Zr2 front suspension

Epsilon Plus · March 3

Relevant torque specs:

Front Lower Control Arm Ball Stud Nut: First Pass 37 lb ft, Final Pass 90 -100 degrees

Front Lower Control Arm Nut [2x] First Pass 133 lb ft, Final Pass 45 -75 degrees

Front Lower Control Arm Bolt [2x] is torque to yield (single use) part number: 11549229

Front Shock Absorber Nut (top) [2x]: 48 lb ft

Front Shock Absorber Bolt: 118 lb ft

Front Stabilizer Shaft Bolt [4x]: 37 lb ft

Front Stabilizer Shaft Link (end links) Nut [2x]: 74 lb ft

Torsion Bar Support Bolt [2x]: 92 lb ft

Front Upper Control Arm Nut [2x]: 192 lb ft

Front Upper Control Arm Ball Stud Nut: First Pass: 37 lb ft, Final Pass: 90–110 degrees

Front Wheel Hub Bolt [4x]: 133 lb ft

Front Wheel Hub Extension Nut [8x] 96 lb ft

Front Wheel Drive Shaft Nut:

First Pass: 244 lb ft, Second Pass: Loosen 45 degrees, Final Pass: 199 lb ft

Front Wheel Drive Shaft Nut is torque to yield (single use) part number: 11612295

Front Differential Carrier Bolt (Go from the top down on driver side): 81 lb ft

Front Differential Carrier Bracket Bolt [4x] (bolts that go from the bottom up on both sides through the large bracket openings): 118 lb ft

Front Differential Carrier Bracket Nut [2x] (bottom up, pass side): 74 lb ft

Front Differential Carrier Bolt[2x] (smaller bolts, bottom up driver side): 81 lb ft

Rear Spring Unit Bolt Nut[4x]: First Pass: 74 lb ft, Second Pass: Loosen 270degrees, Third Pass: 74 lb ft, Final Pass: 175 - 185degrees

Rear Shock Absorber Bolt -Upper: 70 lb ft

Rear Shock Absorber Bolt -Lower: 118 lb ft

That should be most of the stuff if doing the full swap.

Edited Wednesday at 12:51 AM by Epsilon Plus

jeetS · March 10

Any updates on this ?

Epsilon Plus · March 11

I'm waiting for a long weekend or a third vehicle to borrow. I'm not confident I can get it all done without issues before I need to drive it to work the next Monday.

Epsilon Plus · March 20

I think the OP isn't around on this site anymore. He was the farthest along with this swap.

Anyone else trying it out?

Edited March 20 by Epsilon Plus

215robert · March 21

I'm still waiting on the torque to spec lower a arm bolts as that were lost in the mail.....

newdude · March 21

35 minutes ago, 215robert said:

I'm still waiting on the torque to spec lower a arm bolts as that were lost in the mail.....

...did you read the top post on this page from Epsilon Plus who has all the torque specs?

The lower arm specs are the first two he posted.

215robert · March 21

Thanks, lower a arm bolts are single use, awaiting replacements.

Epsilon Plus · March 21

16 minutes ago, newdude said:

...did you read the top post on this page from Epsilon Plus who has all the torque specs?

The lower arm specs are the first two he posted.

I think he meant he ordered the bolts but they got lost in transit.

I've now got everything except the transfer case skid, the brake lines and the wheel speed sensors unless there is some phantom part numbers I don't know about.

The only thing I'm nervous about is I'm hoping my brake lines/hoses and wheel speed sensor brackets/sensors can be used with all the new parts. Not opposed to getting the ZR2 wheel speed stuff if I have to and IF it will connect to my factory harness but I REALLY want to avoid opening the brake system.

I'm anxious to start tearing into it though.

Edit: Oh, I also need to track down a torque wrench that goes to 244ft lbs without costing more than the entire swap for those axle nuts lol

Edited March 21 by Epsilon Plus

Joe97281 · March 23

I think your brake lines and sensors are fine unless you want to fit the dssv shock. The extra size of it causes interference with the sensor wires and brake line bracket.

I am hoping my 2022 gets crushed by a tree so i can start fresh with a 2024 WT. Brake pipe change on pass side of 2023 and older for DSSV to fit looks like too much work. I might be able to snake it through from the pass side wheel well.

Transfer case skid fits great. Had to drill new holes. Crossmember is very thick. You are going to struggle with normal drill bits.

gemarsh · March 23

22 minutes ago, Joe97281 said:

Transfer case skid fits great. Had to drill new holes. Crossmember is very thick. You are going to struggle with normal drill bits.

Do you have a picture/pictures of your skid plate installed? I would like to see how much it protects.

Epsilon Plus · March 30

It's going down boys!

215robert · March 30

Bolts arrived yesterday hoping to be installing next week!

Epsilon Plus · March 30

You'll need a 1/2" drive 18mm, 21mm, & 24mm socket and open end wrenches. You'll also need a 1/2" drive 24mm deep socket for the LCA nuts and a 21mm deep to make the diff bracket easier. Wobbles and extensions a must. So far the only rear PITA was getting the 4 hub bolts back on. The knuckle and axle don't give crap for room for a socket to fit snug over them. Unfortunately, some of this stuff has to be torqued with a wobble or extension. Yeah, I know but it is what it is.

Just about done with driver side. Stopped to do left diff bracket since one of the bolts for it is in the way of an LCA bolt.

Real peach. Good news is with only 19k miles, everything is coming out easy. Torsion bars dropped out with barely a wrist wiggle.

Cheers.

Edited March 30 by Epsilon Plus

Epsilon Plus · March 30

Tips while they're fresh:

You can take the whole brake caliper bracket off and leave the caliper and pads...etc intact and move it out of the way. SUPPORT IT! so you don't rip a brake hose. As you can tell from my above pic, you don't need to bother with separating the ball joints of the UCA/LCA and you can take the UCA/Knuckle/LCA combo out as one piece. For the steering shaft, pry against the shaft and hit the knuckle to pop it loose LINK.

Concerning the diff drop bracket, the service manual has you reinstalling the top carrier bolt and tightening, the main bracket bolts and tightening, THEN the other too lower carrier bolts. Thread everything in but leave it loose until it is all in. You'll have to use a flatblade through the lower carrier bolt holes and a pry bar in various places to meander everything into alignment. The brackets ride on rubber cushion mounts so if you tighten like the service manual sequence, the lower carriers will be off.

The brake dust shield can be put on backwards (lol). Make sure it faces front and allows you to put the rotor on BEFORE you go through the hassle of torquing the hub bolts (doh).

Also, can confirm that the 20-23 brake line brackets, speed sensors...etc are a 100% fit to the 24 ZR2 knuckle. You can see the spots where they probably mount the 24 stuff but all the holes and divots for the 20-23 are there!

I'll chime back in if I think of something. So far sockets/wrenches needed: 10mm, 15mm, 18mm, 21mm, 24mm, 36mm (axle nut). Get a good split beam torque wrench up to 250lbs. Also get used to having to just ugga dugga some stuff because no way any torque wrench is going to fit on some of that stuff.

Cheers.

Epsilon Plus · March 31

A look at the increased droop travel stock passenger side vs ZR2 driver side (both ZR2 diff drop brackets in). No torsion bars in. Stock is 8.25" from lower ball joint nut to ground. ZR2 6.5"