[hyeride00]

Hi guys, i was wondering if i could get some of your opinions.
I have a 2000 1500 ecsb 2wd with a 6" fabtech and 33" tires. This front end makes too much noise in my opinion and is annoying. I have gone through a set of upper ball joints and a set of lowers (which also need to be replaced again). I regularly grease the bushings and all the zerks on the front end and i still get this noise. I know the bushings are polyurethane and are a very hard material, but i have ridden/driven other trucks with lifts and they didnt make a sound. The fabtech kit i have was one of the first generations they made for the nbs's and i know they changed the ball joints on them because when i replaced my uppers, they gave me the "updated" versions. I have contemplated swapping out my fabtech for another kit, like a RCD or CST. But i was curious as to the angles and such with the ball joints with the longer upper control arms(like the fabtech and CST). I have been told that with the longer control arm, that the angles it puts on the ball joints is what wears them out so fast. IF that was the case, wouldnt the CST have the same problem because of the longer upper control arms? The RCD kit uses the factory control arms and doest have this same angles on the ball joints and therefore isnt a problem??
Confused,
Matt :think:

 

[hightimes]

hey man i have the fabtech on my 02 2wd with a BL and have the same problems

 

[hyeride00]

Go figure, now i dont feel so crazy. I have already formed the opinion that fabtech is a bunch of $h*t
matt

 

[KoTToN]

I have RCD and my front makes no noise.

 

[Andy]

no offence to you guys, but i think that fabtech isnt the greatest quaility, especially the old 2wd 6" kit. But i would maybe call fabtech and gripe to them, or just go ahead and swap out for the cst, which you can almost never go wrong with. The rcd is really great too.

 

[hyeride00]

No offense taken at all :guns: . I bought the truck from a friend and that is the kit he had installed on it after he bought it. At the time, i didnt know fabtech would be such a piece of crap; but i guesss you live and learn. What would i complain to fabtech about? Their customer service sucks. When i originally called them to get new ball joints, they told me that i couldnt get them from them and they didnt know who carried them. After i finally talked to someone who knew where to get them from(and i guess knew what they were talking about), i got them and R&R'd them. PLus they told me that they make them, which is a load. It is a TRW part # that i could have gotten anywhere else. I didnt discover that until i opened the box up and saw it. Bastards. I had thought about going with the CST, but do any of you guys with the CST have any problems with your ball joints going out faster than normal? At least to the guys who have had it on there longer than a year to two years. I dont do any heavy offroading what-so-ever, and any that i do will be minor. Thanks guys! :shake: Any further help would help me a bunch.
Matt

 

[ryanerb]

CST is still a prob, but they try to use a heavy duty ball joint, the one from the 88-98 trucks. i heard the fabtech uses the BJ's from the generation before. If you want something that wont be a prob, try the uni-joints on CST's long travel kit. I heard they are more maintence, but are stronger. -Ryan

 

[Aberbaseball7]

Or get the Fabtech cradle kit that keeps all angles flat like stock... JMO

 

[ryanerb]

why dont you go to your local 4wd, and ask them to help find the noise problem? why have you had to replace the lowers? i had a fabtech kit, and had to replace ball joints, but not lowers. Also, on any lifted truck, you are GOING to have to replace ball joints. They dont last forever no matter what kit you have. i am looking into buying the 6" fabtech kit right now for my truck.

 

[ryanerb]

i was going to get the cradle kit, but they dont have them for a reg cab... im pissed.

 

[ryanerb]

it doesn't work. I called fabtech, performanice lifts, and another 4wd company (NOT HILL) and they all said "ya it might work." but is it designed for my truck? nope. would i have to do some modding to the kit... yes. would it be under warranty? nope. i think there is a reason that fabtech says its for ext only. If it was for reg cabs too, they would say so. -Ryan

 

[[email protected]]

Because Fabtech doesn't have a spring for the standard cab. The trucks are otherwise identical. You can run the kit on a standard cab and do one of two things... either let the extended cab springs make your standard cab truck ride like crap, or cut a winding out of the Fabtech spring.