Front Suspension & GSP Axle Questions & Trans Moly

[ARCHINSTL]

OK - Nervous Nelly that I am...
I finally finished the brakes on the POS '88 Dodge Ram 50/Mitsu p'up and can start on Goldie and finish while it's still warmish o/s...

Anyway, I will be doing all sway bar bushings, control arm inner bushings, lower ball joints (tie rods done last year), coil springs, KYB strut inserts, mounts, and bellows. Also the GSP axles and seals (thanks, takza).
Has anyone done all of these at the same time?
I don't see that it makes much difference in which order these are done, but thought I'd ask...who knows? Maybe there is a sequence?

I will be renewing the trans/diff oil again, and have wondered about the "moly" treatments various have mentioned - any brands recommended? The trans has 178K on it, and when I drained it last year, there were no chunks and very few "fines" present - dunno when it was changed before that, but the oil was still pretty brown and cleanish. No funny noises yet, either.

Also - I'm awaiting an answer from GSP-China (the USA site's address does not work) - one of the snap rings (left axle) for the inside end is quite proud of the groove, and the other (right axle) is virtually compressed within the groove (does not protrude much). It would seem that the right side's ring should "stick out more" to securely grab the i/s of the trans gizmo - but as I am a noob at axle replacement, thought I'd ask.
It also seems that AZ, ADV, O'R, and NAPA do not sell the rings separately...guess I'll have to go OE if GSP does not come through.
Thanks to all.
Tom M.

[takza]

Best price I've found on the moly is at:

http://store.interautopartssd.com/mos-2 ... 822752b228

2 tubes per refill


Those are the ones that go into the trans? If they are sprung out too much...you will have a hey of a time getting the axle in? Might pull the sprung one off and put it back into shape so it looks like the other one...if it looks OK...no nicks or abrasion?

If you are doing the rack mounts...might get some of the other stuff off first cause the rack is deepest in?

I just shimmed mine with some scrap rubber.

Good luck with the bushings from what I hear at least.

[ARCHINSTL]

I did both rack mounts last year when I installed the motor and trans mounts - about a month before the inner and outer tie rods.
Fun on the rack mounts...
Did a kind of write-up on it at the time.
Tom M.

[keith]

I know that some will disagree with me on this, but on some axle replacements, I have reused the rings off the old axles. They are getting better now, but years ago, on a couple of occasions, the new rings on the axles would simply not fit. It was usually the case when I was just putting new boots on the old axles and the retaining rings that came with the boot kit would not work.