Radius arm bushings.

[Darrman]

I finally got a look at the r-a-b's today, and man they are toast. The drivers side is still intact, but the passenger side, the engine facing half is competly gone, and the rear facing half is being held on by gravity.
So, what does everyone do to fix these? Is it the typical grind and punch of the rivets holding the brackets? Or do you have to remove the radius arm itself? Thanks.

[fordman]

the book says to remove the radius arms. how ever you can jack the axle forward to get them out of the brackets. it doesn't take anytime at all doing it that way.

[Heavenlyfire]

I pulled my arms out and replaced them. Not that hard, it will take you about an hour or two.

[FoMoCo]

There's a couple ways to do this. You could loosen the axel pivot bolts, remove the lower shock bolt and remove the coil spring, and finally remove the RAB nut. I was able to kick the driver side and had to use a cable puller to persway the passenger side. WATCH YOUR BRAKE LINES.
The other way is to grind the rivots and remove the brackets. The passenger side always goes from the exhaust heat.

Nick

[ICEMAN6166]

i have done lots of those, never removed the rivets, just pulled the axle forward some. not very difficult or time consuming at all.

[67heavystepside]

when i did my r-a-b 's i removed my radius arms and replaced the pivit bushings while they were out. the job is what i would call at work "GRAVY TRAIN" !!

[kid]

I dropped the top of the springs, the bottom of the shocks, one rod end driver's side and jacked them forward. It helps if the Pivot bolt lets the radius arm pivot on the I-beam.

[QC]

My RAB replacement job turned into a disc brake conversion. You know, "As long as I'm doing this I might as well--"

[390Nut]

My RAB replacement job turned into a disc brake conversion. You know, "As long as I'm doing this I might as well--"

[Darrman]

I thought it over, and decided to go ahead and pull the arms, along with the rest of the front suspension, out and rebuild everything.
I will have new kingpins and axle pivots pressed in and, and tie rod ends replaced. I will also clean and paint everything while I am at it.
I will also replace the shocks and probably the springs too. I am kinda not wanting to replace the springs just yet, I havent decided where the truck is heading, lifted, lowered, stock, dunno.

[hillbilly67]

Just in case you need a supplier for any bushings, look up "Energy Suspension". They've got some exotic compounds they are building with these days. It's suprising what a good bushing will do for the ride.

[Heavenlyfire]

Couldn't remember the name, those are what I put in mine.

[Darrman]

Thanks, I have their master kit installed on my Explorer, and I gotta agree, they do make quite a difference.

[Darrman]

Ok, its taken awhile, but I am finally getting around to the front suspension.
I a taking the entire front suspension apart this weekend and am going to replace the bushings, springs and shocks, etc.
Anyways I am looking at Energy polys, I am wondering if those pivot bushings that reuse the metal shell, do you have to press them in/out? Could I just burn the rubber out and knock the new ones in with a mallat?
Thanks

[FORDification]

Leave the shell in the axle and just burn the rubber out, or drill it out like I did. The PST polygraphite bushings that I used aren't pressed in...they're a multi-piece design that you can install by hand.