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94 Jimmy Front Suspension Problems


94 Jimmy
01-24-2005, 03:19 PM
To all, ya OK, I'm new, but from what I've read you all seem to have a handle on Jimmy problems. I haven't read all 1000 threads yet, but I've yet to see one on front end problems.
The Problem
My son and I installed a 4" lift a year or so ago, which included rear shackles, offset torsion bar adjusters and new A Arms. While we were at it we did new upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends, and idler arm.
I bought the parts at PeppyBoys (mistake) the idler are was bent out of the box, the replacement lasted less than a year and the third one has also failed.
Because I'm not that well versed on front suspension dynamics, I'm not sure how to know the good from the bad (certenly is ugly), but the symptoms are:
A. the right wheel will move left and right while jacked off the ground,
this is a change of many degrees of tow with the left wheel stationary.
b. the right side tie rod moves up and down along with the tie rod end of the idler arm with the movement of the wheel, but the Pitman arm is stationary.
I replaced the idler arm, still have the same symptoms, could I have another bad arm out of the box, the old one has some slop on the chassis side bearing. Is there a spec for the tie rod arm play (bet it a lot less than 1").
This is getting really annoying, is there a reliable source for suspension parts?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
94

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