Body Bushing

[HELMUT RONER]

Valas1969 suggested to me that using a piece of 1/2 inch conduit would work in separating the D-mount shells apart if they didn't come apart on their own after removing the bolt. I'm sure the need will vary from one Sport Trac to the next. I bought a piece of conduit just in case I'd need it, but I didn't for my passenger side. I never finished my driver side. Still have the factory bushing back there. Go to the hardware store and get about 3 feet of 1/2 conduit. Like a gun, it's best to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

 

[KajunBndit]

Thank you HELMUT RONER!

 

[KajunBndit]

Well my bolts hadn't arrived today but the sale person had told me it will be tomorrow. When I had gotten home, I had decided to look under the truck to look at the body bushings. I am so glad that I will be replacing them soon but I found it odd that I haven't heard any clunking or felt any hard knocks. I have pictures that I am trying to upload to explorerforum.com now. I believe that the hardware will be good to use again. Like I said earlier, I waiting on the new bolts to come in.

 

[swshawaii]

Body mount shells look solid and reusable. Wire brush and paint them if you're not pressed for time. From your pics, appears it's the usual "B" and "C" MCU foam mounts that are dry rotting. If you're certain the bolts are correct and
coming in, get started by loosening the seats and accessing the bolts from inside. Break them free using a propane
torch on the bolt tips to soften the factory thread lock from below. Lot's of people here with body mount experience,
just ask. GL

 

[KajunBndit]

Thank you swshawaii, The D bushing looks great, but I am going to change them anyway to match the color of the red ones that I have now. I got the propane torch, I just need to find myself a large vice grip plyer. I was thinking about starting tomorrow as it is getting late here in the mainland, lmbo. I do plan of wire brushing them and bought a can of black gloss spray paint, another thing I need to get is some silicone grease. May I add you to my friends list???

 

[01STrunner]

I found that a 2ft pipe wrench and a 2nd set of hands worked best for holding the pucks while unbolting them. Lot less stress on yourself compared to holding vise grips clamping down vertically instead of circumferentially.

 

[KajunBndit]

Good evening 01STRunner, well, LOLOL, my wife said she would help me. You have to see her to see why I am laughing. High maintenance, light weight, but has a big heart, I love that woman. LOL I will see how far I get, I may have to call a 3rd pair of hands. do you think 24 inch pipe wrench will do on the D pucks? I am thinking it might work, if not I will have to go and get a big vice grips. I have a 24 inch, 36, and 48 inch pipe wrench.

 

[01STrunner]

Go for the biggest one that will grip them. That way the handle sticks out further from under the truck and she'll have more leverage to hold against it.

 

[koda2000]

I found that fairly large (long) vice grips braced against the frame enabled me to do the job w/out anyone helping me. If I had to depend on my wife's help I would have just killed myself instead. I tried a pipe wrench, but found the vice grips worked better. Used an impact wrench on bolt heads, heated the bottom tips of bolts with my MAP torch for about 20 seconds and sprayed a bit of penetrant up on the threads. As you may recall, I didn't bother with the "D" mounts, as I saw no point and I couldn't have cared less about having matching colors on my body mounts (and I admit to being a bit OCD about things). The mud will make them match soon enough. I found a difficult part was torquing the bolts down to the recommended settings, as they seem to compress forever and provide a lot of resistance. I found that if you don't torque them to spec they will clunk. I also found that trying to torque the "A" bolts to their setting was beginning to bend the thin washer supplied, so I pulled the washers off my OE "A" mounts (with heat) and doubled up. Maybe I should have torqued the "A" nuts instead of the bolts... ?

I also did not bother with lubing the new bushings or applying thread locker to the bolts. They don't squeak and there's no way those bolts will be coming loose. Per the Prothane instructions, I plan to go back and re-torque the bolts in a few thousand miles.

This is one of those jobs that is pretty easy once you've done it once. When I did my second side it went much easier. Good luck.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Please use locktite on the new bolts and it helps to save the Pollyanna bushings if you lube the top and bottom surfaces that touch anything. Not to just reduce squeaking but so they don't seize to the metal, especially in the sleeves.

When I do my bushings with the polls I plan on welding a piece of angle iron from the frame to the lower cups instead of using a pipe wrench or vise grips again, doing the bodylift on mine years ago by myself and then helping Valas do his bushings and bodylift at the same time I've learned my lesson with those damn lower cups. LOL

 

[KajunBndit]

Thank you 01STRunner, Koda, and midnightrebel. Well, I did start early this morning getting the battery out, the battery box and even gotten the nut loosen and off but I put it back on a few threads. My wife comes out to me and tells me the air conditioner isn't cooling. I know what the problem is already, we have a heat pump system and sometimes air needs to be purged from the system, a all day affair. The question I now have is, do I unscrew the bolt from A section or do I tap it out, and do I need to lift the front shell to do that. Thanks in advance!.

 

[HELMUT RONER]

I never took my battery out when I removed my front left body mount. I just put a closed-end wrench on the nut and unscrewed the bolt from underneath.

The bolt head is 15mm.

When undoing the front bolts you should use and air wrench or impact gun. Doing this by hand is a major pain. At this point is the reason why I say have those 2 new bolts available because here it will vary from one Trac to another. Your treads may be so chewed up and gone that the old bolt won't come out and you may find yourself cutting it out. Now if yours do come out don't reuse them if the threads are worn away.

 

[koda2000]

I didn't take out my battery. You just need to is a long ratchet extension (or a couple of them) put down the round holes in the radiator core support to hold the nut on the "A" bushing bolt. Once the nut is off the bolt just pulls out.

 

[KajunBndit]

Thank you HELMUT RONER and koda, I found that out when I had tried to put a socket on the bolt koda, I was saying to myself there has to be a better way and I was looking around and front the hole @ the top of the radiator core support. I have to get myself a 15mm socket, I don't have one. when I lift one side up supporting the bottom of the cab, will it bring up the front end as well or do I need to support the front end separately? Thank you for all the information.

 

[KajunBndit]

What are the size of the bolt head on the interior cab? 12mm or 13mm? I may have to get sockets for them as well.

 

[swshawaii]

SIX point standard length works best. Thread the bolt about 1/2" from above into the lower bushing. Before
hammering the bolt to separate the bushings, put the socket on the extension to prevent slipping or damage.

 

[KajunBndit]

Thank you! I just order deep well impact sockets from sears and already there for me to pick up, which I will after church tomorrow.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

If you have a harbor freight near you save a lot of money on tools. Their electric impact gun is probably the best investment I've made. I use the hell out of that thing and it's never failed.

 

[KajunBndit]

There is one near New Orleans, but it is 70 miles away MidnightRebel.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

You can order tools, etc... from them online and get it shipped to your house.