FRONT SUSPENSION SQUEAK (INST. SERVICE KIT INSULATORS)

SUBJECT: FRONT SUSPENSION SQUEAK (INSTALL SERVICE KIT INSULATORS FOR COIL SPRINGS)

MODELS: 1992-94 CHEVROLET AND GMC TRUCK S PICKUPS TWO WHEEL DRIVE ONLY

CONDITION:

SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT THAT A SQUEAKING NOISE CAN BE HEARD EMANATING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION AREA OF THEIR VEHICLE. THIS CONDITION MAY BE DUPLICATED BY JOUNCING THE VEHICLE BODY IN THE FRONT WHILE IT IS PARKED. IF THE CONDITION IS NOT VERIFIED IN THIS MANNER, ROAD TEST THE VEHICLE.

CAUSE:

THE USUAL CAUSE OF THIS SQUEAK IS THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE COIL SPRING AND THE UPPER FRAME POCKET OR CONTROL ARM. THE INSULATORS INSTALLED IN PRODUCTION BETWEEN THE COIL SPRING AND THE CONTROL ARMS MIGHT DETERIORATE ALLOWING METAL TO METAL CONTACT TO OCCUR.

CORRECTION:

TO FIX THIS CONDITION, A SERVICE KIT (P/N 15989719) HAS BEEN RELEASED CONTAINING TWO NEWLY DESIGNED INSULATORS WITH THE UPPER INSULATOR HAVING A NYLON INSERT. PLACEMENT OF THE NYLON INSERT INTO THE RUBBER INSULATOR IS FROM THE TOP. THE INSULATOR, ALONG WITH THE INSERT, GOES ON THE TOP OF THE COIL SPRING WHILE THE OTHER INSULATOR WITHOUT THE INSERT GOES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE COIL SPRING. TWO SERVICE KITS WILL BE NECESSARY IF BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ARE CAUSING A NOISE.

VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THE FOLLOWING VIN BREAKPOINTS HAVE A NEWLY DESIGNED FRAME POCKET FOR THE FRONT COIL SPRING.

PLANT CHEVROLET VIN GMC VIN LINDEN, NJ RK137679 RK511789 SHREVEPORT, LA R8159019 R8513073

SERVICE PROCEDURES:

REMOVE OR DISCONNECT (FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, AND 7):

TOOL REQUIRED:

J23028-01 COIL SPRING REMOVER AND INSTALLER

RAISE THE VEHICLE ON A HOIST SO THAT THE CONTROL ARMS HANG FREE.

1. REMOVE THE SHOCK ABSORBER BOLTS (38) FROM THE SHOCK ABSORBER PIVOT (39) (FIGURE 2). A. PUSH THE SHOCK ABSORBER UP THROUGH THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (40) AND INTO THE SPRING (37) (FIGURE 2). B. CRADLE THE INNER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS USING J 23028-01 (COIL SPRING REMOVER AND INSTALLER) SECURED TO THE END OF A SUITABLE JACK (FIGURE 5). 2. DISCONNECT THE STABILIZER SHAFT (53) FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (FIGURE 3). A. RAISE THE JACK TO REMOVE THE TENSION ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM PIVOT BOLTS (72 AND 77) (FIGURE 1). B. SECURE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (40) WITH A CHAIN AROUND THE SPRING (37) AND THROUGH THE CONTROL ARM (FIGURE 1). 3. REMOVE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM PIVOTS BOLTS (72 AND 77) AND NUTS (71 AND 78) FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (40) (FIGURE 1).

IMPORTANT: DO NOT FORCE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (40) AND BALL JOINT (69) IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE COIL SPRING (FIGURE 1).

4. REMOVE THE COIL SPRING (37) AND THE INSULATOR (73) FROM THE COIL SPRING (FIGURE 1). - POSITION THE COIL SPRING (37) PROPERLY FOR EASY REMOVAL. 5. REPOSITION THE VERTICAL TANGS (85) IN THE UPPER SPRING POCKET BRACKET (86) BY BENDING THEM INWARD WITH PILLARS IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION (FIGURE 8). REMOVE ANY SHARP EDGES OR BURRS OFF OF THE UPPER COIL SPRING POCKET BY USING A DIE GRINDER OR METAL FILE.

CAUTION:

THE UPPER SPRING POCKET HAS SHARP EDGES AND BURRS ON IT. CARE MUST BE TAKEN TO AVOID PERSONAL INJURIES.

INSTALL OR CONNECT (FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, AND 8):

TOOL REQUIRED:

J23028-01 COIL SPRING REMOVER AND INSTALLER.

1. INSTALL SERVICE KIT (P/N 15989719) ONE INSULATOR WITH INSERT ON THE TOP OF COIL SPRING AND REMAINING INSULATOR ON THE BOTTOM OF THE COIL SPRING (IF THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE REQUIRES THE SAME REPAIR PROCEDURES, THEN ANOTHER SERVICE KIT (P/N 159897) WILL BE REQUIRED.) 2. INSTALL THE COIL SPRING (37) WITH INSULATORS (73) ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (40) (FIGURE 1). A. USING J23028-01 TO SUPPORT THE CONTROL ARM (FIGURE 5). B. POSITION THE COIL SPRING (A) (FIGURE 6). - COIL SPRING INSTALLED WITH THE TAPE AT THE LOWEST POSITION AND A GRIPPER NOTCH AT THE TOP. - INSPECT DRAIN HOLES, ONE OF WHICH MUST BE COVERED BY THE END OF THE SPRING AND ONE MUST BE OPEN. 3. INSTALL THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (40) TO THE FRAME. 4. INSTALL THE PIVOT BOLTS (72 AND 77) AND NUTS (71 AND 78) (FIGURE 1).

