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Body mount bushing removal

Scott B.

Explorer Addict
Joined
February 15, 1999
Messages
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City, State
GA
Year, Model & Trim Level
'93 Ranger XLT
I am in the process of replacing the body mounts on my truck, and have a question.

How do I (easily) separate the metal (mushroom shaped) washers that surround the rubber bushings?

The bolts are loose, and I am able to push on the bolt to loosen the lower washer - but, the lower washer will not separate from the upper.

I cut one of the lowers, but really don't want to have to cut the rest.

There has to be a trick...

Thanks.
 



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The rubber is bonded to the washers. Did you get replacement rubber? I replaced the 2 front upper mounts when I did my body lift and he rubber and washer came as one piece.
 






I have all new pieces - rubber bushings and metal washers. Since the truck is 19 years old, I didn't think it would be worth it to try and re-use any of the old parts.
 






How much were the new Body Mounts?
 












Usually the entire assembly is too rusted together to do anything but try and hack the whole thing to bits trying to remove it.

Ideally, you can loosen the bolt, insert it some from the bottom, and use a punch to pound away from the top and seperate the bottom piece. It's possible you could still do it with rusted pieces, if the rust has weakened them enough that the bottom will break off, or perhaps with some spray penetrant squirted into the middle of the bushing where the top and bottom metal center tubes meet each other. It may take awhile of this, pounding on each bushing every so often before they eventually loosen and come out.

It's usually possible to save the top piece and just cut up the bottom, then just replace it with a washer under the new bushing. Really the best setup is a new top washer, new metal spacer in the middle, and bottom washer, all Grade 8 stuff, and using 1/2" Grade 8 bolts instead of the stock M12 10.9 hardware. Seems expensive but it's a lot less than what the rubber mounts and hardware cost from Ford, is stronger, and will be easier to remove in the future.
 






I ended up having to cut 4 of them. The front ones are a different design, and just popped out.

I cut the rubber bushing away from the retainer, giving me a little more room to get the cut off wheel in there.

I was surprised how much corrosion was on the retainer under the bushing.

A pain in the butt job, but now the cab sits 1/2" higher!
 






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