Radius arm crossmember replaced!

[heptofite]

So, i replaced my driver's side radius arm crossmember, and i can't believe how complicated some of the writeups on this are.

all i had to do was put a jack against the arm where it meets the bucket, get it snug, remove the bolt from the back of the arm, unbolt the bracket itself with an impact, then let the jack down, the arm drops, you slide the old bracket and bushings off, slide the new ones on, jack the arm back up, replace the bolts, and you're done.

Then i saw a thread on explorer forms involving multiple jackstands, two people, and a hunk of angle iron.

Man, i need to take pictures and write a tech article on this when i do the other side.

 

[Shran]

On the '86 Bronco II in your information?

I'm assuming not, because the radius arm crossmember on those is all once piece.

And it's riveted onto the frame, so you have to grind the rivets off and replace with bolts.. and remove the sway bar... and some other stuff.

If you had it that easy, then that's great but most of the time it is a pain in the dick, not because it's hard, just because it's time consuming.

 

[heptofite]

uh, the sway bar is nowhere near the radius arm crossmember, and mine was bolted.

it's a two peice unit, identical to what's on exploders or rangers, napa carries them.

this thing.

 

[martin]

I'll bet you don't live in the rust belt.

 

[heptofite]

Nein, Tejas

 

[AllanD]

The Bronco2 uses the same two piece arraingment as Rangers up to the end of 1997 and explorers through 1994.

HOWEVER, Rangers from 1983-88 (except late '87 STX and all 1988 STX "HighRider" models) mounted their sway bar not to the fraome in front of the axle but "hidden" inside the square channel in the radius arm crossmember and INSIDE the radius arms.

AD

 

[adsm08]

His brackets have also been off at some point prior to this replacement. We spent a day or so a few months ago trying to decide is it had any lift already because the buckets were bolted on, not riveted.
It only took so long because the truck is in Texas and I'm in PA.

 

[Shran]

uh, the sway bar is nowhere near the radius arm crossmember, and mine was bolted.

it's a two peice unit, identical to what's on exploders or rangers, napa carries them.



this thing.

Never seen a 2 piece on a 1st gen. So,

What Allan said. Except:

My '87 Bronco II had a one piece that was riveted to the frame. Don't think I saved it after I did the lift, but I can look if anybody wants proof.

 

[heptofite]

huh, napa ONLY lists the two peice unit with the four bolts that connect it in the middle.

um, ya'll are aware i'm talking about the buckets the radius arms bolt to where it hooks to the frame, right?

 

[Shran]

huh, napa ONLY lists the two peice unit with the four bolts that connect it in the middle.

um, ya'll are aware i'm talking about the buckets the radius arms bolt to where it hooks to the frame, right?

Yeah, I know what piece you're talking about.

Weird. I'm sure they are all interchangeable. I looked through my pile of suspension parts tonight and I guess I must have thrown my old crossmember away.

 

[Lee_533]

Ya...what are you suppose to exchange it with? I have the one piece on my 83...but my lift comes with a two piece bracket set up with no crossmember...my sway bar connects to the inside of each radius arm and the arm brackets are one piece with a crossmember in the middle that bolts to the sway bar....do I need the cross member? or can I just use the two piece? please HELP!!!!!!

 

[straycat]

So, i replaced my driver's side radius arm crossmember, and i can't believe how complicated some of the writeups on this are.

all i had to do was put a jack against the arm where it meets the bucket, get it snug, remove the bolt from the back of the arm, unbolt the bracket itself with an impact, then let the jack down, the arm drops, you slide the old bracket and bushings off, slide the new ones on, jack the arm back up, replace the bolts, and you're done.

Then i saw a thread on explorer forms involving multiple jackstands, two people, and a hunk of angle iron.

Man, i need to take pictures and write a tech article on this when i do the other side.

Good on 'ya, mate!!! Now come down here and help me do anything I want on my Ranger....build my roof basket to custom size for my roof rack....lol



Straycat