RA Bushings

duff · October 6, 2004

Planning to do them real soon. Looking at the frame, I'm trying to figure out where the best place to put the jack stands so it's safe and they're out of the way. This is a 92 4WD.

Thanks
Duff

duff · October 6, 2004

Forgot to say I'm dropping the suspension insted of grinding the rivits.

jim blair · October 10, 2004

hi duff,
i just replaced the radius arm bushings today using the method you described. i thought it would be easier to drop the axle than to grind out the rivits and this turned out to be correct.

to answer your question, i placed one jack stand on the frame rail just slightly to the rear of where the radius arm bracket hooks to the frame. i placed another jack stand under the frame rail right in front of the sway bar bushing just to be extra safe.

on page 0-12 of the haynes manual it gives a little info on jacking one up that might help you some.

when i replaced my bushings today it was the first time i have ever done this procedure so i allowed all day for it but it only took me about 5 hours to do it. this was outside laying on a gravel driveway and includes time i spent gathering tools up and stopping once for lunch.

if you dont have a come along you might want to get one. i was told it was the only way get the axle forward far enough to get the front bushing out and then to pull the radius arm back into the bracket with the new bushing on it. i cant imagine how i would have ever done it without the come along.

if you have any questions i can answer i will help while the memory of changiing mine is still fresh in my head. :exp:

Brock94 · October 10, 2004

I also changed my RA bushings without grinding the rivets. IMO, the only good reason to go to the trouble of grinding rivets is if you think you'll be changing the RA bushings again several times. I don't see a description of the procedure you intend to follow above (maybe it's in another thread or PM), but I pretty much followed the Haynes manual procedure-- remove springs, loosen TTB pivot bolt, etc.

I did not use a come-along. After the disassembly, I used a floor jack under the TTB to raise and lower it until I found the correct hieght for it to have enough movement for the RA to clear the frame bracket-- sorry I don't remember what that was.

I moved the TTB forward by lying under the side of the truck, grabbing a convenient piece of frame with my hands and pushing the TTB forward with my feet. Be really sure your jackstands are stable if you try this!

duff · October 21, 2004

Getting real close to doing this. Can someone tell me the size of the nut holding the spring down ? Also; How did you get to it ? Just an extention down inside the spring ?

Thanks

DeRocha · October 21, 2004

I would recommend a 1/2" drive 28mm 6pt DEEP impact socket... Many people will use a 1 1/8" which is close, but 28mm is the correct size and will fit on without any slop... You reach the nut from the top of the coil bucket; as such you will need several extensions. I can post some pics later tonight..

28mm is used on the Radius arm nut, the Coil spring retainer, and the upper and lower radius arm bolts that attach the RA to the TTB.

Note: I couldn't find a 28mm anywhere and ordered it on-line fromSK Handtools I would have ordered one from Snap-on but I couldn't locate a # to call...

duff · October 23, 2004

Five hours dicking with the passenger side and the only thing accomplished was breaking off the shock mount. Everything else came apart fine - coil spring, hanging the caliper..etc.

Mine is a 92 4WD. I do not see how you can pull the axel forward enough before it hits the frame. I raised and lower the axel and pried many times. When it hit the frame I still had more than an inch still in the cross member. When hanging it all the way down, I thought if I could pry it out, I wouldn't be able to get it back in. Did you guys drop the pivot bushing ? Or loosen the bolt and stud holding the arm ? I'm prety pissed right now !!!!!!

DeRocha · October 24, 2004

I feel your pain... It never seams to go a easy as you think.. I did not use the Haynes procedure to pull it forward (I ground the rivots off). Did you loosen the axle pivot bolt? I think I recall reading that others removed the axle pivot bolt completely (and possible the front drive shaft).

duff · October 24, 2004

Thanks John !

Couldn't find a deep 28mm. All the store had up to 27. The 1 1/8 was a good add to your post. That's what I bought. It fit fine.

I had to put it all back together because it's needed during the week. Now I have to decide how I'm going to try it next time. I pickd up the bushings from NAPA. They turned out to be hard poly. I didn't want to use them anyway.

