Cyberbeer
Well-Known Member
Do I really have to remove the axle to replace the axle pivot bushing on my 87 STX 4x4?
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Axle Pivot Bushing
- Thread starter Cyberbeer
- Start date
oldmantruck
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2007
- Messages
- 52
- Age
- 49
- City
- State College, PA
- Vehicle Year
- 1994
- Transmission
- Automatic
just did mine yesterday. also changed the radius arm bushings.
Just pull the bolt out of the axle pivot, remove the nut from the radius arm, hang the brake calper out of the way and unbolt the shock and sway bar. you will need a heavy duty tie down strap or two, or a come along to pull the axle forward and every thing should drop out with a little prying. I wouldn't call it easy, but just never panick, it will come apart and it will go back together. the instructions say to do one side at a time, but honestly if you do both I think it would go better. Let the axle pivot bolts on both sides till last that way you can swing the entire assembly both ways to get the radius arms back in place.
The hardest part of the whole job for me was getting the axle pivot bolts loose. Didn't have the right metric wrench for the nut so I had to use a 13/16 open end. then I used a jack for leverage to bust it loose. soak everything for days with penitrating oil so that the bolt comes out of the bushing. Then I burned the old rubber ones out with a mapp gass plumbing torch.
Very much worth doing, tightens the entire front end back up.
This is probably more info than you needed, still fresh in my mind if you have any questions
Just pull the bolt out of the axle pivot, remove the nut from the radius arm, hang the brake calper out of the way and unbolt the shock and sway bar. you will need a heavy duty tie down strap or two, or a come along to pull the axle forward and every thing should drop out with a little prying. I wouldn't call it easy, but just never panick, it will come apart and it will go back together. the instructions say to do one side at a time, but honestly if you do both I think it would go better. Let the axle pivot bolts on both sides till last that way you can swing the entire assembly both ways to get the radius arms back in place.
The hardest part of the whole job for me was getting the axle pivot bolts loose. Didn't have the right metric wrench for the nut so I had to use a 13/16 open end. then I used a jack for leverage to bust it loose. soak everything for days with penitrating oil so that the bolt comes out of the bushing. Then I burned the old rubber ones out with a mapp gass plumbing torch.
Very much worth doing, tightens the entire front end back up.
This is probably more info than you needed, still fresh in my mind if you have any questions
Cyberbeer
Well-Known Member
How long did it take you to do it? This is a daily driver as I need it for work and all that. Just to be clear the bushing I am talking about replacing is in the center where the 2 I beams come together..?
oldmantruck
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2007
- Messages
- 52
- Age
- 49
- City
- State College, PA
- Vehicle Year
- 1994
- Transmission
- Automatic
took me about 3 hours per side. I didn't do things the smartest way though.
The passenger side axle pivot bushing is near the drivers side frame rail and vice versa.
They cross over to make for a longer moment arm. There is probably a picture of a ttb suspension in the tech section.
Since your truck is from the eighties, I would consider having a grinder and new set of bolts on hand since if the bushings are really bad, its posible to get the bolt rust welded to the center metal piece of the bushing. (I had this when I replaced the spring eye bushings)
If you were only going to change the axle pivot and not the radius arm, you could probably take the bolt out and get enough room with a crow bar. I don' t know which replacement bushings you are planning to use. The rubber ones from autozone have the metal sleave molded on and need a ball joint tool to press out the old bushing . I used the james duff poly bushings and cooked the old ones out with a torch. Much easier, you have to be careful not to catch the rest of the truck on fire as well as make sure you get the old metal sleave nice and clean before you put the new poly bushing in to prevent it getting stuck, also grease the new one(poly only) very heavily before shoving it in or it will probably squeak.
The passenger side axle pivot bushing is near the drivers side frame rail and vice versa.
They cross over to make for a longer moment arm. There is probably a picture of a ttb suspension in the tech section.
Since your truck is from the eighties, I would consider having a grinder and new set of bolts on hand since if the bushings are really bad, its posible to get the bolt rust welded to the center metal piece of the bushing. (I had this when I replaced the spring eye bushings)
If you were only going to change the axle pivot and not the radius arm, you could probably take the bolt out and get enough room with a crow bar. I don' t know which replacement bushings you are planning to use. The rubber ones from autozone have the metal sleave molded on and need a ball joint tool to press out the old bushing . I used the james duff poly bushings and cooked the old ones out with a torch. Much easier, you have to be careful not to catch the rest of the truck on fire as well as make sure you get the old metal sleave nice and clean before you put the new poly bushing in to prevent it getting stuck, also grease the new one(poly only) very heavily before shoving it in or it will probably squeak.
Natedog
Well-Known Member
Don't remove the original outer metal bushing shell, this will be re-used.....the new bushings just slide inside of it.
What is the best brand urethane bushing to replace these with James Duff, Energy Suspension, or? Looked online and Energy shows some of the Ranger axle pivot bushings going into an oval hole in the suspension arm....IIRC they are all round holes like the James Duff site shows?
http://www.jamesduff.com/broncoII/bodylifts.html
Last edited:
Dan R
Active Member
Radius arm bushings workout
I have been wrastling with the LH side all afternoon.
Disconnecting the pivot and radius bolts together is the way to go. Using tie downs on the beam and radius arm will keep the beam suspended and maneuverable with the help of a jack for the radius arm bushings and pivot bearings.
Otherwise you are trying to manhandle this heavy lump. You know how I know.
Curiously, the Moog poly bushings are thicker than the original rubber ones.
Did they compress with age?
The Ford stiff nuts are hard to turn. I will replace the 3/4" coarse nuts with nyloc lock nuts. On the RH side beside the exhaust I will add thread lock.
Dan
I have been wrastling with the LH side all afternoon.
Disconnecting the pivot and radius bolts together is the way to go. Using tie downs on the beam and radius arm will keep the beam suspended and maneuverable with the help of a jack for the radius arm bushings and pivot bearings.
Otherwise you are trying to manhandle this heavy lump. You know how I know.
Curiously, the Moog poly bushings are thicker than the original rubber ones.
Did they compress with age?
The Ford stiff nuts are hard to turn. I will replace the 3/4" coarse nuts with nyloc lock nuts. On the RH side beside the exhaust I will add thread lock.
Dan
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