Front Suspension
The front suspension on a GMC Motorhome, like most of the front running gear, is repurposed from the Oldsmobile Unitized Power Package, designed to move the 4,841-pound Toronado around. Some components were beefed up mid-production. Lower control arms are a particular sore point, as the stock Toronado engineering was not up to the task. Later lower control arms in the Motorhome were crudely but effectively reinforced in the area of the lower ball joint; all GMC owners should include these areas as part of regular inspection.
Any suspension is composed of many skeletal metal components, all of which are connected, but isolated, using some combination of bushings, joints, and rubber. If you have any rubber components that are unchanged since yours rolled out of Truck & Coach Plant #29 in Pontiac, they need to be replaced. Note, not "they may need to be replaced." They need to be replaced.
What follows is a list of components and sourcing info necessary to replace all wear parts from the front suspension of your GMC. Source info is from a suspension rebuild in 2018. The list was compiled from the perspective of a cheapskate; some or all prices may have changed. Feel free to amend with new information. Most if not all of these parts can be sourced in a single order from any of the reputable GMC retail suppliers.
| Source | Price | Quantity | Subtotal | |
| Adjusting Tube Moog ES2004S | RockAuto | 7.13 | 2 | 14.26 |
| Ball Joint Lower Moog K6215
(Beware: K5221 is specified for '69-78 Toronado but uses a smaller stud according to Moog tech support) |
Applied | 153.06 | 2 | 306.12 |
| Ball Joint Upper Moog K5238 | Walmart | 36.50 | 2 | 73 |
| CV Boots (Outer) | Summit | 9.99 | 2 | 19.98 |
| Energy Suspension 3.3121 Control Arm Bushings | suspension.com | 76.26 | 1 | 76.26 |
| Energy Suspension 9.5162R stabilizer bar bushings | Amazon | 19.32 | 1 | 19.32 |
| Idler Arm 18737 | Performance Suspension Tech | 69 | 1 | 69 |
| Polyurethane end link bushings | Applied | 14.95 | 1 | 14.95 |
| Shocks KYB KG5435 | Amazon/AutoPartsKart | 40.80 | 2 | 81.6 |
| Steering Damper Moog SSD55 | Amazon | 41.78 | 1 | 41.78 |
| Tie Rod End, Inner, TRE361R | kanter.com | 47.00 | 2 | 94 |
| Tie Rod End, Outer, Moog ES412RL | WalMart | 34.02 | 2 | 68.04 |
| 878.31 |
