Time to rip apart the front suspention!

[drag68bird]

My friend just got a free 1992 4WD sport 2.9 5 speed. His dad got it new and it has been passed down from his 2 older brothers, who apparently only changed the oil. The front tires shot on the inside edge. we plan to do some surf fishing this summer, and here in Delaware you can drive on the beach. So the plan is to put some 31X10.50 on it.
I am an A.S.E. master tech. and am helping him fix it up. But I have mostly import experience. I know you need to lift the front a little to fit 31's. so I only installed the rear tires and moved the 2 best to the front. until he order some spring spacers.
I noticed his ball joint are shot, so I thought is was a good time to do everything up front. this is what has been order so far..........upper & lower ball joints, all tie rods & adjustment sleeves, adjustable caster/camber bushings, poly pivot bushings, poly radius arm bushings, spindle bearings, & 2" spring spacers.
Future repairs are wheel bearing, manual locking hubs, & shocks......but I just wanted to get things safe and the alignment taken care of for now. So I can get the other 2 tires on.
So what I need to know.........did I miss anything? Are there any issues that I may run into? Are there any special tools that I may need?

 

[drag68bird]

BTW.....I do work for a car dealer and have alot of tools, and have heavy shop tools available. But we will be doing the work in his parents garage, as I am not alowed to do side work, at work.

 

[adsm08]

Sounds like a pretty complete list to me. You may want to think about the front U-joints while you have it torn that far down.

You will probably need to take the bearings out. You will need the Ford front bearing socket. You can get them at NAPA for about $25. Big old sucker, has 4 stupid little prongs coming out the top.

 

[feellnfroggy]

put f150 springs on it, with the f150 retainers, it will lift him about 2 inches but enough for the 31's. 2 inch drop shackles will pick up the rear a bit. Check out R1Hatmans truck, this is his setup on his 83. So it should work for you.

 

[scotts90ranger]

actually you didn't need lift for 31's on a '92, but since you already got spacers (hopefully they're not the poly spacers) go for it, they'll fit better...

yeah, pretty complete list, the front suspension isn't too complex, pretty straight forward. If it has auto hubs you will need some channel locks and a magnet to get the rotors off so you can get to the ball joints.

forget F150 springs, explorer springs will give around 2" lift and will give a better ride although still stiffer than the stock springs and spacers

 

[drag68bird]

Thanks...... I did get the 2 3/8" socket for the hubs already. I did look into some F150 or Explorer springs, but I didn't want to mess with the spring rates, and the salvage yards wanted more $, then I could get new spacers for (they are not poly).
The front u-joints looked good. We did the rears when he first got the truck, about 3 months ago. He picked the truck up from his brother in northern VA, and said it had a slight vibration. I drove it, and my teeth almost fell out!!! 3 of the u-joint cups, on the rear diff. end, had completely worn away and fallen out!!! Somehow the center X wedged itself between the yokes, and he was able to drive 150+ miles back to DE.
Then he had an issue getting tags.....every time is idled for more then 10 min. it would start to smoke its ass off, out of the exhaust. Was afraid it was headgaskets, but it was burning oil, not coolant. I told him we could do valve seals, & cross his fingers. As it turned out, the old valve seals had gotten so brittle, they fell apart. Have not burned a drop since!