radius arm bushings?

79BlueMule

79BlueMule

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Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Location
Durham
the radius arm rear bushings need to be replaced on my 79 f 150. i had an idea of an easy way to change them, and wanted to get some feedback first. can i leave one side fully bolted up and on the other side just zip the nut off the back of the other arm. then tie the axle off to a tree or something and just ease backwards until the radius arm slides out of the frame bracket. the other side will keep the axle from trying to turn upside down. then put it back in with the new bushing and bolt it up and proceed to the other side? has anyone ever tryed this before or think it will work? thanks
 
doesnt sound too safe joseph.
if you need a hand sometime just lemme know, be glad to help you get it done.
 
well its not like the spring can go anywhere, im thinkin rather than move the truck to pull it out, i'll use a come along to a tree and pull one side at a time. it would be quicker than jacking it up and pulling the springs and shocks and radius arm off just for one lil rubber bushing. and the other side will hold the axle still, and the spring is bolted in so it cant go anywhere either. i'm gonna try it. if it doesn't work, oh well.
 
It shouldn't even be that hard to replace them. Support the truck's frame with stands, support the axle with a jack, disco the track bar, remove both radius arm nuts and rear bushings, pull the whole axle forward by hand a couple inches and replace all four bushings at once. You may or may not have to remove the springs.

Fwiw, rubber bushings work better in this application than poly.
 
braxton357 said:
Fwiw, rubber bushings work better in this application than poly.
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yeah my "new ones" that were poly didnt last but like 3 or 4 months. i have been considering fabing up a set of extentions like the set below, but with a hiem joint on the end. these were from bentandtwisted.com but they're website is out of commision now. does anyone know if a company has anything similar to what im looking for. aslo wouldn't mind picking up a set of stock radius arms to use for mock up/ experimenting with.
ai258.photobucket.com_albums_hh269_moparjoe318_tn_radiusarms6.jpg
 
bcammons21 said:
man wish you would got mine when i had'em
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well go get em i'll wait :popcorn:......:lol: on a serious note, what did you have and where did you get em?
 
I got some 6.5* bushings in mine. When i had to flip one I did it one side at a time. Jacked up the frame and used a jack under the axle and moved as required. I just pulled the front off replaced the bushing and put it back together. As for now I have one that seams to have split for what ever reason. I don't have any slop but it's is obvious that it's split. Keep in mind mine is on a Cherokee and my arms were fabbed up by me. You can search my Posts and see what I made. I have Currie 2.25" Johnny Joints on the frame end. I have been beating the crap out of them in the mudd for 2 months now and no problems. That is of course After they broke the first time. Plated with .25" and they are strong as ever.
 
I have some extended arms on my 79 bronco I will try to get some pics and post them up for you. I got the bronco from bigbody79 and he made the arms not sure wat he used or how he made them tho.
 
family: those arms look good.


Bullardbs: pics would be greatly appritiated.
 
You can see the brackets in this pic the arms are the stock arms with tubing added to them and has heim joints on the end the brakets are bolted to the frame were the trans crossmember is. I will get some other pics tomorrow when it is light.
 

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when I worked at a ford dealer,we just sheared of the rivets with a air hammer on the brackets and replaced them with grade 8 bolts and takes like 10 min a side
 
bullardbs: do you have trouble with clearance of your RA's? i'm thinking about building the arms from scratch to head upwards soon after the pipe leaves the axle end and then have them go long and level-ish to pick up some ground clearance, rather than come straight off the axle for like 12-18 inches and then bend up. just trying to get creative. lol
 
whalebus said:
when I worked at a ford dealer,we just sheared of the rivets with a air hammer on the brackets and replaced them with grade 8 bolts and takes like 10 min a side
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his truck is a 79 . they came from the factory with bolts already in the brackets.
i would just follow what braxton357 said. its real easy and the axle is not gonna move very far with one side still bolted up and the shocks , springs, etc. still in place. just pull the nut off the back and slide it forward and swap the bushings then go to the other side.
 
79BlueMule said:
bullardbs: do you have trouble with clearance of your RA's? i'm thinking about building the arms from scratch to head upwards soon after the pipe leaves the axle end and then have them go long and level-ish to pick up some ground clearance, rather than come straight off the axle for like 12-18 inches and then bend up. just trying to get creative. lol
Click to expand...

I dont have any clearance problems at all I have 38 tsl's on there now and I cut the fenders a little to help out but everything is good
 
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