Ok everybody the jobs done . Dont get me wrong, I like doing this kind of stuff I just didnt know what to expect when I took the RA nuts off, but once they are you get a further understanding of how and why the front suspension works.
I had to stand on a breaker bar to loosen them, but I guess they popped quick cause as I stated in a prior post AAmco hust have removed the bracket to gain acess to the trans. They put tiny little cheesey (but were G8) nuts on.
I also understand why some people use a come a long if they dont have to replace brackets, in order to remove my drivers side bracket I wedged a 2 x 4 between the RA and the frame and you can see the whole front axle assembly swinging foward, as I leveraged down. swingy swingy
I would like to add here a couple of things which I think will take some of the guesswork out of the job, and maybe make it just a bit easier on the next victi, er I mean guy.
This is for reassembly.
When putting the Grade 8 nuts in, I would wholehartedly suggest putting them in from the inside of the frame rails and putting the nuts on the outside. Maybe access is easier if your under a lift. But laying on the ground this is the way to go. I did read that here and its much easier to jack and fiddle with a tapered drift and to push the bolts from the backside out.
Also start with the lower side framerail bolt. Once in, it acts as a pivot point for the upper bolt hole and makes it an up and down positioning type thing, rather than up and down and foward and back Lower bolt first!
Since the larger under frame rail bolts are longer, I would suggest putting the lower one in, and reusing the stock double connected nut, and just turning it enough to grab and hold it, It will lock by itself.
Once this is done, go ahead and tighten the two Grade 8's on the side of the frame rail. Its much easier to do without the longer underframe bolts sticking up and in the way of a wrench and wratchet. BTW, I used a wratchet on the drivers side, and a stubby wrench (on the inside of the frame rails) on the passenger side.
Once these are tightened, you can then twist the partially threaded bolt and locate the other half of the connected nut over the second hole when you put the second bolt in.
I also stuck 2 bolts in the center bracket just to make sure I didnt have to pry and locate the bolts later. (If those easy things gave me a hard time then it would have been all the excuse I needed to give the body a massage with a 4lb. sledge)
Thats about it, those bolts going back in take all the time to finesse, I never got under my truck once, did everything from the sides. Had to get up and down alot though.
The passengers side was totally shot, bracket reamed and cracked and half of the bushing missing, it was metal to metal.
Only put one shoulder bolt back on not 2, cause before I tightened it to 115 lbs., it looked as if I wouldnt be down on the threads enough, but there is. Oh well.
Truck rides much better, no death clunk and no problem hitting potholes now.
Thanks for all the help here. Next project: War15's and front 2" skyjacker springs. Also ordered one of those cargo carriers for the roof, just to be cool. hey you cant see those bushings!
