I was under my 96 doing an oil change today and noticed the driver's side radius bushing was split. I looked over at the passenger side and it appears to have a metal cup that hold the bushing in. Should the driver's side have this cup also? It doesn't seem to drive bad, or wear tires funny, so I'd just like to know for when I get around to changing it out.

Thanks in advance.

 

Do a search on here.

Some guy had one actually break off a week or so ago.

 

The metal cup thing is just on the right side. It is to protect the bushing from the exhaust heat.

 

Thanks, that's what I needed to know.

 

Yeah, its a heat sheild.

If your replacing the radius arm bushings, I suggest polyurethane ones. Energy Suspension has them in black. Don't get the red ones.

 

I need to replace mine too. How difficult is this? It looks like it could be easy to do....So that means it is a pain in the a$$....Right?

 

Its not that bad. I had to use some dish soap to get the new ones pressed in, and I have pretty strong hands. Maybe you will have better luck, but I got it done all the same.

 

Could I grind out the rivets and then drop the bracket out? Then take off the big nut on the end and remove the bracket and bushings? If that is possible then it would be fairly simple.

Sorry for hijacking the thread but I have been thinging about this one for a while.

 

Might throw some stuff outta whack. I would be careful doing that. I just took the nut off on the end, then removed the bracket and bushing. I did this under a car-hoist, so it was probably much easier for me.

 

Would it be the same if I jacked it up on both sides and put it on jack stands? I wouldn't pound on it any harder than it would take to get the bushings off.

 

Well it wouldn't be the same, but it would probably help out a bit. Get yourself a good penetrating oil (I like PB Blaster) and let those nuts soak for a while. That will help immensely.

 

The only help the manual can give me is direction on removing the whole radius arm. It doesn't seem like it should be a requirement to remove the shock and spring but I have not looked at it to hard either.

I just need access to the bushing at the end and I could just replace the rivets with bolts. Or even replace the whole bracket while I am at it. I have noticed a couple threads on them breaking recently.

 

No you don't have to take the whole radius arm out to replace the bushing. My shocks and springs were in my truck when I did mine. I think all I had to do was remove the nut on the end to get the bracket and bushings out. I will have to look again, but I am pretty sure that is all I had to remove.

 

Yes you have to grind out the rivets on the bracket, sorry. I just went outside and looked at mine. My lift kit came with radius arm drop brackets, so I had them removed before I replaced my bushings. Sorry I talked you in cirlces so bad, I'm good at doing that.

 

No problem. Thanks for your help. I think I understand it now.