The L300 Suspension Thread
- Thread starter ccmickelson
- Start date
I have the AC Delco top arms, they seem about the same quality as OEM. Material thickness and welds the same. One of mine was made in Korea, the other made in... Mexico? I think?
Does anyone have any experience with the suspension products on the Delica USA store? Planing out an overhaul and it seemed convenient to order the ball joint sets and tie rod ends from on place. The ALN ones mentioned at the beginning of the post are showing out of stock on Amazon.
Otherwise, I'm seeing Control arms from Rock Auto (seen a lot of references to replacing top arms but not the bottom, is this unnecessary?), Monroe air shocks from Amazon for the rear, Bilstein shocks from somewhere (amazon is out of stock) for the front, torsion bars on Fourgreen.
What am I missing for an overhaul?
Otherwise, I'm seeing Control arms from Rock Auto (seen a lot of references to replacing top arms but not the bottom, is this unnecessary?), Monroe air shocks from Amazon for the rear, Bilstein shocks from somewhere (amazon is out of stock) for the front, torsion bars on Fourgreen.
What am I missing for an overhaul?
So I got some responses on another forum and was curious about what the pros/cons are between air shocks and lift bags. Here is one:
Mitsubishi L300 Express Van 1986-On Thor Air Bag Load Assist Suspension Kit | eBay
2x 2500lb Double convolute air bags. Top Quality Double Convolute Rubber Bellows. About Thor Load Assist Suspension Products You can adjust your air pressure to suit your load whether it be carring tool boxes or towing a caravan or trailer.
www.ebay.com.au
Besides the cost, is one better than the other for a specific application?
So I got some responses on another forum and was curious about what the pros/cons are between air shocks and lift bags. Here is one:
Mitsubishi L300 Express Van 1986-On Thor Air Bag Load Assist Suspension Kit | eBay
2x 2500lb Double convolute air bags. Top Quality Double Convolute Rubber Bellows. About Thor Load Assist Suspension Products You can adjust your air pressure to suit your load whether it be carring tool boxes or towing a caravan or trailer.www.ebay.com.au
Besides the cost, is one better than the other for a specific application?
Besides the $500 difference in cost?
Air bags are better for constant heavy load (like a heavy camper conversion) because they transfer the load into the chassis and axle.
Air shocks transfer the load into the shock mounts, which is fine for light/normal constant load and occasional heavy loads, but not ideal for a constant heavy load.
If you order that airbag kit, make sure it's for the 4WD. The 2WD has the axle on top of the springs and will need a different lower plate.
ccmickelson
Well-Known Member
Well, after only 8 months, the outer, right-side Febest (piece of shit) axle boot finally gave up the ghost on the worst section of Stony Pass in Colorado and the CV bearing subsequently self-destructed after several stream crossings and 100 miles of off-road. Fortunately we were able to turn around and drive out of the pass in two-wheel and occasionally "three-wheel". One month past the one-year warranty. Thanks, Febest.
Compare these pics to the ones posted above just after installation. The boots now look as if they are original to the vehicle!
The boot failed at the small end which fit extremely tight upon installation, but before installation a Febest tech rep assured me there was nothing to worry about. Note the weather cracking between the bellows as well.
The inner boot doesn't look too good either with some deep weather cracks between the bellows.
Got OEM boots on order. Anyone have a part # or equivalent replacement for the CV outer bearing?
Compare these pics to the ones posted above just after installation. The boots now look as if they are original to the vehicle!
The boot failed at the small end which fit extremely tight upon installation, but before installation a Febest tech rep assured me there was nothing to worry about. Note the weather cracking between the bellows as well.
The inner boot doesn't look too good either with some deep weather cracks between the bellows.
Got OEM boots on order. Anyone have a part # or equivalent replacement for the CV outer bearing?
ccmickelson
Well-Known Member
I'm also looking into replacing my axles. If anyone here has advice on quality replacements and a way to verify the specs it would be much appreciated. It's a bit confusing.
helladeli
Member
So what I ended up doing is using the autozone axle, Duralast Gold B6774N https://www.autozone.com/drivetrain...new-cv-axle-b6774n/401752_475700_0_3498_78656 , for a temporary replacement while I had my oem one rebuilt. Obviously the autozone isn't of great quality but it held up for the 1200 + mile trip I took it on in the mean time. I am about to do the same on the passenger side with a Duralast 7901N axle https://www.autozone.com/drivetrain/cv-axle/duralast-gold-new-cv-axle-7901n/403323_0_0_1277_78655.
Something to mention is my Deli is a 5 M/t ... I don't know if there is a difference in CV specs for auto vs. manual.
I believe the front suspension and drivetrain is the same for both auto and manual. For most vans the front CVs should last forever- they only rotate when you're in 4WD, so most of the time they just sit there doing nothing. That's assuming the boots are in one piece though.
vanman
New Member
Hey all. I'm about to order an all-new front suspension set and wanted to check in here before I purchase to make sure I've got the right parts...
