For all those considering Radius Arm bushing replacement..

[TNR]

If you're feeling a clunk on braking or deep potholes, be sure to check your lower transmission mount!!!

I was damn sure I needed RAB's, but after checking them, 5 hours, even when they were just bolted in, I found out they were fine. save yourself some time and check this first, I found out my tranny mount was bad and it has symptoms VERY similar to RAB's....

Hope this saves someone some time.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Good information.

-Drew

 

[410Fortune]

The factory transmission and engine mounts wear out, the transmission mount wears out quickly. It is a weak piece of rubber GLUED to metal, the rubber cracks and twists and breaks.

Easy to replace, easy to upgrade to urethane as well.

Bad mounts = twisting drivetrain and a crappy ride.

 

[TNR]

The factory transmission and engine mounts wear out, the transmission mount wears out quickly. It is a weak piece of rubber GLUED to metal, the rubber cracks and twists and breaks.

Easy to replace, easy to upgrade to urethane as well.

Bad mounts = twisting drivetrain and a crappy ride.

The funny thing? I replaced the tranny mount, and now I have a new noise. When I break, I hear a creaking coming from the drivers side left front, but no more clunking or bangs near the floor pans

 

[Ihatemyxploder]

Hey TNR, did it make a clunking sound when you started the engine?
I get a vibrating clunk on start-up that goes away instantly. I checked all the front end parts and they seem to be tight. Motor mounts seem fine also. I was gonna check my brakes, but am waiting until it warms up a bit.
Thanks Dude.

 

[rocco123]

Pics??

 

[edhand]

So how do I figure out which one is causing the problems with out just replacing stuff?

 

[Vanquish502]

Lean out the window and roll slowly, and keep hitting the brakes hard. It the front tire shutters and/or moves in any other direction than roll, your RABs are done.

 

[big_hoovie]

My passenger side RAB is pretty easy to tell it's shot - The bushing itself is about 3 or 4 inches to the front of the frame peice, which has a hole that is egg shaped...ya, I'm going to have to say that it's no good

 

[TNR]

Hey TNR, did it make a clunking sound when you started the engine?
I get a vibrating clunk on start-up that goes away instantly. I checked all the front end parts and they seem to be tight. Motor mounts seem fine also. I was gonna check my brakes, but am waiting until it warms up a bit.
Thanks Dude.

No, I had no clunking sound upon startup, I had clunks here:
1> when hitting deep potholes that caused lateral movement of the front tires
2> hitting multiple potholes in a row (every street in new britain basically )
3> stopping hard
4> accellerating hard
5> loading the front end then unloading rapidly (speed bumps)

 

[TNR]

Pics??

I'll take some tonight.

 

[TNR]

My passenger side RAB is pretty easy to tell it's shot - The bushing itself is about 3 or 4 inches to the front of the frame peice, which has a hole that is egg shaped...ya, I'm going to have to say that it's no good

Yeah, that would be a sure sign. LOL
But while you're under there, take a look at that tranny mount. The rubber rips apart and you can usually see the two metal peices making contact.

 

[TNR]

So how do I figure out which one is causing the problems with out just replacing stuff?

Vanquish had a good idea, and if you can get the truck high enough to apply pressure to the tranny, do so. If you push upward on it, you should visibly see it move, and if you're looking at the mount, you'll see the two peices come together. If all is well, you really shouldn't be able to move it at all. (Very stiff rubber)

 

[Vanquish502]

If the truck is on the ground, don't bother even trying to wiggle the radius arms in the crossmember. They wont move unless the bushing is seriously, seriously shot.