I printed out the glue.umd.edu thread a while back. Lots of good info there. The dremel way sounds like a good idea. I'd Have to borrow one but I do have air tools. So I'm thinking of cutting a lot of slots in the heads, then chopping them off and driving them out with the air tools. What was your grinding experience ?

Joey P · October 24, 2004

Grind the rivets with a Makita or DeWalt angle grinder. 10 minutes per side max(did this to two explorers) Took it all apart and then put it back together and replaced the rivets with new grade 8 bolts. Not that hard and really don't have to remove that much to do them. I tired the dremel tool with a cutting blade and that took forever. I even had used the reinforced blades. Use an angle grinder with a grinding wheel. That will be the fastes way. Just remember to paint up the spots you hit on accident with some new paint or it'll start to rust. :thumbsup:

DeRocha · October 24, 2004

The Grinding method worked ok (it was the learning curve that took some time). To make the job fast you just need to get in there and grind down all 4 rivots flush (before even thinking about trying to hammer any out). After both the rivots and bolts have been removed you can grab one frame bracket at its end (where it meets the other bracket). You basically pry/lift the bracket off of the rivots (it comes right off). You can then use an air hammer or similar to drive the rivot out. I had initially made the mistake of grinding the rivots down and then trying to drive them out. The rivots barely moved using an air hammer (because the bracket and frame were holding them tight). I wasted an hour+ trying to drive the riviots out (of both the bracket and frame). Once I removed the bracket I was able use my air hammer to easily drive the rivots out of the frame.

I also had a slight problem removing the Radius Arm bracket Bolts. They really didn't want to move and I was worried I would round them off. I used one of my favorite tools to remove them. It is the specialized vice grip below $14 @ Sears..It's jaws conform to the fastener which minimizing rounding off. You can slip a cheater pipe over the handle and real go to town with force if you need to.

Check out some of these similiar threads:
Radius Arm Bushing thread
Radius Arm Bushing Thread 2

Dolphan · October 27, 2004

I bought Energy Suspension bushings from EE $29-35. After reading the time and horrer stories about the rivets I knew it would take me 6 hours. I had the local alignment shop install $144 to $40 for alignment.

Rhett · October 27, 2004

duff said:
Mine is a 92 4WD. I do not see how you can pull the axel forward enough before it hits the frame. I raised and lower the axel and pried many times. When it hit the frame I still had more than an inch still in the cross member. When hanging it all the way down, I thought if I could pry it out, I wouldn't be able to get it back in. Did you guys drop the pivot bushing ? Or loosen the bolt and stud holding the arm ? I'm prety pissed right now !!!!!!

Using that method, you really have to loosen the axle pivot bolt to get it to move enough to install the new bushings. Axle pivot = pain in the ____.

(That's why I have always used the grinding rivets method on my TTB trucks).

DeRocha · October 27, 2004

Dolphan said:
...I had the local alignment shop install $144 to $40 for alignment.

Wheres the fun in that... Don't you want to be under you truck for 6 hours inventing new $#%%^ words?

Glacier991 · October 27, 2004

I drilled my rivets. Used a center punch to make a mark, used a small drill to start a hole, then used a 1/2 inch drill down to the frame rail... then used an air chisel with a punch point bit and rapped that sucker outta there. Really pretty easy that way.

rocco123 · October 28, 2004

Same here Glacier. Why tear into the front end. I did see a guy in our hangar use a come-along to pull the RA away, but it sure took a lot of cranking to get the RA from the bracket

Glacier991 · October 28, 2004

I tried the come-along appraoch without success and it just felt like an unhealthy thing to do to the suspension in my view.... so for me, at least, drilling seems like a good way to go.

Rhett · October 28, 2004

and, once you drill and replace with rivets, you never have to do it again...
and, you can then change your RA bushings in under an hour.
and, if you ever install a lift, and get drop brackets and suchlike, it will be easier...

Glacier991 · October 28, 2004

"and, once you drill and replace with rivets"

I think Rhett means replace with grade 8 bolts! (g)

phatmanforya · October 30, 2004

i'm getting ready to do bushings too, and want to know what size bolt to get to replace to rivets

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