[Mike C]

This is one of those case where your sample size is small with just 1 truck. Your experience worked out OK which is cool, but others do have problems doing the same thing.

I know that you are an experienced mechanic and would recognize if something was way out of whack and that combo worked well on your truck.

And remember that GM used different keys depending on the package the truck was equipped with so it worked fine with the key you had but might not with one of the other key combos.

I think some of my front end parts are worn out now and I am at stock height on my '02. The IFS steering (and once again, my truck is not the same vintage as yours) is known to wear out some parts (like the idler arm you mentioned) much faster than the solid axle trucks.

But I have no issue with the IFS trucks and really like mine. But knowing that changing even some of the geometry can accelerate wear mine stays stock. (Makes hooking and towing the gooseneck a heck of a lot easier too!)