Redoing all bushings - Question about parts needed - '94 2WD
 

Just replaced some very old balljoints and am going to go back and do all bushings... should have been patient but needed the truck for a few days.

Currently getting parts ready and found some bushings I never used on my previous truck. Below are the parts I found with links to Rock Auto listings.

Bushings I currently have sitting in the garage:

1. Energy Suspension Complete Shackle Set: 72103R (2x box sets)
2. Control Arm Bushing: MOOG K9546 (2x)
3. Upper Control Arm Bushing: MOOG K9209 (1x, comes with two. Front and rear?)

I'd like to put in Polyurethane Sway Bar bushings and am looking at the Energy Suspension 75108R set, don't really care about the red.

What other bushings and rubber/boots should I take care of when doing all this rubber? What parts am I missing?

Truck is a 2wd, '94 D21. Lifted enough to fit 15" rims.

I would do the idler arm, center link and tie rods while you're there. Sounds like you are on the right track though.

Tension rod bushings, don't forget those.

Funny, I was experiencing some steering wheel and front end instability at 50 mph or more on a non-Nissan, my 1988 Mazda truck with 226K miles. I had decent 4-year-old tires on the front, the rears were older and needed replacement, so I was suspecting out-of-balance front tires, as I didn't see any real bumps or bulges when I spun those and observed.

Anyway, I had a pair of brand-new ball joints for this (bolt-in type) and 3 tie rod ends closeout from RockAuto a few years ago, plus two remaining ball joints and one tie rod end on lifetime warranty from Autozone/O'Reilly so decided why not install those. I also got new tensioner bushings and new sway bar bushings to replace the factory ones. I also found the lower lock bolt on the steering coupler was a little loose, tried to torque that, but found it stripped; I don't know if the coupler threads themselves were stripped or not, but fixed that with longer grade 8 bolt and nut.
https://i.imgur.com/sNjJMMR.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qvifBb3.jpg


While the wheels were off, I also noticed the factory front flexible brake lines had cracks, so I replaced those and bled the brakes (this "finding stuff before it fails" is why I like to do most of my own work.

Some of the existing tie rod ends and ball joints had torn boots, some were too-tight, some very loosey-goosey, so good that I addressed all that.

Bottom line: the two front tires were out-of-balance, so re-balanced for free; the tire guy wasn't sure if that amount of mis-balance could be the cause of the front end instability. I had the two new tires put on the front, and that solved the front end instability issues. But I'm glad that I addressed all the other stuff, which had a minimal cost due to close-out and lifetime-warranty parts.

Just an FYI, Select Energy Suspension black bushings are impregnated with Graphite

And be sure to check out my youtube channel series 'building a fun street truck using junkyard parts' as I replace all the bushings while building the truck.

Totally appreciate your sharing your experience.
When doing torque specs what steering and suspension components do ya'll do on the ground vs up on jacks? I destroyed an upper balljoint boot somehow with it in the air and am going to be cautious on this go about.


Re-sell the reds and get the blacks? Or ehhhhhhh?