Radius arm bushings... WHAT A PAIN!

[DeRocha]

Sorry Curt but I can't make it to your place this weekend. It will be MUCH easier to take both brackets off at once rather than trying to do just one side. When trying to get only one side off the other attached side gets in the way. Just grind down all rivets at one time, then remove all bolts, then use the bracket as it's own source of leverage and pry it of. (grab the end of the bracket (where it meets the other bracket)...

 

[Curt]

Famous Radius Arm Bushings

OK!!!!! I got my passenger side bracket off. I need to replace it because I ovaled the hole that the RA goes through. THANK GOD FOR AIR HAMMERS!!!!! Those rivets are gone. My question now is the RA itself. It has a little wear in the pin that goes through the bracket. I would expect everyone to say replace it, but wait. I don't do any hardcore off roading. Just the occasional trip to the mountains to ski. What do you think?

Oh yeah. Where should I get my parts? Dealer? Schucks? Al's Auto Supply?

Curt "Happy as hell I got those rivets out!" T.

 

[410Fortune]

wouldnt worry about the little bit of wear on the arm.
Ford dealer will have the bushings youneed, you an save some $$$ and get them from Carquest or the like.
Also urethane bushings will improve the ride on the street and last longer..........

 

[DeRocha]

I agree with fortune, some wear is "normal" and shouldn't affect anything... One of mine was slightly pitted/rusted. I cleaned it up and re-installed it.

 

[FourXFred]

i ovaled (is that a word?) the brackets on my old explorer, so after i replaced the bushings there was still a lot of slack in the front end. i also cheated while pushing the axle forward. take out more bolts? pffft. i used my high lift jack between the fender and the axle to push it forward. then i used the stock jack to controll the height and angle of the radius arm when i was trying to get it back into the hole. worked like a charm, kinda, sorta, not really. ive got to replace the ones on my ranger now, and im not looking forward to it at all. i think im going to wait untill the axle falls out on its own, and then replace the bushings

 

[Curt]

Help! Radius Arm Bushings!

I just picked up my new right side bracket and RA bushings from my local Ford Dealer and the parts guy told me that no heat shield is needed for the right side anymore. Apparently Ford has redone the bushings making them heat resistant. Does anybody have any input on this? I would put my old heat shield back on for kicks but it was mangled from the arm bouncing around.
Should I buy one?

Curt

 

[410Fortune]

You using rubber bushings or urethane?

Rubber = use it, urethane = skip it.
Of course the heat guard only protects the rear bushing so even if it does melt the new one you can replace it so easy...

Its just another worthless piece of metal you dont need on your truck, leave it off........

 

[Curt]

Right Side RA Complete!!

410Fourtune, My back bushing is rubber. I went ahead and ordered a new shield. $15.00!! I could of used an old tin can I think. I believe the shield I bought is made of aluminum. An old Tin can cut down to 3/4 of an inch with a hole drilled in it. I may market this idea. I will go to Costco and buy a case of my favorite Progresso soup. I can't lose. I get fed plus make $15.00 a can. Sounds like a good investment to me. All of you Explorer nuts keep an eye out for Initial Stock Offering. You will wish you invested in my idea.

Thanks for all the help!! Now I need to do the driver side. I will wait for better weather.

Curt T.

 

[Rhett]

You had better get a patent for my idea. Er. your idea.
heheh

 

[DeRocha]

You're getting ripped off. My shield was $2.66 from rockauto.com Moog part # K8729 Stainless Steel

If you visit their site look under suspension parts.

 

[Curt]

Radius Arm Shields

Well I bought this stuff from the dealer so what do you expect. Besides un-employment pays me a lot of money, so cost is not an issue. I enjoy getting screwed by car dealerships. It's a secret fetish. Please don't tell anyone.

Curt