Radius Arm Bushings
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 751
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From: Kodiak, Alaska
I have never done it on a 2wd but my guess would be you just unbolt it and put the new bushings on. you may have to put a jack on it to get it off and back on but I would think it would be prety easy
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 751
Likes: 0
From: Kodiak, Alaska
I have never done it on a 2wd but my guess would be you just unbolt it and put the new bushings on. you may have to put a jack on it to get it off and back on but I would think it would be prety easy
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,560
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some have the brackets bolted to the frame, others have it riveted on. the bolted on ones are easy, unbolt and go. the riveted ones give you 2 options: drill out rivets, service it like a bolted model, and replace rivets with bolts, OR have one helluva fight moving everything far enough forward to get the radius arm out of its bracket. both styles (bolts and rivets) are described in the service manual, but IMO a riveted model is much easier serviced by drilling the rivets and bolting it.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2011
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some have the brackets bolted to the frame, others have it riveted on. the bolted on ones are easy, unbolt and go. the riveted ones give you 2 options: drill out rivets, service it like a bolted model, and replace rivets with bolts, OR have one helluva fight moving everything far enough forward to get the radius arm out of its bracket. both styles (bolts and rivets) are described in the service manual, but IMO a riveted model is much easier serviced by drilling the rivets and bolting it.
this tells to take the front beams off and take the springs out and a lot of work.
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Peterborough, Ontario
The rear spring hangars on my dually were all riveted, I'd have to take a look at the front, but I think they are the same. All the rivets on the rear brackets were 7/16", so make sure you have all the bolts you need before hand because they aren't always available at the local hardware store.
Never done bushings on the diesels, but did swap out the radius arms etc on a Ranger a number of years ago. It can be a fight to get them far enough ahead to get them in and out of the rear bracket, taking the rivets/bolts out and going that way sounds a whole lot easier!
Never done bushings on the diesels, but did swap out the radius arms etc on a Ranger a number of years ago. It can be a fight to get them far enough ahead to get them in and out of the rear bracket, taking the rivets/bolts out and going that way sounds a whole lot easier!
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: San Diego
My 85 F250 was riveted. However, I was able to do it without much trouble without removing the rivets.
What I did was to jack the truck up about 2-3" so that the weight was mostly off the wheels and set it on stable jackstands. I then ran a come-a-long from the axle where the radius arm joints the axle to the front of the frame, and a chain with about 1-2" slack from there aft to the radius rod bushing. Then I used a floor jack under the end of the radius rod to support it, removed the nut and outer bushing and used the come-a-long to pull it forward clear of the bushing mount on the frame. The tire supports the axle & spring, floor jack the radius rod and the chain provides a safety to make sure it doesn't go too far. It worked very well and took probably 30-45 min a side? You need a concrete pad and have to be careful, but it's very easy and safe to do.
~John
What I did was to jack the truck up about 2-3" so that the weight was mostly off the wheels and set it on stable jackstands. I then ran a come-a-long from the axle where the radius arm joints the axle to the front of the frame, and a chain with about 1-2" slack from there aft to the radius rod bushing. Then I used a floor jack under the end of the radius rod to support it, removed the nut and outer bushing and used the come-a-long to pull it forward clear of the bushing mount on the frame. The tire supports the axle & spring, floor jack the radius rod and the chain provides a safety to make sure it doesn't go too far. It worked very well and took probably 30-45 min a side? You need a concrete pad and have to be careful, but it's very easy and safe to do.
~John
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: CASA GRANDE AZ
My 85 F250 was riveted. However, I was able to do it without much trouble without removing the rivets.
What I did was to jack the truck up about 2-3" so that the weight was mostly off the wheels and set it on stable jackstands. I then ran a come-a-long from the axle where the radius arm joints the axle to the front of the frame, and a chain with about 1-2" slack from there aft to the radius rod bushing. Then I used a floor jack under the end of the radius rod to support it, removed the nut and outer bushing and used the come-a-long to pull it forward clear of the bushing mount on the frame. The tire supports the axle & spring, floor jack the radius rod and the chain provides a safety to make sure it doesn't go too far. It worked very well and took probably 30-45 min a side? You need a concrete pad and have to be careful, but it's very easy and safe to do.
~John
What I did was to jack the truck up about 2-3" so that the weight was mostly off the wheels and set it on stable jackstands. I then ran a come-a-long from the axle where the radius arm joints the axle to the front of the frame, and a chain with about 1-2" slack from there aft to the radius rod bushing. Then I used a floor jack under the end of the radius rod to support it, removed the nut and outer bushing and used the come-a-long to pull it forward clear of the bushing mount on the frame. The tire supports the axle & spring, floor jack the radius rod and the chain provides a safety to make sure it doesn't go too far. It worked very well and took probably 30-45 min a side? You need a concrete pad and have to be careful, but it's very easy and safe to do.
~John
never have cut the rivets and took the bracket off to replace the bushings !
only exception was if the hole was worn bigger and the bracket needed to be replaced then it came off !
and the holes always get drilled out to 1/2" and grade 8 flange bolts were used !
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2011
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well i finally got around to doing the radius arm bushings.
i did the method with the come-along. worked good for pulling the arms forward but we had one hell of a time getting everything lined up for going back in, but we got it.
i did the method with the come-along. worked good for pulling the arms forward but we had one hell of a time getting everything lined up for going back in, but we got it.