Radius Arm Nut
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Alright! I finally got all the nuts loose on the driver's side. It took sort of a comprehensive approach .. candle wax, heat, and impact wrench. I put the new bushings in place and got all the nuts and bolts back on. But how tight should they be? The radius arm nut didn't turn down nearly as far as before, since the poly bushings don't compress as much.
Does anyone know appropriate torque values for the frame bracket nuts and the radius arm nut?
Does anyone know appropriate torque values for the frame bracket nuts and the radius arm nut?
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Wow, I don't think I'll be able to bottom it out. These bushings aren't at all squishy like the rubber ones. I've blasted the nut on w/impact wrench until it's nearly stopped and they haven't really compressed at all.
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OK! R&R'd bushings on both radius arms. One thing I learned that might help others is that the NUTS on the frame bracket aren't really designed to move/come off. If you loosen from the BOLT HEAD on the outside of the frame, it will come apart MUCH more easily.
Now, there is a problem. On my passenger side radius arm there is a plastic spacer between the bracket and the bushing. This spacer is missing from the driver's side. Anyone know where I can get this thing? I don't think it's a good idea to ignore it because it prevents the bushing from getting cut up on the bracket.
Anyways, the van drives a lot better now - the steering is noticeably tighter, and no more aggravating squeaking on bumps.
Now, there is a problem. On my passenger side radius arm there is a plastic spacer between the bracket and the bushing. This spacer is missing from the driver's side. Anyone know where I can get this thing? I don't think it's a good idea to ignore it because it prevents the bushing from getting cut up on the bracket.
Anyways, the van drives a lot better now - the steering is noticeably tighter, and no more aggravating squeaking on bumps.
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From: Kiefer, Northeastern Okla
Radius arm to bracket- 80 to 120 ft.lbs. Radius arm bracket to frame or cross member-70 to 90. Don't know if the poly bushings would be different than rubber. This is out of the Haynes manual. I'm fixin' to do the same thing. Really glad I saw this thread first! Probably woulda scared the dogs with my screamin' and cussin'.
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The radius arm brackets come from the factory riveted on.
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Bracket bolts
My '79 F-250 had 9000 miles on it when I bought it. It came with factory bolts. The nuts weren't locking nuts, they were just made under sized. The guy that owned it thought that 460 cid was too thirsty to suit him. He had his previous truck stolen and my '79 F-150 was too.
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From: Location, Location.
My radius arm brackets are bolted on too.
CANDLE TRICK - read about it here yesterday, and , as I was prepqaring to remove the radius arms also, tried it. Before - wouldn't budge even with a 4-foot bar on the end of the wrench. After - cracked easily with the bar, then spun off with just a wrench. Very impressive. But not infallible - came to the big axle bolt holding the radius arm to the front axle - no amount of heating and candle wax would move it. Had to grind the head off. But definitely, cnadle trick is step one from now on on stuck nuts and bolts.
CANDLE TRICK - read about it here yesterday, and , as I was prepqaring to remove the radius arms also, tried it. Before - wouldn't budge even with a 4-foot bar on the end of the wrench. After - cracked easily with the bar, then spun off with just a wrench. Very impressive. But not infallible - came to the big axle bolt holding the radius arm to the front axle - no amount of heating and candle wax would move it. Had to grind the head off. But definitely, cnadle trick is step one from now on on stuck nuts and bolts.
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