Has anyone on here changed T-bar bushings? I'm wondering if it is a job better performed with the truck on a lift, or can it be done with the truck on Jack stands. I have the new bushings. Inner and outer. 56-BW??

 

I pulled the bars off and did it. You can pull the bars on jack stands.

 

truckeemtnfords, can you briefly explain how you dealt with removing the "keepers" on the outboard ends of the bars ? I understand there are some pins? that have to be ground out? Thanx for response.

 

Dave, in your opinion, handling aside, did the truck steer differently after the work was done? Is an alignment required afterward?

 

First off it has been years since I did mine but I will look at them in the morning to refresh my memory. As far as alignment, with the price of tires I would definitely get an alignment. As far as riding/working better I did all the work before I ever drove with the new front end.

 

Great. What's the temp in Truckee this morning?

 

Jim,
I get up late Saturdays because I work graveyards and it is my Monday but we have had the warmest last two nights/mornings that I can remember. The wife said it was 57 deg at 8am and that would have been typically been mid 40's on a good day.

I just got a chance to look at the front end and I replaced the factory pin (what ever that was, long time ago) with a grade 8 bolt and crimp locking nut (also called steel top, deformed thread and cone top lock nut, not a nylock. You get the idea). Hope that helps. If you have any other questions let me know.

Dave

 

I am in SW florida, in the wintertime, our local weather guy likes to mention the temps n Truckee, California. I will tackle the job this coming week. Thanks for the advice.

 

Update: Pulled the T bars with the t.ruck on jack stands. No big deal. Removing the clamshell which holds the bushings in place was another matter, as they have 2 large industrial strength tack welds that have to be dealt with (chisel + cutoff wheel) without damaging the "clamshell" bushing retainer. Anyhow, I got the job done. Inner and out bushings replaced and lubed. The truck, which was twitchy and darty has settled right down. I would rate it 75% improved. Hopefully this week an alignment will fix all my troubles. BTW, the original rubber bushings (outer) were obliterated and I had torsion bar go metal to metal with the lower control arm. Thanks for the assist. Jim

 

Jim, did you go with the polyurethane bushings because when I did mine I used Moog replacement rubber bushing. I would consider upgrading to polyurethane. Thanks

 

Good news Jim!

 

REALLY HAPPY!

 

Dave, Yes I did go with Johnny @ Polybushings.com. When I first discovered that my bushings were pretty much gone, I looked on Amazon and found some NOS rubber bushings for 155$ for just the 2 outers. No steel parts. Thanks to a search of FTE, I found a member who documented his bushing swap on here. ( I forget who it was. You know who You are. Thank You) He had Polybushing.com's URL and i got all 4 bushings and a tube of lube for 125$ Have a great week.

 

Thanks, glad it worked out easy for you.