Radius arm bushings

[MisterCMK]

Has ayone ever done radius arm bushings on an explorer? I am gonna replace mine tomorrow and it sounds like its a shitty job

[2 beer]

you are correct

[MisterCMK]

Is drilling the rivets the preferred method or should I use the come-a-long and detach the shock/sway bar/etc to pull the radius arm forward?

[MINNESOTA 5.0]

torch the rivets off, get some grade 8 bolts and bolt the bracket back on.
the full size trucks are a little easier.

i used to use a port-a-power to push the arm forward but was a major pain getting it back together, plus you need a couple of friends to run the prybars.

a hoist would be ideal to do the job.

good luck

[D3thM3tal]

I have done them 2 ways. On my truck (4WD) I used an angle grinder for about 10 min, chucked it accross the garage and got the oxy-acydline torch and made quick work of it. The other truck I did (2WD) I used an angle grinder for mose of em, used a torch on the rest. I did my truck sitting on the ground and the other truck on a lift. Be very careful if using a torch, if I remember correctly there are brake lines running by those on the drivers side and fuel lines running by them on the passanger side. I just put a heavily soaked rag on them and torched away. The rivet seems to torch off well, doing lift kits require this, and they use grade 8 bolts to replace the rivets. This job is easy with a torch.

[RyanM]

um you should never torch the radius arm, wtf people

[MisterCMK]

I changed the radius arm bushings tonight and the difference it makes is amazing. All of the squeaks/creaks/groans/moans/etc are gone now. The job wasn't as bad as I had heard either. I used a cable puller to pull the axle forward to get the radius arm out of the bracket so I never had to deal with the rivets. Getting the arm back in wasn't bad either. My dad and I figured out that using a floor jack to support the axle and a bottle jack to lift right infront of the bushing we could get it lined up and then using the cable puller we pulled the arm into the hole. Pretty easy.





Drivers side bushings


Passenger side bushings

[jdominick]

wow your old ones look new compared to the ones I just took out of the ranger the ranger

[MisterCMK]

The drivers side wasn't all that bad, but the passenger side was missing half of the inner bushing. I am still amazed at how quiet this thing is with new bushings.

[Akromix]

The drivers side wasn't all that bad, but the passenger side was missing half of the inner bushing. I am still amazed at how quiet this thing is with new bushings.

If I was going to keep the exploder I have, I'd do that job. The passenger side bushing is completely gone and has oblonged the hole in the bracket.

[MisterCMK]

The job really isn't that bad...

[D3thM3tal]

The radius arm brackets that I have replaced were broken all around where the bushing seats. Torching them off is the only easy way to replace the bracket.