1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Early Eighties Bullnose Ford Truck

Radius Arm Nightmare

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Old 08-30-2011, 07:32 PM
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Radius Arm Nightmare

Please Help!! I have been without my truck for a month now, due to me breaking the thread off the driver's side radius arm, when trying to install new bushings. I have ordered and returned now two sets of radius arms. The first set I got... I accidentally ordered a 4 wheel drive set, so I returned them and found a set on Ebay that stated they were off an 85 Ford F-150 2WD truck. I ordered them last Tuesday and just got them this evening. I open the box and noticed that they were also wrong. I called the seller and explained and they informed me that I was an idiot...in not so many words, and that they are the correct ones for my truck. My truck is an 83 Ford F-150 2WD pickup. Now when I say they are wrong, they are much larger than the ones that were on the truck. Here are picture I took of my issue...

Pictures by chrisandtiffany - Photobucket
 
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Old 08-30-2011, 08:29 PM
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Looking at the parts book, it looks like you could have either a stamped axle or a forged axle.

Radius arms for the two are different.

I can only find pictures of stuff with a stamped axle; does the below look like what you have?











 
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Old 08-30-2011, 08:52 PM
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This is my old 85 F150 2wd configuration - does this look like what you got in the mail? Comparing to your picture my radius arm and ibeams are larger, and completely different.

King pin design?

 
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Old 08-30-2011, 08:52 PM
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The ones they sent in the mail do look like yours, and are to large to fit onto my front axle. It appears I have the forged axle. I heard these are hard to find... I hope I heard wrong...Anyone have any of these, or have a part number for these?
 
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Old 08-30-2011, 09:26 PM
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I think I'm misleading you....

After looking more closely, it looks like the forged axle was 1980/81 with build dates before 8/81.

For your 1983, it looks like:

E2TZ-3A360-B ARM ASSY. (FRONT AXLE RADIUS) Fits 1981/86 (built from 8/81) F150 with 2WD as well as scattered other 2WD F150-350s 1981 - 1991.
Our sponsor Ed Olson at Horizon Ford (www.partsguyed.com) can sell these to you; MSRP $89.05 His discount price for FTE members: $71.24




Sorry for the confusion; I was also looking at part numbers for related parts (nuts & bolts & washers & whatnot) and all that confused me.

BTW the pictures are of a stamped axle setup.
 
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Old 08-30-2011, 09:57 PM
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BTW the 3A360 listed below is ALL of the radius arms 1980-1989 on all vehicles:





Given your problems, I'm wondering if you really don't have an F250, or if maybe you had 4WD at one time that somebody removed....
 
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Old 08-31-2011, 10:05 AM
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Those pics look like the 80/81 king pin I-beams. The bad news, they're the rarest of the bunch. The good news, 80-86 F250 2wd used the same I-beams and radius arms.
 
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Old 08-31-2011, 10:21 AM
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^^^What he said. Your pics look just like my 82s I beams and radius rods.
 
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Old 08-31-2011, 10:25 AM
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OP - post your VIN, would ya?
 
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Old 08-31-2011, 12:23 PM
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Originally Posted by ctubutis
I can only find pictures of stuff with a stamped axle.
Forged: Illustration Section 30, Pages 4 & 5
Originally Posted by ctubutis
After looking more closely, it looks like the forged axle was used 80/81 with build dates before 8/81.
Chris, before 8/81 only pertains to 1981, not to 1982 or later.

Take a gander at this: Text, Section 30, Page 9 = Look at the application charts.
 
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Old 08-31-2011, 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by NumberDummy
Forged: Illustration Section 30, Pages 4 & 5
Ah ha!!!!!!!!

Thank you!!!!!!!



Forged axle (two pages):


















Ya know, another mistake I made yesterday was reading his post too fast; I thought he had a 1985 (the number I saw first) but it turns outhe has a 1983!




So, those part numbers I gave above are wrong for him!

Bill - I'm in a hurry and need to go, could you..................
 
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Old 08-31-2011, 12:49 PM
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Originally Posted by ctubutis
So, those part numbers I gave above are wrong for him!
Did I say that? No, because....
Look at the application chart you posted for the radius rods.

The way I interpret it is:

1981 F150 2WD (from 8/81); 1982/86 F150 2WD: E2TZ-3A360-B

1981 F150 2WD (from 8/81); 1982/83 F150 2WD (all-with stamped axle): E2TZ-3A360-B (replaced E2TZ-3A360-A).

Ergo: Since there is no other listing for 1983 F150 2WD's, both the stamped and forged axles use the same radius rods.

Originally Posted by ctubutis
Biil, I'm in a hurry and I need to go, could you....
Join the club! I've been putting off buying new florescent tubes for the kitchen for months, now all are out.

So I gotta go get some, so I can find my way around this tomb w/o tripping over one or all four of my Basset Hounds and to get "She, who must be obeyed" to stop nagging me about it.
 
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Old 09-02-2011, 07:34 PM
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Thanks to All. Without you guys...I would have been lost. I took the information you all provided and called the seller. He went out in his junkyard and found a pair of radius arms off of an 80 Ford F-250 2 wheel drive truck. We compared measurements, and pictures and verified he had the right ones. The seller told me to keep the pair I had and make a wind chime out of them, or resell, and agreed to send me the correct ones if I paid shipping charges. I agreed and I should have the correct radius arms on Wednesday.
 
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Old 09-03-2011, 09:05 AM
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Originally Posted by cstapleton
I took the information you all provided and called the seller. He went out in his junkyard and found a pair of radius arms off of an 80 Ford F-250 2 wheel drive truck.

We compared measurements, and pictures and verified he had the right ones.
These F250 rods are not correct for F150's assembled from 8/81.
EOTZ-3A360-D .. Radius Rod

Applications: 1980 F100/150, 1981 F100/150 before 8/81 // 1980/86 F250 2WD / 1980/89 F350 2WD.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You have a 1983 F150 2WD, so...you need E2TZ-3A360-B =

1981 F100 from 8/81, 1982/83 F100 / 1981 F150 2WD from 8/81, 1982/86 F150 2WD. Stamped/forged axles use the same radius rods.
 
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Old 11-11-2013, 04:35 PM
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I was google'ing "radius arms, 1983 F150 2wd" and this thread came up.
Does anyone know of a source for radius arms? I need both sides for my truck.
Thanks!!

BTW - I'm not a "New Member" - I had some login issues a couple months ago, and had to set up a new account..
 


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