What are the steps to replace the radius arm and I-beam bushings on a 1974 F100 2wd? How hard is it to move the radius arm out of the frame slot to replace the inner bushing. Also should I use original style or new polyurathane style? Any tips will help my week end project. Thanks!

 

Wayne,

Jack frame up so both I Beams drop enough to remove weight off springs & hang there.Use good sifficient Jack Stands to secure frame solidly & safely.

Remove wheels & tires, undo brake flex line at steel lines at both sides. Pull locking clips.

From here on we're doing 1 side at a time.

Place floor jack under outer part of I-Beam & jack up until it bears weight slightly. Just enough to keep I-Beam from dropping when you remove the next items.

Remove Anti Sway Bar Link, shock absorber & bolt holding spring bottom coil to I Beam.

Go to center of Main front "X" Member, Remove large pivot bolt for inner eye of I-Beam you just disconnected everything from. Drive or push bolt through using drift of some sort. When Bolt is out, leave drift in plac to act as a temp' pivot.

On driverside, now is time to disconnect your center steerintg link from Pitman arm. But leave it connected to steering knuckles at spindle ends.

Go where radius arm for that side fastens to frame. Remove large nut, washer & outer bushing.

Go back to front "X" Member pivot, remove temporary pivot (drift device) lower I beam to floor. Pull jack forward until bushing end of radius arm is free of it's mount bracket. Lower jack letting entire I beam assy lower to floor.

Inspect radius arm brackets for loose & worn rivets, clean & remove all debris & old bushing material from I beam components & front Pivot location. Once it's all cleaned & ready reverse above operations using new bushings in place of old, worn bushings you removed.

As for use of Poly & Poly G, they're more dense than OEM bushings thus deliver more shock, impact & rebound to chassis. It shows up both in ride comfort & component longevity. They also dysaffect docile handling characteristics, (make it worse).
If you're going to "hammer truck", Pushing Limits of punishment, then by all means go for the Poly Bushings (but be aware you have to watch them).

On otherhand, if you're looking for ride quality, handling, stopping & ease of control on OEM suspension components, I strongly suggest you stick with OEM type butyl/ rubber based bushings.

If you go with the aftermarket Poly Bushings, be sure to use whatever Lubricant the Mfgr reccommends, if you go with the OEM, then use either glycerine or the liquid dish detergent mixed with water to lubricate for reassembly. . . .

If you don't disconnect your steering center link other than Pitman arm your steering should be close to what it was adjustmant wise. At least it should be driveable enough to get to a shop to have it chaecked, or if you know how check your toe in/out before you begin driving it again.

Last Item Is Bleed brakes because of "breaking into system" to drop I-beams. Check everything for Tight & safety & road test the truck.

I hope this helps

FBp

 

I have also been able to do this without disconnecting the steering arms.

When removing the radius arm bolts use the "candle trick" from the garage forum FAQ listed in my sig.

Inspect the radius arm for wear in the bushing area and also inspect the radius arm brackets for wear from the radius arm.

You will need to get the alignment checked after bushing replacement.

Note: To remove bushings use a heat gun or torch on the inner sleeve to soften the rubber. Push out the inner sleeve with an old screwdriver (it will get covered with black gunk). When the inner sleeve is out heat the outside of the spring eye etc. Push/peel the rubber out. Remove the outer sleeve with an air chisel. You can do it with a hammer and chisel etc but it will take a while. Clean up the inside of the spring eye and coat the new bushing and eye with anti-seize. If using rubber bushings and some poly bushings you will need to make a fixture with a sleeve (ID bigger than bushing OD), flat washers, and bolts, to draw the new bushing into the eye. Sleeves can be made from pipe couplings.

 

I just did mine without removing all that stuff as well.
It easy with the truck on a hoist

a come-along and a tower jack helped

 

I haven't done a 2wdl drive, but I'm assuming the radius arm bushings are similar to the 4wd. Most people around my neck of the woods, grind or torch the rivets from the rear radius arm brackets, and replace them with grade 8 bolts. This allows you to change just the radius arm bushings in the future, by just unbolting the bracket from the frame, nothing else. I have seen this done on at least 20 different vehilcles, and some of the local alignment shops even do this?

 

I like that idea the best. Pete says I need to remove the brake lines and caliper. I don't want to do all of that. My truck does not have an anti-sway bar, so some of the intructions does not apply. I am confused by the term "spring eye"?? Doesnt the new bushing kit come with this. Also are you refering to the I-beam bushing. I removed the radius arm bolt on the drivers side with that side jacked up. I was able to take my foot and push the tire and spindle assembly forward, but not enough to remove the radius arm. It seemed that I could remove the I-beam bolt at this point to give me enough room to move the assembly forward to get the radius arm to clear the frame mount. Replacing the rivets with grade 8 bolts sounds like a great idea. I may just buy the bushings and have a shop do this for me. Does anyone else have any opinions about OEM bushings compaired to Poly bushings. My intent is to get the steering under control. I have manual steering.

 

No, Disconnect flex brake lines between hard lines & calipers, at bracket. Next remove retaining clip on flex line end, so I-Beam + Radius Arm are free of the vehicle as you try to move it out of radius arm bracket, or from inner I-Beam Pivot.

When you leave flex lines hooked up, & if it all slips, or you drop it, you run a risk of damaging flex lines when lines take full weight of the dropping sub assembly all together, to cause flex line rupture or failure during next hard braking application, later on, when you least expect or need it.

FBp

 

For calipers I just remove the caliper and hang it with some wire.

Buy yourself a service manual. It has a bunch of pictures and instructions. A service manual should be the FIRST thing you buy for your truck.

 

"Also are you refering to the I-beam bushing. I removed the radius arm bolt on the drivers side with that side jacked up. I was able to take my foot and push the tire and spindle assembly forward, but not enough to remove the radius arm. It seemed that I could remove the I-beam bolt at this point to give me enough room to move the assembly forward to get the radius arm to clear the frame mount. "

You can do it that way easily. I prefer it since drilling out bracket rivets is tedious. When reinstalling, just stuff the radius arm in first.

"Replacing the rivets with grade 8 bolts sounds like a great idea. "
I do that if they are loose, but otherwise leave them alone.
If you must remove the bracket, drill the rivets out using good sharp drill bits. Center punch the rivet to locate the bit, then start with about a 1/8" bit for a pilot hole. I drill almost all the way through, then chisel them off with a long chisel.

" Does anyone else have any opinions about OEM bushings compaired to Poly bushings. My intent is to get the steering under control. I have manual steering."

They work fine for me with zero handling problems. I'll never reinstall a rubber bushing where I have a urethane alternative. I prefer the slightly firmer ride.

The whole deal is a pretty painless job, and much less hassle than a suspension removal and install on the same era Ch**y I got to wrassle with today. Gimme I-beams over control arms any day...

 

Thanks for the tips everyone. I could not do it this week end, but plan on next week end.