Need help with radius arms and rear leafs.

[cybor462]

Hi Guys

Knee deep into the 85 Ranger V8 swap and total restoration. As one would expect I have started on the frame first.

I ran into two problems so far.

#1 I replaced all shackle and leaf spring bushings and new clamps and cleaned and painted everything. When I got the clamps at the local spring shop they told me to torque the clamps to 100 ft lbs. I got them to 90 and bent the brackets and clamps. Yes my t wrench is accurate.

Should I be worried that they bent a tad? I will put up a pic. I was able to get the 90 the first time. The shop said to redo it in a couple days so I did. This is when this stuff happened. I wonder since now the bracket bent will it keep bending and causing the spring to get loose?

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f8...2/DSCF1362.jpg


#2 I am now working on the front suspension. I am replacing the radius arm bushings, axel pivot bushings, ball joints, well everything. I got to the pojnt of removing the radius arm and CANT remove the bolt that bolts it to the axle.
I was finally able to remove both as one (real pain) and took it over to my 12 ton press and it will not budge it. Any help would be appreciated. I want to clean, derust and paint all these and I think it will be a real pain to put it back in as one anyway.

Any help here would be a blessing. I need to press out the lower ball joint yet. I have a HF ball joint service kit it got the top one out but will not budge the bottom. I will use the 12 ton to do it when I get them seperated if I get them seperated.

 

[JamesC]

Im not sure what your referring to on the rear, but the front I had the same issues with on my 86, the axle to radius arm bolts I ended up just pounding out with a sledge hammer and I used a 3/4" impact gun to turn them to loosen them up a bit but then I had to get new bolts. for the ball joints I have found sometimes you need to pound on everything with a big hammer to get it apart or to sort of shock things loose then try the presses or even better use your ball joint press and leave it on tight then hammer around the area to see if it will pop free.

 

[cybor462]

Im not sure what your referring to on the rear, but the front I had the same issues with on my 86, the axle to radius arm bolts I ended up just pounding out with a sledge hammer and I used a 3/4" impact gun to turn them to loosen them up a bit but then I had to get new bolts. for the ball joints I have found sometimes you need to pound on everything with a big hammer to get it apart or to sort of shock things loose then try the presses or even better use your ball joint press and leave it on tight then hammer around the area to see if it will pop free.

The rear leaf clamps. If you peak at the pic I posted you will see the clamps are bent and so did the plate. That all happened at 90 ft lbs. The shop said 100 was the target but when I got to 90 this all happened. I need to try to determine if this will be ok or will it need to be redone. Those clamps are not cheap and I will have to try to get the plates straightened too.

If the general thought is that they will be ok I will leave them as is. If there is a good chance they will fail I will redo them.

The radius bolt, I was wondering if I took it to a shop with a larger press if that would be the way to go.
Do not really like beating on things and I really did already so I fear more will not do it.

 

[cybor462]

Well I was told the u bolts are perfect by the spring shop. They said they bent just enough to keep it from coming loose. Good job they told me.

SO I guess they will stay.

I have not been able to get the radius bolts out yet. Tried every trick I was told and still no luck. Any other suggestions?

I hope so as I need to get these out.

Thanks