Control Arm Bushings

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Nov 8, 2002 | 09:12 PM

78RangerXLT

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Control Arm Bushings

I am 16 years old and own a 1978 F150 Ranger XLT LWB with power steering. I have noticed that my control arm bushings (the control arm that the tie rod goes through) are shot. Are these easy to change or should I have it done? P.S. I have air tools

Nov 9, 2002 | 07:57 AM

jor

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Joined: Jan 2002

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From: Tucson

Control Arm Bushings

I guess you are referring to the radius arm bushings. There are lots of posts on this subject. Anyhow, there are two ways to do it. You can remove the rear brackets by chiseling off the rivet heads and drilling out the center of the rivet and replacing them with bolts. Or you can disconnect the suspension (spring, etc) and pull the arm out of the bracket.

BTW, I tried the former and ended up taking it to a shop as I couldn't get the rivets out. I failed to do the drilling part.
jor

Nov 10, 2002 | 03:45 AM

willd

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Joined: Oct 2002

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Control Arm Bushings

It's a pretty easy job. You have to put the frame on jackstands and remove the wheels. Support the axle, undo the shocks and the top spring holder. Lower the axle, (Watch out for the spring it might move but it won't fly out until you undo the big bolt in the bottom of it). Loosen the big bolt in the bottom of the spring about an inch. Then take the big nut off the rear of the radius arm. Slide the arm forward out of the hole and let it drop down. Then re-assemble.

P.S. Due to age and rust, it will be a chore. But it's not that hard or technical, just time consuming.

Nov 11, 2002 | 10:51 PM

taz3fan

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Control Arm Bushings

been there done that...jack the front wheels up, grind the heads off the rivots then drill or punch the rest of rivot out... oh and this is not a one man job............ and put some pb blaster on radias arm nuts first youll be better off .had a buddy that rung it off 3/4 inch braker and four foot pipe.......... and please if you go this route buy some grade bolts to put in place of rivots:-)

Nov 12, 2002 | 12:09 AM

Torque1st

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Control Arm Bushings

There is even something better than PB blaster for getting rusted nuts off! Check out the post on "nut and bolts freeing agent" I think it on the second or third page. There is a trick using candle wax posted there that I have used several times since that was posted. IT WORKS GREAT!

I have compared candle wax to using PB blaster and it is far better! It hasn't failed yet. I recently changed the radius arm bushings in a 91 Explorer. PB blaster wouldn't touch them even after several applications over several days. I couldn't get air tools to line up well enough. The candle wax trick let me take them apart with a combo wrench by hand!!! Air tools would be icing on the cake.

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Nov 12, 2002 | 05:05 PM

bryan_henry

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From: USA

Control Arm Bushings

I did this myself a few weeks ago and it wasn't that bad. Like they said just drill out the rivet and take a punch and hammer it out the rest of the way. I just used a 1/2" ratchet (don't remember socket size) on the nut on the back of the radius arm and it came right off.