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Radius Arm Bushing replacement, do's and don'ts

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  #16  
Old 10-13-2014, 07:15 AM
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I sold my 94 f150 in in '09 and it had 50k miles on the ES poly bushings. They were still perfect riding great.

This summer I bought a '95 f150 and I replaced them with the same ES poly bushings. I didn't drill the rivets like I did on my '94 but I had to pull the front suspension down to do a couple ball joints anyway. So, I've done it both ways now.

I've never replaced the axle pivot bushings, yet. But it's the last thing I have yet to replace on the front end of my '95, now. I just threw some new shocks on yesterday and everything is riding and driving real nice.
 
  #17  
Old 01-06-2015, 08:14 AM
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I did mine and it wasn't easy or hard, i have a lift so all my riveted stuff is gone and I just hoisted up my truck, took off the nut, bracket, replaced and resembled it.
 
  #18  
Old 01-06-2015, 11:56 AM
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Originally Posted by flowney
...In reading this I wondered about the axle pivot bushing. Shouldn't that be looked at and possibly replaced too? The pivot bolt was loosened (step 7) so the famous, "while you're there" might apply.
I was actually going to ask a very similar question today on the forum...

In an attempt to replace the radius arm bushings in a 4wd, could you take out the axle pivot bushing bolts completely to make the job easier under the truck? I would like to remove as little as possible to replace the axle pivot bushing and the radius arm bushings. Would having both bolts removed as well as the shock, spring retainer, and brake caliper make the front suspension moveable enough?
 
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Old 01-06-2015, 12:45 PM
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If your front end is stock then it probably is easiest to do all that at once. Wile I was under mine yesterday, your 4x4 has that axel with the rod through it and if you just do the pivot bolt, mine didn't completely come out of the axel bracket but without a lift, it may be as simple as pulling that bolt, (if your on a hoist) pulling the arm down, pressing the old out and the new in. On the other hand, if it's like mine, I'll probably have to do both of the pivot bushings in order to get it to fall far enough and if that doesn't work, you could undo the entire bracket (6 bolts). Sorry I'm kinda confusing but I'm trying to explain both lifted replacement and stock replacement at the same time.
 
  #20  
Old 01-07-2015, 09:05 PM
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I have replaced all of the rubber bushing on mine with the ES poly bushings. The front axle pivot bushings and the front sway bar bushings made the biggest difference. I kinda did the replacement in steps so that I could tell the difference as I replaced things. I have a 2.5" lift with the extended radius arms.
 
  #21  
Old 07-05-2015, 05:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Trackerrrr
Seeing how ceetwarrior is the only guy in this thread that's actually logged in this year, you might not get an answer....
He seems to have posted 6/19/2015 s perhaps there is hope.
 
  #22  
Old 07-05-2015, 08:22 PM
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Originally Posted by clarkbre
I was actually going to ask a very similar question today on the forum...

In an attempt to replace the radius arm bushings in a 4wd, could you take out the axle pivot bushing bolts completely to make the job easier under the truck? I would like to remove as little as possible to replace the axle pivot bushing and the radius arm bushings. Would having both bolts removed as well as the shock, spring retainer, and brake caliper make the front suspension moveable enough?
Nope. You'll HATE trying to do it under the truck, trust me. The factory bushings are pressed in as well as flared on the end. To get them out you have to cut the flare off and then press them out. You can smash one of them out (can't remember which side) but you ain't gonna have enough room to swing a hammer to get the other side out. I tried for a bit then said screw it and pulled the axles out from under the truck. MUCH easier on the ground where you can use a ball joint press to remove/install them.
 
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