercylinder (replace or upgrade)

3. Tackle any other oil leaks coming from engine. If ive been running with low coolant, I'm thinking there is probably an intake gasket leak. But its so filthy under the hood I need to start with obvious leaks first.

Transfer Case: Swap NP246 Autotrak to NP241 Manual. I think the driveline angle kept blowing the slip yoke seals. 241 at least has a fixed front output shaft.

Suspension:
-Lower Control Arm Bushing X2: Moog: K6329
-Upper Control Arm Bushing X2: Moog: k6395
-Upper Ball Joints: Moog: K6292
-Lower Ball Joints: Moog: K6477

Steering
-Inner Tie Rods: Moog: ES2838RL
-Outer Tie Rods: MasterPro: ES2836RL
-Tie Rod Sleeves: MasterPro: ES2004S

Brakes:
-Rotors: Bosch: 25010536
-Pads: Wagner Ceramic: QC369
-Master Cylinder: AC Delco: OBS part #
-Rear Stainless Steel Lengthened Brakeline: Bought 4 years ago from 4wp

Other Parts
-Oil Cooler Lines Upper/Lower: Dorman: 625-101/625-123
-Front Diff Shaft Seals: National: 710648

Questions:
1. Thinking about buying the NBS master cylinder and running stock OBS calipers, pads, rotors. I've heard if you add NBS master cylinder AND OBS 2500 calipers it will return the brake pedal feel to near the same as OBS stock setup

2. Is it wise to run ceramic pads on non ceramic rotors?

3. Steering is loose like many with 165K, should these parts take care of that slack in steering? I'm trying to figure out if I'll need to replace steering box/pump/shaft. I'm just now finding threads on here that address upgrading those parts.

4. Really Liking the link ive seen on FSC where the OBS owner reems NBS knuckles to fit OBS balljoints and control arms. with 17in rims he cleared 06+ chevy 13" rotors and dual piston OEM calipers. I think im going to start collecting parts and the NBS master cylinder will work for both setups (current stock and future NBS upgrade.)

Please Post any input, advice, help you can with doing maintenance like this. It's at a shop. I bring him my parts and ideas, they do the labor. I live in an apartment with underground parking. Hard to do while working full time. Thanks.

I will update with problems I think others will like to hear if doing similar replacement work. I'll get more pictures as well.

 

[lesterl]

Rag joint also, Pitman arm, idler arm, idler bracket (MOOG)

Coolant is probably being burnt, check intake manifold gaskets...

Ceramic rotors? Never heard of them......

 

[HighRollerRich]

What is the rag joint?

And if I didn't buy Moog it's because the price difference was greater than $50 for each part

 

[lesterl]

Rag joint is a rubber/ cloth connection from the steering shaft to the steering gear, located usually under a plastic cover on the top end of the gearbox..... I have replaced 2 so far, and it was a tremendous difference on my 95 tahoe (114k miles) and some difference on my 98 Sierra (287k).

I buy my Moog Problem solver Ball joints, Pittman arms, Idler arms, and Problem solver Idler Bracket with extension hose from Amazon.com...... Prices beat local parts house, still cheaper with generic, but tie rod ends usually I dont get something as expensive....

 

[HighRollerRich]

Oh okay. I'll look through some threads and see if I can find some pictures of the rag joint

Yea, I like Moog but they were $70.00 more a piece for Idler Arm and Idler Arm Bracket.

 

[HighRollerRich]

Also, what is the technical name for a rag joint? I cant find them on Rock Auto or O'Reilly's websites

 

[lesterl]

Moog Problem solver Idler arm is $44 on Amazon........

 

[HighRollerRich]

Wouldn't the idler arm bracket be more important than the idler arm? The bracket has greasable parts while the arm is a solid piece of metal.

Can you attach a Moog grease tube to a non Moog idler arm bracket?

 

[lesterl]

Probably the worst part will be the Pitman arm on the steering gear, also the rag joint, Idler arm and Bracket would be good to replace also, probably all bad.....

IDK about the moog grease tube, probably work, they are like $14 on Amazon for the remote hose and angle adapter....... $60 for the Moog bracket with the hose.....

 

[HighRollerRich]

again, why would the arm, in this case the pitman, be worst? its just a metal piece. play would come from something with gears or an internal joint (like a ball joint)

I'm asking a theory question here. Not questioning that I need to replace it

 

[lesterl]

Pitman arm has a ball joint of sorts in the end of it, and it is the part that drags the center link around under hydraulic power..... Pry around on the centerlink, I bet there is as much or more play in the pitman as there is in the idler system.....

As far as the questions, they are all good basically, so long as they help to expand our minds.....

 

[HighRollerRich]

gotcha, but the centerlink itself has no greaseable parts so should not need replacement unless one of the holes where the idler or pitman arm go through has been grooved out.

 

[lesterl]

Zactly. If the holes are wore uneven, or the center link is broken, then it is bad IMHO..... But the Pitman arm and Idler arm have a ball stud and socket that are very notorious for going bad, always the first things I replace on a rig (with the rag joint) when I have steering issues.......