Working on the Van

Over the past week or so I have gotten to some maintenance on our GMC Safari van. When I got new tires on it I was told, and found myself, that the brakes were in need of being done. While checking over things I found a couple of tie-rods showing wear, and a couple of ball joints. I decided since I did the rear shocks last year, that the front shocks should be done as well. So I have been working on things over the past week. I has been slow going since this is the first time I have done this, and I am both running into things that the manuels assume people would know which I don't (but which people from Astrosafarivans have helped me with) and wanting to make sure everything is done correctly. Also ended up having to make a few runs for tools that I didn't realize I needed or sockets that I did not have the correct size of. At one point things looked like this:


Actually at one point even more was removed than what you see there, but it is slowing coming back together.

So what is left?

To Do:
Adjust and install driver's side tie-rods, and grease.
Fix wire for driver's side ABS speed sensor.
Pack driver's side bearings with grease.
Install bearing in driver's side hub/rotor.
Install driver's side hub/rotor, caliper and brake pads.
Remove and install driver's side shock.
(That would finish the driver's side.)
Tear down passenger side (remove caliper, hub/rotor, upper and lower ball-joints, tie-rods and shocks.
Install ball joints.
Adjust and install tie-rods.
Install shocks.
Pack bearings and install.
Install hub/rotor, brake pads and caliper.
(That will finish the front end)

I still have to do the rear brakes, but that is only a few hours of work (at least it should be). However, my focus right now is get the front end complete ASAP.

I am hoping the passengers side will take less time as now I have the tools, and I have figured out the way to do things in the removal that I didn't know before.