radius arm bushings - that was fun!

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

got new tires yesterday, today i replaced front brake rotors, wheel bearings, pads and radius arm bushings.

MAJOR improvement in ride quality from the radius arm bushings. i used to get beat up over bumps and now its extremely smooth

if your bushings are rotten and worn out i recommend you spend some time to replace them, it was kind of a pain in the ass but it was worth it!

 

[mp3deviant721]

How'd you go about doing yours? I was going to do mine soon.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

How'd you go about doing yours? I was going to do mine soon.

i removed the brake calipers, removed the lower bolt from the shocks and lowered the i-beam down as far as possible, then removed the nuts off the radius arm and used a come-along to pull the arm out of the hole.

replaced the bushing and used the come-along to pull it back into place while lining the bushing up and installing the nut.

note: you have to have the truck jacked up really high and MUST support the i-beam when you first take the shock bolt off, the shock is what keeps the coil spring from flying out under high pressure. i did mine on a lift so i didn't have to jack it up.

you'll need a large pry-bar to help line the arms up

 

[AllanD]

The coil spring doesn't ever "come flying out" of a ranger, it's bolted to the beam.

But it can "hop out" of the upper spring seat, if it does you can usually push it back in BY HAND.

there's Not a whole lot of preload at full droop.

AD

 

[doorgunner]

Sounds ike my problem.....a lot of jarring on potholes....one rubber bushing has 1/4" slack/dryrotted....the other side isn't much better....both wheels have about 9* of rake....

StupiEd question......will replacing the rubber bushings bring the rake back into specs.?????????

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Sounds ike my problem.....a lot of jarring on potholes....one rubber bushing has 1/4" slack/dryrotted....the other side isn't much better....both wheels have about 9* of rake....

StupiEd question......will replacing the rubber bushings bring the rake back into specs.?????????

No, the springs with who knows how many miles on them get whooped after awhile, and your V8 probably isn't helping much.

 

[2000prerunner]

Another option (a lot more $$ tho..) is welding up a threaded bung into the radius arm and using a heim joint. The stock mount obviously has to go and you need a new radius arm mount to bolt up to, or welded up to, the frame ( I welded mine). This virtually eliminates any bind and you have the ability to adjust wheel base a bit (via the threaded heim). Keep the joint dry and they will last.

something like this: http://www.desertrides.com/features/vehicles/campbell7s/imagepages/DSC02889.php (not mine)

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Another option (a lot more $$ tho..) is welding up a threaded bung into the radius arm and using a heim joint. The stock mount obviously has to go and you need a new radius arm mount to bolt up to, or welded up to, the frame ( I welded mine). This virtually eliminates any bind and you have the ability to adjust wheel base a bit (via the threaded heim). Keep the joint dry and they will last.

something like this: http://www.desertrides.com/features/vehicles/campbell7s/imagepages/DSC02889.php (not mine)

For a daily driven, street oriented truck the bushings work fine.

And you would be hard pressed to keep those dry around here, a couple days ago they would have been caked in a ice/salt/sand mix.

 

[heptofite]

i just chocked the wheels and unbolted the bracket with a jack under the radius arm, and lowered the arm and bracket with all four tires still on the ground.

then unbolted the arm from the bracket, pulled the old bushings, popped in the new ones, and jacked the bracket back up.

15 minutes per side.

 

[exbass94]

I used the "grind the rivets off and remove the radius arm brackets" method.

 

[doorgunner]

A lot of good ideas......thanks men......I'll do this like I did the ring&pinion swap.......I combine all the ideas.......

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

The coil spring doesn't ever "come flying out" of a ranger, it's bolted to the beam.

But it can "hop out" of the upper spring seat, if it does you can usually push it back in BY HAND.

there's Not a whole lot of preload at full droop.

AD

better safe than sorry. why would i tell somebody to remove the shock bolt and NOT warn of spring pressure? that would just be irresponsible

i just chocked the wheels and unbolted the bracket with a jack under the radius arm, and lowered the arm and bracket with all four tires still on the ground.

then unbolted the arm from the bracket, pulled the old bushings, popped in the new ones, and jacked the bracket back up.

15 minutes per side.

I used the "grind the rivets off and remove the radius arm brackets" method.

i would have done this, but i didn't have replacement bolts on hand. job had to be done by the end of the day cause i was driving it home

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I used the "grind the rivets off and remove the radius arm brackets" method.

Airchisel if you have one is the easiest way.