I want to buy as much off of RockAuto as I can, so here's what I'm thinking of getting. I'd like to confirm that these will all fit on a 1994 L300 (P35W Body)
Front Left Upper Control Arm - ACDELCO 45P0114 {#19365508} Professional; Complete Arm w/ Ball Joint - https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=8930936&cc=1208393
Front Right Upper Control Arm - ACDELCO 45P0113 {#19365507} Professional; Complete Arm w/ Ball Joint- https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=8930932&cc=1208393
*I see that no one has confirmed the Lower control arms sold on RockAuto to be direct bolt-in replacements for the L300, so I was just going to replace the lower ball joints... Unless someone can confirm that the lower control arms do fit.
Front Lower Ball Joints - ACDELCO 45D2236 {#88911726} Professional - https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=389683&cc=1208393
Outer Tie Rod End - MOOG ES3044RL {#MB527650, MB864164} - https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=202111&cc=1208393&jsn=11639
I'd also like to replace the front wheel bearings and CV Axles... Can these be found on RockAuto too, or can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks y'all!!! It would be sweet to compile a list of all front suspension parts with links to buy online!
I want to buy as much off of RockAuto as I can, so here's what I'm thinking of getting. I'd like to confirm that these will all fit on a 1994 L300 (P35W Body)
Front Left Upper Control Arm - ACDELCO 45P0114 {#19365508} Professional; Complete Arm w/ Ball Joint - https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=8930936&cc=1208393
Front Right Upper Control Arm - ACDELCO 45P0113 {#19365507} Professional; Complete Arm w/ Ball Joint- https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=8930932&cc=1208393
*I see that no one has confirmed the Lower control arms sold on RockAuto to be direct bolt-in replacements for the L300, so I was just going to replace the lower ball joints... Unless someone can confirm that the lower control arms do fit.
Front Lower Ball Joints - ACDELCO 45D2236 {#88911726} Professional - https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=389683&cc=1208393
Outer Tie Rod End - MOOG ES3044RL {#MB527650, MB864164} - https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=202111&cc=1208393&jsn=11639
I'd also like to replace the front wheel bearings and CV Axles... Can these be found on RockAuto too, or can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks y'all!!! It would be sweet to compile a list of all front suspension parts with links to buy online!
Sputnik
Well-Known Member
Re: CV axles, this thread mentions a couple of possible options:
Autozone is out of the Duralast 7901N cv axle.......
I ordered a Trackmotive mi8106 and no luck.... slides in but to much slop in the differential anyone have a extra laying around?
delicaforum.com
ccmickelson
Well-Known Member
On the subject of CV axles...I'm finally getting around to replacing both front axels after the RHS axle self destructed likelly because of boot failure. I've sourced new axles from T3 4x4 (formerly Dreamworks) in Taiwan. I haven't installed the new axles yet, but they appear to be identical in every way to the original Mitsubishi axles and they have thick, high-quality rubber boots on the joints. (The bits to the right are the remains of the RHS outer joint bearings and cage.)
The new axles were $175 for the pair. Not exactly sure what shipping would be as I ordered a bunch of other items as well but I imagine it would be at least $100.
The Febest boots I installed 9 months ago (that subsequently deteriorated to the point of destroying my axle) aren't even in the same universe of quality as the boots on these new axles. Goodbye bearings...
Axle specs differ for various models and mine is a P25W chassis. The inner shaft on this axle is 27mm with a spline count of 25.
The new axles were $175 for the pair. Not exactly sure what shipping would be as I ordered a bunch of other items as well but I imagine it would be at least $100.
The Febest boots I installed 9 months ago (that subsequently deteriorated to the point of destroying my axle) aren't even in the same universe of quality as the boots on these new axles. Goodbye bearings...
Axle specs differ for various models and mine is a P25W chassis. The inner shaft on this axle is 27mm with a spline count of 25.
I made a post about replacing the lower ball joints and ending up with the CV joint touching the lower arm:
delicaforum.com
Lower balljoint replacement: CV boot now touching lower arm?
This is a thing that happens sometimes. You replace the lower ball joints and now the suspension arm touches the CV joint boot, like so: Well Pete over on the L300 Offroad FB group has figured out why this happens: some aftermarket lower balljoints are taller than genuine items. That...
delicaforum.com
Well, I don't quite know how well they will fit yet, since they are being done as part fo the lift kit... BUT...
Dorman CV Boot Kit 614-001
is what I got based off the parts matching that I did.
bikerjosh
Well-Known Member
Scott, is that the outer boot only, or does that work for inner or outer boots? thanks
ccmickelson
Well-Known Member
I would highly recommend OEM ONLY for CV boots. See my posts #54 and #66 in this thread related to the Febest boots I installed. The Febest boots are complete crap and failed in less than 6 months destroying one of my axles as a result. Both inner and out boots showed weather cracking and splitting in the creases and ridges of the boots on both sides.
Just after install:
6 months later (less than 2,000 miles):
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