Axle Pivot Bushings, how do I remove?

[Anime]

Finally getting to the pivot bushings after 3 years? I still haven't done these on mine either.

The flange faces the front of the vehicle on both beams, same as the factory bushings.

The larger "O" bushing that's wrapped around the sleeve in the pic goes around the smaller diameter part of the bushing in the rear, presumably to provide some cushion or just fill in the gap between the beam and the bracket. It's probably not even necessary but they include it so you might as well use it.

Also, if you don't have all the bushings yet, Explorer Express now has the 91-94 Energy Suspension kit on clearance for a nice price.

 

[swshawaii]

Anyone have thoughts on these? Seems like they would be more durable than
replacing exposed bushings and sleeves, even though they're rubber, not poly.

http://www.autoandtrucksprings.com/catalog/Ford_Rubber_Encased_Leaf_Spring_Bushings-186-1.html

Oops sorry, OP was axle pivot bushings, NOT spring eye. Opinions anyway?

 

[Anime]

I wouldn't replace the bushings with OE style sleeved rubber ones, unless there was some particular reason I absolutely needed to go with rubber over poly. The rubber ones don't last as long, and they are softer. This can be good in terms of comfort, but most of us who are replacing bushings are going for the slight increase in handling the firmer poly allows. Based on what I've seen on the condition of rubber bushings and body mounts after 10-15 years and 200K, I likely won't ever use rubber for a replacement.

I also wouldn't want to go through the hassle of removing the sleeved bushings AGAIN, those leaf spring eye bushings were a bear to remove, had to use an industrial strength press to squeeze them out, and saw out the sleeve. No thanks, I'll stick with just popping out the slip-in polys and slipping in new ones from now on.

 

[swshawaii]

Anime- As always, thanks for your great advice.

 

[SwaintaN]

lol yea years later im getting around to it.. just never felt like taking axle off, since im about to swap axles i figured i would do it to this one before it left the back of the cargo area.

All of mine are polys, from the Sway Bar, Sway Bar Links, Leaf Packs, now gonna do the axle pivots and shackle frame bushings next to.

If your gonna do it a bushing swap, might as well spend the little bit more to do polys.

Thinking about doing body mount bushings as well, saw some of mine were pretty much pancaked, i found a few different set ups, moog blue and energy red

 

[Anime]

The shackle bushing in the frame is another one that's a bear to do. I'd suggest spraying it with penetrant between the frame and the sleeve on both sides every so often, well before you actually try to remove it. Seems the steel piece on the inside of the frame isn't very strong, and if you try to bang or press the bushing out and it's stuck, you'll bend/crush that piece in.

The light blue body mounts are made by Daystar for James Duff, haven't seen any by Moog or anything else. I got the best price on the Daystar kit through 4WheelParts, they often run 10-15% off sales, and the kit has free shipping.

Be prepared to replace/upgrade the hardware when you do the body bushings:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122116

 

[SwaintaN]

i read that, i dont plan on doing any kind of body lift, just replace the stuff, i know i would need to replace the bolts as well, is there any other brands out there? all i can find now is black ones...

 

[Anime]

There aren't really any other brands for Explorer-specific body mounts, and it wouldn't be worth it cost-wise to try and make up a kit from other brands since they'd lack the 4 wider body mounts w/inserts the Explorer uses as well.

Daystar does make them in Black, Red, and even Yellow. Just replace the color code at the end with the right suffix:

KF04009BK - Black
KF04009RE - Red
KF04009YL - Yellow

The Black ones are the easiest to get, and so are probably going to be the most available and lowest priced. Bigger stores like Summit and Jeg's seem to be able to order the Red/Yellow, though, if you wanted to. Maybe they'd even match 4WheelParts's price even though they only have the black ones.

 

[SwaintaN]

yeah i want red preferred.. im a show off dick, when i replace the bushings i want them to be seen...

 

[Anime]

If you really want to show off, maybe your should paint/POR15 some stuff as well:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155311

 

[SwaintaN]

yeah i have FourSports axle laying in the cargo, the RAs are coming off and being extended, gonna try to find a local powder coater, the sway bar and a few other things are going to J Smith to be powder coated in Toxic green. The rest of the axle, i have 2 gallons of POR15 and 2 Gallons of Roll on bed liner that can be painted, itll go lime green, project after this is the rear axle, then im looking at body mount bushings, then por15 and bed liner the underbody and frame.

Im actually buying a house right now, and ill FINALLY have a garage to start work in, once I have my own garage its game on!