So, I wanted to once again thank the members of this forum for the advice provided when I was having issues with my rear suspension.

I'm ripping out the failed Air Ride, replacing with a conventional suspension from Strutmasters.

I've got the back-end done/buttoned up, and am attacking the front end.

As I doubt anything has been done to this truck, suspension-wise, since it was new, I've decided to replace all the bushings, ball-joints and wear parts.

While I'm at it, I'm also replacing the front wheel bearing/hub assemblies, and probably going to attack the brakes as well.

Considering all of that - what's the best order of operations to dis-assemble the front end?

As I'm going to have to pull the lower control arm to replace those bushings, it appears I'm going to have to remove the torsion bars as well, hence my question of order of operations.

Should I be unloading the torsion bars first, removing those, then disassembling the rest, or is there a better path?

 

How have you folks pressed new bushings into the lower control arms - in my case, specifically, Moog bushings into the lower control arm?

 

I use a press, but there are times when I've had to leave the bushings in the freezer for a few hours and heat the LCA bushing hole and surrounding area with a propane torch just prior to dropping the bushing in place and pressing it in. Just be sure to have all of the pressing spacers ready and then be quick about it because as the temperatures equalizes the bushing will start binding as you're pressing it.

 

Thanks - will have to give that a try.

 

A ball joint press with the proper adapters works great. Most parts stores have them on the rental program.

 

Used my ball joint press to remove the bushings on the rear track bar, but munged them up trying to press them back in.

Ended up just having a local shop do the bushings on the lower control arms for me. My ball joint press made quick work of the lower ball joints, thought.

Thanks!

 

 

I had to unload the torsion from the torsion bar prior to removing my LCAs, as there was significant-enough torsion that I didn't want to try to pop the bolts out of the LCA mounts.

Once removed, I used a drift and hammer to knock the torsion bar out of the control arm - it wasn't super-rusty, but 19 years of being installed had it slightly seized in there. Took only a couple whacks with the hammer on the drift to pop it out of the LCA.

I wire-brushed it and put a bit of anti-seize on the hex faces when I re-installed, just in case I ever have to pop them out again.