radius arm removal

[Stumpfoot]

I need to replace my radius arms as they are bent. The nut/bolt connecting it to the axle is frozen. Any suggestions on how to loosen it up? wd40 isnt working and my impact is a little small (300 lbs).

[67mann]

Did you try givin it heat--that sometimes loosens up rust enough to get her moving---not always. I ended up cutting the one's off the 76 for my disk brake switch.

[James72]

Pull harder, it'll come off easier then

I don't like useing heat on steering stuff myself, but if you know what you're doing then try it

[iamthewreckingcrew]

PB Blaster guys. I will swear by the stuff. I took my entire front end apart with a can of PB Blaster and wrenches.

[BobbyFord]

Rent a more powerful impact.

[1971ford]

PB Blaster is your best friend!


but i have a question, hoowwww were the arms bent
i would think they would have to be taken off and put into a big press.

[Banjo]

My impact is also around 300 pounds and just shook on them. I used a sledge and breaker bar w/deep impact socket and really waled. I've noticed that on my Sears impact, while it's rated like 3-350 (can't recall) most times I have better luck with a large pull bar and a hammer to break really serious stuff loose.

[BobbyFord]

My impact will either loosen them or snap them off.

[iamthewreckingcrew]

The way I see it, you can spend an hour cussing and beating and impacting and either finally getting it off, or snapping it off, or you can spray it with some PB, let it sit for 20-30 minutes or even overnight if you want and get it off without destroying it.

I've taken things apart on trucks that were so rusty that most guys would have just torched it off. I use PB Blaster and save headaches and parts. WD 40 is for drying out your distributor cap in an emergency, other than that, it's been proven obsolete to me by PB. I don't work for them or sell their product, but I swear by it.

[BobbyFord]

The way I see it, you can spend an hour cussing and beating and impacting and either finally getting it off, or snapping it off, or you can spray it with some PB, let it sit for 20-30 minutes or even overnight if you want and get it off without destroying it.

I've taken things apart on trucks that were so rusty that most guys would have just torched it off. I use PB Blaster and save headaches and parts. WD 40 is for drying out your distributor cap in an emergency, other than that, it's been proven obsolete to me by PB. I don't work for them or sell their product, but I swear by it.

I understand, but if you need to get it done right away, snap it off and air hammer it out. I worked for a Ford dealer and most of the time we didn't have time to wait for a 1/2 hour or, for sure, overnight. The proper air tools take the place of the time needed for penetrants to happen...

[ToughOldFord]

Use a quality breaker bar and a strong pipe for a cheater, like a Hi-Lift jack handle. Position it so you can pull on it from the side of the truck. Be safe though.

I'm with Ryan, how the heck did you bend them? And survive, let alone have functioning fingers to type with.

[69timemachine]

If we're talking about the nuts at the rear of the arms, I also had good luck with the cheater pipe and breaker bar method. Just be careful not to crunch your sheetmetal on the passenger's side or crunch your knuckles on the shop floor on the driver's side. Mine had a frozen cotter pin, so I snapped it off flush with the nut and put the breaker bar on it then. The castle nut will slice through what is left of the cotter pin, but the nut will come off tightly all the way. Then I knocked the cotter pin out on the work bench and ran a die over the threads to clean them and I'm back in business.

If we're talking about the front bolts to the I-beams, then they can be pretty tough. My '69 came apart easy with a 1-1/8 box wrench, but the '74 front end I got for a disc brake conversion was a bear! I didn't want to, but I had to heat the nuts twice with the torch AND use a 3/4-inch impact wrench! Then they came loose after all that convincing. Either way, good luck and I hope this helps!

[ToughOldFord]

Wait a sec, I comprehend better this morning, he is talking about the bolts on the axle. Those you're not going to get off by turning the bolt head because although it doesn't look like it, there's actually two nuts on the top side. The first one, the one you can see, is the one holding your coil spring on. Use a wrench on that one. Once it's off the spring and large washer will come off. Then you will see the second nut that holds the radius arm to the axle, once you pull than one everything comes apart.

[iamthewreckingcrew]

Wait a sec, I comprehend better this morning, he is talking about the bolts on the axle. Those you're not going to get off by turning the bolt head because although it doesn't look like it, there's actually two nuts on the top side. The first one, the one you can see, is the one holding your coil spring on. Use a wrench on that one. Once it's off the spring and large washer will come off. Then you will see the second nut that holds the radius arm to the axle, once you pull than one everything comes apart.

I had to go and re-read it. Yep, you are right. Follow ToughOldFord's instructions and it will come off.

[Banjo]

My bad too, I figured we were talking about the huge nut under floorpan, not the other end. On that, I can't recall exactly how I did it, was a trick. Wish I had taken pictures, but that was a trick to figure out how to get that loose. Can't recall now if I dropped a deep well on several long extensions down in there or what, but it took some thinnin' (as Quick Draw McGraw would say).....then I recall I DID use my impact on the other end, ground side. Sorry I added to confusion by not reading too.