IMPORTANT: IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE STEERING LINKAGE CLEARANCE, REFER TO MANDATORY BOLT DIRECTION OF INSTALLATION IN FIGURE 6.

- MANDATORY BOLT AND NUT POSITIONS - FRONT BOLT FIRST

TIGHTEN:

A. TIGHTEN FRONT NUT (78) TO 90 N.M (67 LBS. FT.) (FIGURE 1). B. TIGHTEN REAR NUT (71) TO 90 N.M (67 LBS. FT.) (FIGURE 1).

5. INSTALL STABILIZER SHAFT (53) TO LOWER CONTROL ARM (40). A. INSTALL THE RETAINER (61), AND GROMMET (60) (FIGURE 3) TO THE LINK BOLT (62) (FIGURE 3). - MAKE SURE PARTS POSITIONING IS CORRECT (FIGURE 3). B. INSTALL THE LINK BOLT (62) THROUGH THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HOLE (59) WITH THE PARTS STACKED PROPERLY (FIGURE 3).

- GROMMET (58) - RETAINER (57) - SPACERS (56) - RETAINERS (55) - GROMMET (54) - STABILIZER (53 HOLES)

C. ATTACH THE GROMMET (52), RETAINER (51) AND NUT (50) ON THE LINK BOLT (62) (FIGURE 3) AND TIGHTEN NUT UNTIL THE NUT MEETS THE END OF THE BOLT THREADS (62) (FIGURE 3). 6. INSTALL SHOCK ABSORBER (36) (FIGURE 2) A. INSTALL RETAINER (35) AND GROMMET (34) ON THE STEM (33) (FIGURE 2). - FULLY EXTEND THE STEM (33). B. INSTALL SHOCK ABSORBER (36) UP THROUGH THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (40) AND THE SPRING (37). - INSERT THE STEM (33) END THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE UPPER CONTROL ARM FRAME BRACKET (42) (FIGURE 2) C. INSTALL THE GROMMET (32), RETAINER (31), AND THE NUT (30) ON TO THE STEM (33) (FIGURE 2).

TIGHTEN:

TIGHTEN BOLT (38) TO 27 N.M (20 LBS. FT.).

SERVICE PARTS INFORMATION:

P/N DESCRIPTION QTY 15989719 KIT-FRONT SPRING INSULATOR 1 (PER SIDE)

PARTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE FROM GMSPO ON 6/20/94.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE:

LABOR OP DESCRIPTION LABOR TIME E3020 SPRING, FRONT COIL - REPLACE (RIGHT) USE PUBLISHED E3021 SPRING, FRONT COIL - REPLACE (LEFT) LABOR OPERATION E3027 SPRING, FRONT COIL - REPLACE (BOTH) TIME

FIGURES: 8

CAPTIONS: FIGURE 1 - CONTROL ARMS AND COMPONENTS

37. COIL SPRING 71. NUT 79. SHAFT 40. LOWER CONTROL ARM 72. BOLT 80. NUT 42. UPPER CONTROL ARM 73. INSULATOR 81. SHIM 66. UPPER BALL JOINT 74. BUMPER 82. NUT 67. NUT 75. BUSHING 83. RETAINER 68. COTTER PIN 76. BUSHING 84. BUSHING 69. LOWER BALL JOINT 77. BOLT 70. BOLT 78. NUT

FIGURE 2 - SHOCK ABSORBER ATTACHMENT

30. NUT 35. RETAINER 39. PIVOT 31. RETAINER 36. SHOCK ABSORBER 40. LOWER CONTROL ARM 32. GROMMET 37. SPRING 41. NUT 33. STEM 38. BOLTS 42. UPPER CONTROL ARM 34 GROMMET FRAME BRACKET

FIGURE 3 - STABILIZER COMPONENTS

50. NUT 56. SPACER 62. LINK BOLT 51. RETAINER 57. RETAINER 63. BOLT 52. GROMMET 58. GROMMET 64. BRACKET 53. STABILIZER SHAFT 59. LOWER CONTROL ARM HOLE 65. RUBBER BUSHING 54. GROMMET 60. GROMMET 55. RETAINER 61. RETAINER

FIGURE 4 - DISCONNECTING THE LOWER BALL JOINT FIGURE 5 - CRADLING THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS FIGURE 6 - POSITIONING THE COIL SPRING FIGURE 7 - INSTALLING THE PIVOT BOLTS AND NUTS

FIGURE 8 - FRONT COIL SPRING AND INSULATORS

37. FRONT COIL SPRING 73. UPPER INSULATOR WITH INSERT 74. LOWER INSULATOR WITHOUT INSERT 85. TANGS, UPPER COIL SPRING POCKET 86. UPPER COIL SPRING POCKET BRACKET

GENERAL MOTORS BULLETINS ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIANS, NOT A "DO-IT-YOURSELFER". THEY ARE WRITTEN TO INFORM THOSE TECHNICIANS OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY OCCUR ON SOME VEHICLES, OR TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT COULD ASSIST IN THE PROPER SERVICE OF A VEHICLE. PROPERLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND KNOW-HOW TO DO A JOB PROPERLY AND SAFELY. IF A CONDITION IS DESCRIBED, DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE BULLETIN APPLIES TO YOUR VEHICLE, OR THAT YOUR VEHICLE WILL HAVE THAT CONDITION. SEE A GENERAL MOTORS DEALER SERVICING YOUR BRAND OF GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE FOR INFORMATION ON WHETHER YOUR VEHICLE MAY BENEFIT FROM THE INFORMATION.

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