Good morning and good weekend .
I'm just wondering if anyone has experience changing radius arm bushings .


Small problem everything is pretty tight under there. So I was thinking of just removing the bracket at the end it is bolted and riveted onto the frame.


I can just grind the rivets off and put bolts through the holes after.


Any body see any problem with doing it this way?


I'm going to think about it for a while. Might need some beer for this one.



sorry for the poor pic,I can get this bolt off with a little heat.





this is the bracket I want to remove and replace. is it safe ?





I can grind these rivets off.





there is the third rivet and then there is one bolt

 

If you can't free up that nut, DO NOT grind the rivets off and remove that bracket. Due to manufacturing tolerances, you will need to be able to tighten the radius rod nut, or you may be rattling down the road and a little bummed after doing that job.
Bring it to a shop, have them spin off the nuts to free them up if you are doing it yourself, preferably a buddy's shop. Some places want to do the whole job or not screw with it.

 

Frame supported with jack stands so the front tires are off the ground. Get that rusted nut off (somehow???). A ratchet strap or come-a-long will pull the axle and associated parts (read "radius arm") out far enough to replace the trapped bushing. Release tension and it'll all go back where it came from.

Looking at how much rust is on the threads and nut of that radius arm, I'm hoping the "cup" the bushings sit in aren't rusted out. If they are, you'll be replacing the brackets anyway.