4x4 Safety Inspection

Because of their vulnerable location, steering stabilizers often collect dents and other damage from trail obstacles. Also, the U-bolts that clamp the stabilizer to the tie rod are known to work loose and slide on the tie rod, which can reduce the stabilizer's effectiveness and cause binding. Inspect the diff cover for dents and evidence that the stabilizer is rubbing against it, and check the dust boot (not present in this photo) to see if it's full of dirt or mud.

The spring and shackle bushings are often overlooked during inspections. If the bushings appear excessively dry and cracked, they may hamper suspension movement and cause the truck to wander. If the truck is used hard, also check the condition of the shackles as they can become bent or deformed.

Now it's time to climb underneath your 4x4. Inspect the springs and spring assemblies for bent or deformed leaves, loose or missing spring clamps, loose U-bolts, cracked or broken shock mounts, damaged shocks, and loose or dangling brake lines.

Although not essential to a 4x4's safety, the sway bar and its bushings should be inspected for damage and wear. This sway bar bushing is totally trashed, which can cause mysterious rattles and reduce the sway bar's effectiveness. If your rig is used primarily for trail work and not for highway or towing use, simply removing the sway bar can increase axle articulation.

Inspect the overall condition of the chassis and look for loose or missing hardware, especially on the tranny crossmember. Aftermarket or custom skidplates work well for protecting chassis components, but only if they're properly secured to the frame or other structural member. If you find a few bolts missing, replace them with identical hardware.

Take fluid samples from the diffs, tranny, and transfer case. Look for fluids that have been contaminated by water or contain metal particles. Depending on the model, the transfer case may require gear oil, engine oil, automatic transmission fluid (ATF), or special fluids. The Model 20 T-case on this application was filled with ATF instead of gear oil.