Why This Wears Out Faster Here Than It Did in Ohio
The front suspension on 4x4 GMT400 trucks uses torsion bars rather than coil springs — the bar itself acts as the spring, and it's genuinely durable, GM didn't even fit grease bushings to it because it doesn't need them. What does wear is everything around it: the control arm bushings, sway bar bushings and end links, all rubber, all thirty years old, all living in a climate that's considerably harder on rubber than the one this truck was designed for.
The rear is leaf springs on all GMT400 variants, and after three decades of UAE heat and load, the springs themselves sag, the rubber bushings at the spring eyes perish and crack, and the shocks lose their damping as the fluid inside breaks down from heat cycling. None of this is a sudden failure, it's a slow one, which is why most owners describe the symptoms as "it's just always been like this" rather than recognising a fault that's actually fixable.
What You Actually Gain
What You Need
Mandatory
- Front Shocks (pair)Gas-charged recommended — better fade resistance in UAE heat
- Rear Shocks (pair)Gas-charged recommended
- Rear Leaf Spring Set — two-door specBlazer / 2-door Tahoe / Yukon length only — do not substitute pickup or Suburban springs
- Leaf Spring Bushings (front and rear eyes)Rubber OEM-spec or polyurethane — see note below
- Shackles and Shackle BushingsReplace as a set with the springs
- U-Bolts (leaf spring to axle)Replace, don't reuse — they stretch under load over time
- Front Upper Control Arm BushingsBoth sides
- Front Lower Control Arm BushingsBoth sides
- Front Sway Bar End Links and BushingsBoth sides
Torsion bars themselves are not a wear item under normal conditions and are not included here — this list covers everything that actually degrades with age and heat around them.
Recommended While You're In There
- Sway Bar Bushings (frame mount)Inspect; often perished alongside the end links
- Rear Axle U-Bolt Skid PlatesIf missing or corroded through
These aren't bundled in the mandatory list, they're optional depending on the condition of your specific truck. They'll also be available individually through OBScure Parts alongside the main kit.
Rubber vs polyurethane bushings: Rubber is the factory spec and gives the quieter, softer factory ride, but perishes faster in UAE heat than it did in the climate this truck was designed for. Polyurethane lasts considerably longer in this climate but rides firmer and can transmit more noise. Neither is wrong, it's what you're prioritising, comfort or longevity, and it's worth deciding before you order rather than after.
Get the Whole Kit Delivered
The two-door suspension kit is live on OBScure Parts
Every mandatory part above, front shocks, rear shocks, the correct two-door-spec leaf spring set, spring bushings, shackles, U-bolts, and front control arm and sway bar bushings, sourced and shipped as one order rather than chased down piece by piece. Full story on why OBScure Parts exists here.
View the Kit at OBScure Parts →Where to Find the Parts
Verified addresses coming shortly. This section will list named suspension and spring specialists in Sharjah Industrial Area confirmed to stock or make up two-door-spec leaf springs, checked in person rather than pulled from a directory. In the meantime, Sharjah Industrial Area has several dedicated spring shops that can custom-build a leaf pack to spec if the exact two-door part isn't in stock — bring the eye-to-eye measurement from your existing spring, not just the truck's year and model, since that's what actually determines fit.
The Process
- Support the vehicle securely on stands, never on a jack alone, and support the rear axle separately before removing the springs.
- Remove the rear shocks, then the U-bolts, then the leaf spring assembly. Note the orientation of the spring pack before removing shackles.
- Replace the spring eye bushings and shackle bushings while the springs are off the truck, it's far easier on a bench than in the air.
- Fit the new springs, new shackles, and new U-bolts. Torque U-bolts to spec, evenly, in stages, not all the way in one go.
- Fit the new rear shocks.
- Move to the front. Support the lower control arm before disturbing anything, the torsion bar is under load even at rest.
- Replace the upper and lower control arm bushings, and the sway bar end links and bushings.
- Fit the new front shocks.
- Lower the vehicle and check ride height front and rear before and after — it should be even side to side and roughly back to factory spec.
- Road test at low speed first, checking for clunks, noise, or anything that doesn't feel right before taking it on the highway.
Hand This Over
"Replace the rear leaf springs with the two-door-spec springs provided — do not substitute pickup or Suburban springs, the length is different and will not fit correctly. Replace the shackles, shackle bushings and U-bolts as a full set, not individually. At the front, replace the upper and lower control arm bushings and the sway bar end links and bushings. Torque all fasteners to spec, in stages for the U-bolts. Check ride height is even side to side before calling the job finished, and road test at low speed before highway speed."
This Guide Applies To
Front shocks, control arm bushings and sway bar parts are broadly common across the platform. The rear leaf spring set is the part that's genuinely body-style specific — see the correction note above. A separate guide covering Suburban, four-door Tahoe/Yukon and pickup spring specs is planned.