Body bushing help

[Salty Dalt]

I have been working to replace the body bushings and hardware in positions A, B and C. Does body bushing D have to be loosensed to have clearance to remove and install hardware and bushings in other positions? If it does need to be loosened, any tips on how to hold bottom piece from spinning. The whole bushing rotates when I try to loosen it. I don't want to damage the bushing on position D with pliers, that one is in good condition.

 

[koda2000]

I didn't touch my "D" bushings when I replaced my A, B and C bushings. if you remove the bolts from both sides A, B and C you should be able to lift each side to replace those bushings. I used floor jacks and some scrap pieces of 4x4. If you have the factory running boards they're a good lift point. I'd removed mine so I went under the body with the 4x4's.

There is a trick to removing the D bushings. IIRC they have a clip that needs to be released from inside the truck.

I found it difficult to torque the bolts after installing the new bushings because they compress a lot. 59 foot pounds for B and C, 41 foot pounds for A. Then after a month or so you're supposed to recheck the torque. I never have.

I found the new bushings made a HUGE difference in ride quality.

 

[Salty Dalt]

I didn't touch my "D" bushings when I replaced my A, B and C bushings. if you remove the bolts from both sides A, B and C you should be able to lift each side to replace those bushings. I used floor jacks and some scrap pieces of 4x4. If you have the factory running boards they're a good lift point. I'd removed mine so I went under the body with the 4x4's.

There is a trick to removing the D bushings. IIRC they have a clip that needs to be released from inside the truck.

I found it difficult to torque the bolts after installing the new bushings because they compress a lot. 59 foot pounds for B and C, 41 foot pounds for A. Then after a month or so you're supposed to recheck the torque. I never have.

I found the new bushings made a HUGE difference in ride quality.

Is the Explorer that you have a different design for the body bushings? I thought they had 5 bushings on each side. It seems when I try to lift the truck body up without loosening bushing D, the jack almost presses through the floor.

 

[koda2000]

It's a 2001 Sport Trac (the Explorer with the small pickup bed on the back). You posted your question in the Sport Trac sub-forum. Your spec's say "2001 Explorer Sport Trac" do you not have a Sport Trac?

2001 Sport Trac:

 

[ptf18]

Koda.... that is a NICE looking S/T. How do you keep the lower plastic trim so fit?

 

[koda2000]

Koda.... that is a NICE looking S/T. How do you keep the lower plastic trim so fit?

Thanks. Grey bumper paint.

 

[Salty Dalt]

It's a 2001 Sport Trac (the Explorer with the small pickup bed on the back). You posted your question in the Sport Trac sub-forum. Your spec's say "2001 Explorer Sport Trac" do you not have a Sport Trac?

2001 Sport Trac:

Yes, I do have a Sport Trac. I thought you were basing your body bushings off of the Explorer in your profile picture, which I thought had 5 on each side. Are you supposed to only do one side at a time? I have removed bolts for A, B, and C, but when trying to jack the body up enough, it seems like it is starting to lift the frame, and looks like it might damage the floor, with a 4x4 block of wood. It's not necessary to loosen bushing D?

 

[swshawaii]

Unlike koda2000, I had to remove the "D" bushing bolts for lift clearance to R&R the forward bushings. Using a torch on the bolt tips from below to soften the overused blue factory threadlock makes this job much easier. Hopefully the lower bushings won't spin. If that happens you may need large channel locks to hold the bottom bushing. Impact wrench is also a big help.

 

[swshawaii]

There is a trick to removing the D bushings. IIRC they have a clip that needs to be released from inside the truck.

Here's the locking metal tabs on the lower "D" bushing koda's referring to if you want to R&R them.
Body Mount Bushings

 

[koda2000]

Unlike koda2000, I had to remove the "D" bushing bolts for lift clearance to R&R the forward bushings. Using a torch on the bolt tips from below to soften the overused blue factory threadlock makes this job much easier. Hopefully the lower bushings won't spin. If that happens you may need large channel locks to hold the bottom bushing. Impact wrench is also a big help.

+1 on heating the bottom of the bolts to break the Ford thread locker loose and it really helps to use an impact on the bolts. I used a pipe wrench to hold some of my bushings and a large pair of vise-grips to hold others. I tried doing one side at a time, but I wasn't getting enough lift of the body. I think if you loosen/remove the bolts from both sides (positions A B and C) you should be able to lift both sides at the same time and pivot the body off the D bushings. It wasn't until I got one side done until I realized trying to on side at a time was making the job much harder than it needed to be.

Tip: For the B bushing on the driver's side the parking brake cable was in the way. I didn't feel like figuring out how to undo the cable but I found by leaving the parking brake OFF I was able to use a hammer handle to move the cable out of my way.

Stephen, What's the trick for loosening/removing the D bushings? I recall there's a clip you need to release down in the hole in the floor. (Never mind I see you already provided the info, while I was typing). I haven't heard from you in a while, have you been following my SOHC engine removal and tear-down threads?

 

[swshawaii]

I just removed the bolts and didn't replace the rubber "D" bushings because they were still in good condition.
Thread I linked mentions using 1/2" conduit from inside to compress the tabs.

BTW Phil, great to see your engine rebuild coming along. Glad you're feeling better and doing OK.

 

[Salty Dalt]

+1 on heating the bottom of the bolts to break the Ford thread locker loose and it really helps to use an impact on the bolts. I used a pipe wrench to hold some of my bushings and a large pair of vise-grips to hold others. I tried doing one side at a time, but I wasn't getting enough lift of the body. I think if you loosen/remove the bolts from both sides (positions A B and C) you should be able to lift both sides at the same time and pivot the body off the D bushings. It wasn't until I got one side done until I realized trying to on side at a time was making the job much harder than it needed to be.

Tip: For the B bushing on the driver's side the parking brake cable was in the way. I didn't feel like figuring out how to undo the cable but I found by leaving the parking brake OFF I was able to use a hammer handle to move the cable out of my way.

Stephen, What's the trick for loosening/removing the D bushings? I recall there's a clip you need to release down in the hole in the floor. (Never mind I see you already provided the info, while I was typing). I haven't heard from you in a while, have you been following my SOHC engine removal and tear-down threads?

Do you risk the body misaligning by removing both sides? How do you know if it has happened? I removed both for A. B and C are non existent on both sides, so no support there. I think my truck body might have moved when trying to lift one side.

 

[koda2000]

If the body moves the bolts wont go in straight. If the D bolts are still in I don't see how the body can move very much. Of all the threads and comments I've read on this forum regarding bushing replacement I've never read anything about body misalignment being an issue. I think you may be over-thinking this job.

 

[Salty Dalt]

If the body moves the bolts wont go in straight. If the D bolts are still in I don't see how the body can move very much. Of all the threads and comments I've read on this forum regarding bushing replacement I've never read anything about body misalignment being an issue. I think you may be over-thinking this job.

Good point, and I've just put off doing this project for so long, I want to make sure I have all the information I need to just get it done. Thanks for the help everyone.