Need to replace the radius arm bushing drivers side on a 95 Bronco 4X4. Is this soemthing I can do or should I take it to a shop.

 

look at the bracket holding it on. if it is solely bolted on, then very easy to do yourself. on my 94, passenger side was bolted on, driveres had bolts and two rivetes. If it is riveted, then it depends on weather you want to get under there with a chisel, air chisel, drill, cutting torch, etc to remove the rivets, put the new bushings in, and then just replace the rivets with new grade 8 bolts. I would not use rubber, and would opt for the poly bushings by the time you have to do it.



It is also possible to just remove the nut ffrom the radius arm, and put a come along on the axle and yank it forwards far enough to swap the bushings, but this is difficult on the driverside cause it wants to flex less, and i believe it tears the pivot bushings.

i am sure if you search there are many many posts on this topics

 

Yeah, pulling it like that isn't really good for the pivot bushings. You could undo the pivot bolt though. If you go that route, be ready with a floorjack and some arm strength to get the pivot bolt back in later.

If you've got rivets, your best shot is to just knock them off and out.

 

Easiest way to do this is to get a nice 4" angle grinder and grind off the heads of the rivets take off the bracket replace your bushings then replace the rivets with bolts. It doesnt hurt to have some rustoleum paint around to cover up the grind marks and keep them from rusting.

With a new disc and a halfway decent grinder those rivets will just about discintergrate.

 

I did my Passenger side it was bolted on and I could get the Big nut off the back. the Driver side is a different story....
Its Rivited on and the large nut is Rusted on... It wouldnt budge with an Ingersol Rand Impact. I can get the Rivits out it not that easy its hard to get into the tight space. How hard should be to get back the Truck the Pass side took alittle doing to get the bolt holes lined up. it was also very late or very early depending on how you look at it. Im now debateing on trying it again or having the shop do it. I do want to do it cause I did the Pass side so I CAN do it IF I get the Nut loose. Oh and I have used PB blaster.

 

Do you have set of torches or even a propane/butane torch? A little heat does wonders.

 

spray it again and wait, never had PB fail me yet.

there ARE times though that my impact gun gets put down and the 25" breaker bar gets picked up.

 

I have the Propane, Like you do pipes with, right?
Ya think that will work?
I guess I should try it I hate to have the shop do somthing I can handle I guess Im just getting lazy and its COLD in the Garage... didnt get my heat installed yet.

 

Clean rust best as possible, heat and use trans fluid. When it bubbles, hit it with impact. Good luck.

 

Well I guess Ill try again tomorrow.... Ihave to get it done by Wed night, It gets Insected on thursday.
Maybe the Bronco God will help me last week I was up till 5:30 AM working on it to get it ready for the plow... I always wait till the last minute to do stuf..... When I go to the Car shows with my mustangs Im ALWAYS up till 3 or 4 getting them ready. Especially for All Fords at Carlisle!!! I love that show!!

 

I received this in e-mail about 2 years ago, may be it can help.


1995 Bronco, radius arm removal

Raise the vehicle and position safety stands under the frame side rails and a jack under the axle.

Remove the front wheel and tire assembly.

Disconnect the front stabilizer bar at the stabilizer link, if equipped.

Remove the shock absorber-to-lower bracket attaching bolt and nut and pull the front shock absorber free of the radius arm.

On vehicles equipped with quad front shock absorbers, remove the attaching nut and forward shock lower mount from the stud on the bracket.

Remove spring lower retainer attaching bolt from inside of the spring coil.

Loosen the axle pivot bolt.

Remove radius arm-to-frame bracket nut.

Remove the radius arm rear plastic spacer and insulator.

WARNING: When lowering the axle, the axle must be supported on the jack throughout radius arm removal and installation, and must not be permitted to hang by the front brake hose. If the length of the front brake hose is not sufficient to provide adequate clearance for removal and installation of the spring seat, the disc brake caliper must be removed from the spindle. After removal, the disc brake caliper must be placed on the frame or otherwise supported to prevent suspending the disc brake caliper from the caliper hose. These precautions are absolutely necessary to prevent serious damage to the tube portion of the caliper hose assembly.

Lower the axle, remove the lower spring retainer, insulator and spring seat and allow the axle to move forward.

Remove the two bolts attaching the front axle to radius arm bracket to axle tube.

Remove spring retainer, insulator, lower spring seat and stud.

Remove radius arm bracket-to-axle tube bolt.

Remove the front axle radius arm bracket.

Move the axle forward and remove the radius arm from the axle. Remove the radius arm from the frame bracket.

Installation

Clean all the mating surfaces between the radius arm, axle and bracket prior to reassembly.

Position the forward washer and insulator on the rear of the radius arm and insert the radius arm into the frame bracket.

Position the rear spacer, insulator and washer on the radius arm and loosely install the attaching nut.

Position the radius arm, forward shock mount bracket (quad shock equipped vehicles) and front axle-to-radius arm bracket on the axle.

WARNING: New stud and bolt are required because of the adhesive coating on the original bolts. If new fasteners are not available, thoroughly clean the old fasteners and apply Loctite® No. 242 or equivalent to the threads of the fasteners.



Loosely install a new stud and bolt attaching the radius arm to the axle.

Tighten the radius arm rear attaching nut to 84-112 lb-ft.

Install and tighten the bracket-to-axle attachment screws to 26-33 lb-ft.

Tighten the radius arm to axle lower bolt to 320-340 lb-ft and the upper stud type bolt to 240-260 lb-ft.

Position the spring lower seat with the locating tab positioned in the radius arm notch spring insulator.

Using jack, raise axle until front coil spring is resting on lower spring seat.

Install lower spring retainer and nut. Tighten to 70-100 lb-ft.

WARNING: It is important that the attaching bolt be installed with the head toward the tire to maximize clearance to brake system components.



Position the front shock absorber to the lower bracket. Install the attaching bolt and nut and tighten to 52-74 lb-ft.

Connect the front stabilizer bar to the front stabilizer bar link, if equipped. Tighten nut to 52-74 lb-ft.

Install the front wheel and tire assembly.

Lower vehicle and, with the weight on the suspension, tighten axle pivot bushing bolt and nut to 120-150 lb-ft.