raplacing radius arm bushings

[fireftr]

I'm ready to do my radius arm bushings, but lost the copies of the info covering this that I had made some time ago. This is on a '92. Would appreciate getting this again. I remember someone said they did it by jacking the front diff forward and out of the way instead of cutting the rivets. Just want to do it the easiest and least time consuming. Thanks

 

[Hokie]

Please search.. i found this by doing a search for "radius arm bushings"

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=80953&highlight=radius+arm+bushings

Brian just finished his

 

[Opera House]

If you remove the frame sway bar bushings

The axle easily pulls forward about an inch and you can chisel out the old bushing. You can cut the new poly bushing lengthwise to the center with a hacksaw, warm up new bushing in hot water and pry it over the radius arm. No rivits and no unbolting of oil springs. Should take about 45 minutes per side if you don't have an impact wrench to remove the big bar nut.

 

[fireftr]

radius arm bushings

Opera House: Now we're talkin'! What did you use to pull the axle forward? If you used a come-a long, what did you anchor it to?

 

[mplspug]

I like the way you think too Operahouse. I was just curious about the title of your post, "If you remove the frame sway bar bushings ". Is this the first step in the proceedure? I assume it is, allowing you to get the axle forward.

 

[Opera House]

Yes

If you are not a purist, the sway bar bushing bolts are the only thing you have to remove to pull the axle forward enough to slip the slit RA bushing over the radius arm. It will not pull forward enough for the arm to clear the crossmember. I used a hydraulic power pack but it took very little force to move it the first inch. The RA bushing sits in an extruded well that holds it together after assembly. The mushroom shell on the RA bar also helps keep it together. It does take a little force to slip the new split bushing over the bar. I have 70K on mine with no problem.

 

[fireftr]

radius bushings

OPERA HOUSE: THANKS FOR THE INFO. I DECIDED TO DO THE FRONT END PUSH/PULL. AFTER WASTING THE WHOLE MORNING TRYING TO GET THE END OF THE RA CLEAR OF THE BRACKET BY FIRST PUSHING IT THEN PULLING IT WITH A COME ALONG, I DECIDED TO HAVE AT THE RIVETS...PIECE OF CAKE! GROUND 'EM OFF, UNBOLTED IT, WHACKED THE RIVET STUDS OUT OF THE FRAME WITH A COUPLE OF GOOD HAMMER AND DRIFT HITS. MY URETHANE REPLACEMENT BUSHINGS AREN'T SPLIT LIKE THE OLD ONES, SO THE END OF THE RA MUST BE CLEAR OF THE BRACKET TO ALLOW INSTALLATION OF THE NEW ONES. OH WELL, LIVE AND LEARN. CAN'T WAIT TO GET IT BACK TOGETHER TO FEEL THE NEW RIDE WITHOUT ALL THE NOISE. THANKS AGAIN....NEXT PROJECT: FWD ACTUATOR MOTOR.

 

[Opera House]

You missed the point

YOU have to split the front bushing lengthwise to the center with a hacksaw. The old bushing is cut/chiseled off. The RA never comes out of the cross member support. The new poly bushing is pryed open at the hacksaw cut and pushed over the RA. This requires that the radius arm only come forward an inch for the section of bushing thatslips into the well. Back section of bushing mounts normally.

 

[fireftr]

bushings

OK, got it. One more question: Is my '92 supposed to have a deflector panel to protect the bushing from exhaust heat on the pass side? All mine had, or had left was a thin metal cup over the rear part of the bushing. The rest of the exhaust system has a deflector along the underside of the floor. With 177k on it, I don't know if there was some type of heat thing that might have fallen off without me noticing it.

 

[fireftr]

radius bushings

Well, I guess I am a purist, 'cause I unbolted the bracket after cutting the rivets. I just slipped the new bushings on the RA and bolted everything back up.
I was skeptical about cutting the bushings, even though I didn't need to at the point I was at. I understand you've got 70k on yours, but I don't like the idea of disturbing the integrity of the bushing material by cutting it. If that slit is placed either upwards or downwards, the up and down movement of the axles would make the bushing wear prematurely at that point even though its securely fastened, as that slit becomes the weak point in the material.
But, for just 1 1/2 hrs of time and 70k later, I'd say you did a pretty good job.