Radius arm started clunking at my feet a few days ago so after reading a bunch about bushing replacement decided to learn another repair, and swap em out. Truck is lifted with aftermarket brackets that are bolted on so from everything I read it was gonna be cake......lol...drivers side is the one that was clunking, but not just gonna do one side so started on passenger side, since that side was in the shade.. got bolts off, bushings off, cleaned it up, new bushing on, then went to lift bracket into place, and see that it shifted back like 4 inches, and bolt holes are way off. Tried pushing tire forward with feet with bolt in hand to stab in real quick to lock it into place. Nope. Put a jack under arm to lift it closer. Nope. So grabbed a come along, from I beam to bumper, and winched it most of the way, but about an inch from lining up it starts twisting. So like an hour later with much yanking, pushing, cussing, finally get a bolt in. But I absolutely cannot get crossmember, frame, and brackets to line up at all. To top it all off wrench slipped hard and busted back of hand on frame edge, and now have 21 stitches, and no right hand to finish job. What went wrong,? I read probably every thread and video online, and nobody warned me about the front end shifting

 

Oh you have a right hand to finish the job, you just better finish quick before the Vicodin wears off! Hazarding a guess here, since it is lifted, the longer springs may be to blame and still exerting pressure even at full suspension droop unlike stock springs?

 

To late now, but in all the reading and videos did not one of them say leave the radius arm frame bracket in place, and once you get the radium arm nut off (PITA at times) use a come-along to pull the axle/radius arm forward enough to get the threaded end out of the bracket to get the new bushing on? Come along back in one its on, cause new bushings are TIGHT.

Worse case now remove the bracket from the radius arm. Come along the axle fwd. Reinstall bracket and cross member, come along axle/radius arm back in place.

I ALWAYS wear gloves when working on these of truck, due to the exact reason you stated. I hate a busted knuckle, let alone 21 stitches. Do you know the box end over the open wrench leverage trick? And FYI I try to always use box end wrenches, less prone to slip.

Time to call in some FTE State chapter member help. AZ right? https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum80/

 

Well luckily I got 4 bolts in it before I before the fun started, and Its not going anywhere. But drivers side will be done the way you said for sure. Gonna have to try left handed today to at least get pass side buttoned up being this is my daily

 

Maybe very CAREFULLY use a come along to help pull the crossmember into place? If you can get at least a small bit of each 3 to line up, like enough to get a steel awl/tapered pin punch or something like a spud wrench handle tip end to work the crossmember, frame and bracket holes to line up better and center everything.

Steel workers use tool pic 3 and 4 to get the bolt holes in 2 separate pieces of metal to line up. It's called a spud wrench.

 

That's a tool nm am definitely adding to the shop now. But also think I'm just gonna try it without removing the bracket. Its funny yesterday morning before starting the work, I did my weekend garage sale route and got a come along for 2 bucks, not even thinking about the work i was gonna be doing later. Glad i got one. And thanks for that az charter link! Didn't even know about that. Membership pending now, and I even found 2 members in this little middle-o-nowhere town

 

You always need to be up on your state chapter, great way to possibly get a hand from some one sort of local. A lead on parts, good JY's, and custom shops that MIGHT EVEN work on these old trucks. if you try the other side that way report back how it goes and post some pics. And wear some mechanic's impact work gloves. You know the ones with the BACK of the HAND IS RUBBER IMPACT padded.

 

Got her done, but even though there was play in bushing, the popping/knocking at my feet is still happening. Even more. Just a word of caution for anyone using a come along to pull everything fwd, if you have dual shocks take it slow. I couldn't get arm pulled fwd enough to clear bracket, and after finding a nice heavy duty smashed ding on the rear shock from being pulled hard against that bottoming out pad/bushing thing I see why.

 

Any chance it is a motor mount, xfer case mount? Trac bar bushings, steering box loose? Shock mount or upper/lower shock mount bushings? Steering damper/stabilizer?

 

Mabey. Motor mounts are 8 months old, no track bar, no transfer case, no play in any tie rods. Sounds like threads on a big bolt zipping back and forth over bumps and when turning a corner. And feels like wheel is sliding back and forth 2 or 3 inches on axle when hit a bump at an angle. Just changed wheel bearings and seal when this started, but checked everything 2 times, on ground, and jacked up and all is tight on front end from what I see. Started pulling hard to right on braking the same time the knocking started. I am sure I fubar'ed something though. Kinda scetched to drive it, but no choice right now

 

Being a coil spring front end, there had better be a track bar on it. If it's not there then stop driving IMMEDIATELY.

Also are you sure you got the nuts on the back of the radius arm tightened completely?

 

Nuts on bracket to frame are tight as I can get them with long wrench, and new grade 8 hardware. Big nut on radius arm torqued to 100lbs.. is my truck supposed to have a track bar? (2wd 1973 f100)

 

yes, it's what keeps the axle located under the truck. leaf springs locate the axle front to back AND side to side. Coils do NOT which is why you have radius arms to locate it front to back. A track bar would then locate it side to side.


Edit I just noticed you said 2wd. That's the twin I-beam correct? If so no it doesn't have one.

But did you check the bushings for the frame side of those? If those go out then you can have axles moving around on you and probably making some clunking noises too.

 

2wd then NO trac bar...sorry I have 4wd on the brain. But I have owned a 1973 2wd one time in my life. Does it have a front sway bar? King pins/ball joints good? Are you sure the brake caliper/calipers's are mounted correctly? Rubber trans mount good?

 

Man you were freakin me out. No sway bar. Just 2 I beams for the lift, 4 shocks, 2 springs and the steering arms. How would I check king pins? No play anywhere on front end from what I see. One thing on brakes, after doing drivers side bearings I lost the anti rattle clip in the dirt. Found it next day, and removed wheel to put back on. Brake was rubbing on rotor making hard to turn. Put everything back together and still rubbing a little. Tire spins mabey 3 revolutions by hand