radius arm bushings

kevs250 · Post by **kevs250** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:32 am

what is the difficulty rating on replacing the bushings on my radius arms?
mine are almost non existence on my truck and i think im goin to install some nice polyurathains
and what kind of tools and knowledge do I need?
thanks for your guys help!

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:52 am

a couple of big wreches or crescent wrenches and a come along or a jack. thats about it. remove the key then remove the nut washer and old bushing use the jack or comealong to pull the radius arm out of the brack. remove and replace the rubber and washer on that side. remove the come along or jack and let the radius arm go back into the bracket. put the other half of the rubber washer nut and key back on then repeat for the other side of the truck.

Mugwump · Post by **Mugwump** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:32 pm

Along these lines, I'm buying RobC's disc brake frontend from his '77 parts truck. I note that there are different part #s for the radius arm bushings in some of the catalogs.
Which ones should I use to mount the '77 arms in my '69 F250? Or are they all pretty much the same?

Post by **FORDification** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:41 pm

While I know some people have just disconnected the rear of the radius arm and pulled the front suspension forward, I just don't like that method. You run the risk of tweaking the front suspension IMO. I'd suggest either dropping the suspension as a unit, or grinding off the factory rivets holding the radius arm bracket to the frame, replacing the bushings, and then bolting the bracket back on with Grade 8 hardware. Just my

The radius arm bushings are all the same.

390Nut · Post by **390Nut** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:29 pm

It means more work, but another way to do it is to remove the i-beam pivot bolt and drop the i-beam from the truck with everything else (this includes taking the springs/shocks off the truck as well!) before pulling the radius arm forward.

Like I said, more work, but little chance of bending things that way.

kevs250 · Post by **kevs250** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:35 am

I looked in chiltons and it explained how to remove eveything and replace the bushings. it sounds like it a lot of work but not to hard.
For the removal of the radius arm from the I beam, is that a riviot holding the radius arm and I beam?

Post by **FORDification** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:01 am

The radius arm is connected to the I-beam with a very long bolt/nut. But that's not a concern when replacing radius arm bushings...you don't have to separate the two.

iamthewreckingcrew · Post by **iamthewreckingcrew** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:22 pm

I think it's just as easy to drop the whole assembly as it would be to try and "come-along" the thing out. It only took me about 30 minutes to drop one side completely. Might as well do it the right way.

kevs250 · Post by **kevs250** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:22 pm

When you guys say drop the whole suspension, you mean take the shock and spring out and disconect the control arm?
for removing the spring do I need a spring compressor?

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:43 am

no spring compressor needed.

iamthewreckingcrew · Post by **iamthewreckingcrew** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:41 pm

Yep, drop one whole side at a time. That way you have a reference to see how it all goes back together. I dropped my entire frontend at once though. It isn't too hard to figure out how it all goes. No need for a spring compressor.

tfnaaf · Post by **tfnaaf** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:37 pm

At work we cut the rivet heads off and drive them thru and remove the bracket and then reinstall with grade 8 as Keith said above. Takes us about an hour and thats with searching for the right tools

The FORDification.com Forums

radius arm bushings

radius arm bushings

re: radius arm bushings

re: radius arm bushings

re: radius arm bushings

re: radius arm bushings

re: radius arm bushings

re: radius arm bushings