Suspension Maintenance

[MSGia]

Good afternoon all. I installed the DJM 4/5 kit on my truck a year ago (10K miles), and I am tearing it down to replace the coil spring insulators. I noticed some other concerning wear, I was wondering if I could get some opinions what needs to be replaced or what can be reused from these pictures.

 

[franklin2]

What is the first picture? A boot off the balljoint? Welcome to parts from China. They do not make anything to last.

What is your spring rubbing against?

Not sure what that taller rubber boot is for?

 

[MSGia]

It’s a DJM Lower Ball Joint Boot, DJM Drop spring, and Steering boot. It’s rubbing on the frame. Old picture attached below

 

[JoshT]

The spring ain't hurt. Don't know why it's bowed and rubbing on the shock and frame like that, but I'm not familiar with the drop kits on these. It ain't hurt from that little rubbed spot though.

I think you already know the answer on the boots. You wouldn't be here asking if you didn't think they were shot. Check out inside that steering boot good, make sure you don't have any wear on the inner tie rods from the grease getting washed out with the torn boot. You probably just need new ball joints and a new boot for the steering rack.

To be fair the ball joint boot isn't technically gone yet, but I wouldn't put it back together like that. If you did it wouldn't be long before it was torn and grease getting washed out, then bye bye ball joint. You be able to find some universal boots to replace those, but I'd just order install a new joint. New joints can be had from around $5 up to about $30 through RockAuto depending on brand and "quality", you probably spend almost as much for replacement boots.


EDIT: Is that steering boot between the rack and knuckle, or is it for the steering column into the rack? That joint in it looks more like the steering column, but my eyes may be tricking me.

 

[MSGia]

Thanks for the reply. I will have to ask about the spring bow on a different site.

I really didn’t know about the ball joints, the inside is okay and you can only see the rot when it’s compressed. Also haven’t been able to find a listing for a ball joint boot, only full ball joints. The ball joints are barely a year old, I don’t know if it’s time to replace..

 

[franklin2]

The springs didn't get mixed up right to left did they? I have had them bow like that when the ends of the springs did not fit properly in the spring pockets. My springs had been cut on one end, and the very end of the spring was not flattened out like the factory had it. So when it sat in the pocket it put an extra bow in the spring.

 

[MSGia]

The springs didn't get mixed up right to left did they? I have had them bow like that when the ends of the springs did not fit properly in the spring pockets. My springs had been cut on one end, and the very end of the spring was not flattened out like the factory had it. So when it sat in the pocket it put an extra bow in the spring.

I don't think they can be. Here is the listing for the springs.

1998–2014 Ford Ranger 2 inch Front Lowering Coil Springs

djmsuspension.com

I don't believe they can be mixed up left to right. Is it possible they are upside down? Also, they are not bowed outside of the car, they sit flat on their side on my garage floor. About them seating properly, I had not trouble installing them last year. I didn't hear any metal-on-metal sound until recently, I think because of the coil spring seat insulator being shredded to pieces.

 

[MSGia]

The spring ain't hurt. Don't know why it's bowed and rubbing on the shock and frame like that, but I'm not familiar with the drop kits on these. It ain't hurt from that little rubbed spot though.

I think you already know the answer on the boots. You wouldn't be here asking if you didn't think they were shot. Check out inside that steering boot good, make sure you don't have any wear on the inner tie rods from the grease getting washed out with the torn boot. You probably just need new ball joints and a new boot for the steering rack.

To be fair the ball joint boot isn't technically gone yet, but I wouldn't put it back together like that. If you did it wouldn't be long before it was torn and grease getting washed out, then bye bye ball joint. You be able to find some universal boots to replace those, but I'd just order install a new joint. New joints can be had from around $5 up to about $30 through RockAuto depending on brand and "quality", you probably spend almost as much for replacement boots.


EDIT: Is that steering boot between the rack and knuckle, or is it for the steering column into the rack? That joint in it looks more like the steering column, but my eyes may be tricking me.

It is column into rack. I don't know if it's worth it to replace that boot because of where it is. Another site people were saying that almost all rangers have that same torn boot, they just grease it from time to time. I am replacing the inner tie rods. For the ball joints I just bought two $5 joints from RockAuto and I'm gonna use those boots.

 

[JoshT]

It is column into rack. I don't know if it's worth it to replace that boot because of where it is. Another site people were saying that almost all rangers have that same torn boot, they just grease it from time to time. I am replacing the inner tie rods. For the ball joints I just bought two $5 joints from RockAuto and I'm gonna use those boots.

I wouldn't worry too much about that joint and boot. Replace it for cosemtic reasons if you want to. Mine has probably been torn since I got the truck in 2005, never touched it and never had a problem with it. Even exposed, steering column joints are a low maintenance item.

You can try to swap the boots on the ball joints. I can say from recent experience that not all ball joints are created equal, there can be differences from brand to brand. Worse case, swap out the whole joint.

 

[bhgl]

@MSGia Did you ever replace the spring insulators for the front coils on this project?

I'm currently installing some drop coils myself and only an upper insulator came out (and it's basically just solid cracked plastic now), but when I look up parts they list a lower spring insulator as well? I'm just wondering if you ever had a lower on yours?

 

[MSGia]

@MSGia Did you ever replace the spring insulators for the front coils on this project?

I'm currently installing some drop coils myself and only an upper insulator came out (and it's basically just solid cracked plastic now), but when I look up parts they list a lower spring insulator as well? I'm just wondering if you ever had a lower on yours?

Back when my truck had original control arms, I remember there only being an upper. Do you have the picture of the lower that you saw?

I would replace the upper insulators even if they look okay. I recently upgraded to coilovers and when I removed the coil springs, one insulator was shredded, the other was missing…