Hi All,

I am going to remove the radius arm brackets on my 91 F150 2wd. I have decided to use this method to change the radius arm bushings. I am aware everyone has different opinions about this.

I am seeking advice from anyone who has removed the radius arm bracket before. Obviously, I am going to be careful here regardless of how dangerious it is to remove the radius arm brackets.. I just want to udnerstand if this is like changing a shock tension or whether its more like if a strut compressor broke and parts went flying.

Here are a few questions I have.

1. Generally speaking, if I were to unbolt the radius arm bracket with the truck on the flat ground in my garage what can I GENERALLY expect to happen? I.e is there so much tension that it moves 1 foot from the fram at the end or is going to stay in place etc. I'd hate to get the bracket unbolted and find I couldn't get it back on.

2. What is the best position for the front suspension when doing this. I've heard a few people talk about jacking the front wheel off the ground under the coil before removing the bracket.

3. For those who have done it..was a comealong necessary or a pry bar to get the bracket lined up for bolts..once the bushing was replaced?

Thanks in advance!

 

Lift the truck by the frame and support it. When I did mine years ago. I unbolted the top of the spring then put a jack under the I-beam and lifted it slightly I also removed the caliper and shock. Then took the radius arm nut off and kicked the rotor to move the assembly forward then replaced the bushing. Yes a come along would have made it easier. there is not much tension on the radius arm. It is a bit of a pain to get back through the whole though.
If you don't have a book get one and do it like they say. There are a bunch of ways to skin a cat.

 

I just finished this job. I put a jackstand under the frame and removed the wheel. Then took off the Big Nut, then the 3 bracket bolts. There was basically no tension. I pried the arm around a little bit so I could work the bracket off the frame. Clever use of a small jack to raise/lower the radium arm end also helped a lot, both with getting the bracket off and realigning it for reassembly.

I should also mention that the bracket bolts will probably be easiest to take off from the bolt head and not the nut. The nuts are toothed a little bit to hold them in place. When I took the bolts out, the nuts stayed attached to the bracket. I never had to touch them.

 

I jack the vehicle up by the frame on the side I am replacing, take the wheel off to make it easier to move (less weight) and then use a floor jack to get the arm back up if I have to. If it looks like it will droop enough so a spring might pop out (especially in a rust belt state where retaining brackets fail) I chain the spring down or I do not raise it that high. Just enough to remove the tire.

If it requires pulling the wheel towards me for alignment, I use a high lift jack to push the tire towards me, though even a small pulley or ratchet strap would work since there is very little tension.

To line up holes 18" of 1/4 threaded rod can help pull up the bracket if you are having a tough time, but, I have never needed it on any TTB or straight axle Ford where I have replaced the radius arm bushings. I get one hole started with a bolt and then use a 18" tapered punch to line the other holes up, you can use a screw driver to pry them over too.

I do not tighten any bolt down until all the bolts are in their respective holes. I do not torque the bushing at all until the bracket is back, though it should be in place and lightly tightened to align it properly while the bracket is off the vehicle. Once in place, the radius arm nut will pull the axle into its proper position. When you let the vehicle down, it will look wierd, but, once driven everything will be fine. I always put the bolts facing "down" so I can see if a nut loosens up. So if I lose a nut (never has happened - I torque to spec for the fastener) at least the bolt will keep the alignment and not fail completely.

As for how dangerous, if you jack up the frame, but, leave the tire on the ground the radius arm will not move at all when the bolts are removed. All I have done are 4x4s and even with the wheel up in the air it is gradual and sometimes you have to pry it away from the frame. If you are nervous about it, then just put a floor jack under the radius arm. It will not spring back towards you once the bolts/rivets are removed.