Radius Arm Bushing Replacement
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 427
Likes: 1
From: Irondale, Al.
i have removed the intire front i-beam, hub, spring assembly from these trucks, if the wheel is off the ground suported by the FRAME then there is no tension on the coil spring...take out two bolts and two nuts and its all out from under the front of the truck....i had to change one on my 73 f-100 about two and a half years ago with nothing but a floor jack ratchet and a few sockets.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,760
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From: Gadsden Purchase
Measure the frame, again. ;)
You might find out moving a radius arm bracket will square things up.
Might not. ;) I did and that side was easy as pie to change the radius
arm bushing in, so easy I ain't doing it the "ol' coffin hoist" way ever
again. YMMV on that. ;)
Alvin in AZ
Tuned
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 269
Likes: 1
From: Paradise, CA
radius arm bushings
I recently changed the radius arm bushings on my 2wd 79 f150. I fought the idea of removing the brackets and ended up frustrated and wasted lots of time. I got out my die grinder and ground off the rivets. A minute or two per rivet if that, and a few smacks from a malet and the brackets came off. If you have an air compressor, buy a die grinder (cheap at harbor freight) and a carbide bit. I like the football shaped one. Make sure to replace rivets with grade 8 and thread lock. When I finally thought I was at the home stretch, I found out that Ford made a change midyear in 79, so there are two types of bushings for 79 F150s. I imagine an F100 might have the same issue. When I did have the correct bushings, I still thought they were wrong because they fit the bracket correctly, but I couldn't get them on the radius arm without a press. And because the arms are on the truck a press was out of the question, so I got my die grinder back out and opened up the opening just enough so I could get the bushing on. With some lube and a mallet, smacked it the rest of the way on. The truck now drives like new. If I had to do this whole job over on another truck, I bet I could do it in under an hour. Make sure you go with polyurethane.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2009
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drop the coil spring,unbolt the shock,unbolt the radius arm from the radius arm bracket, rap a chain around the i beam then hook a come along to the farthest hole forward on the frame connect the chain to the come along and ratchet forward till the threaded part of the radius arm clears enough to put the new bushing on. itll take two people to put it back on. have someone by the radius arm to guide it back in while some one else releases the come along slowly, once back in original location bolt everything backup the way you took it apart. when i did the one on mine it took about 2 hours total time to do it. and you dont have to grind any rivet off or unbolt the radius arm bracket. its much easier to do it this way then it is to grind the rivet of and unbolt the radius arm in my opinoin
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2009
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you can do it by yourself the way i was describing but its a little trickier one person but, you can take everything apart your self. as far as that goes you could ask a neighbor to spend 10 minutes to help you by just helping guide the radius arm back into place
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 427
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From: Irondale, Al.
Good suggestion, but the engine and tranny are out right now being rebuilt.
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Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,594
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From: Southern Oregon USA
With the front up and on jack stands under the frame, put a jack under the I beam. Remove the shock and lower coil mounting. Lower the jack. With the suspension hanging, there is not much pressure on the coil. So there is little chance of it causing any harm. It is different from an A-arm or SLA type suspension where the captured spring is still under compression.
Once you have the I beam hanging, remove the large nut from the back of the radius arm and the rear bushings and washer. Use a come along (I've normally attached them to the front of the frame rail) and pull it forward just enough to get the forward bushings off and on. And reverse procedure to reinstall. Sometimes it helps to remove the upper spring retainers to help get it all lined up, but it is not always necessary.
The last set I did both sides in a little over an hour.
Jason
Once you have the I beam hanging, remove the large nut from the back of the radius arm and the rear bushings and washer. Use a come along (I've normally attached them to the front of the frame rail) and pull it forward just enough to get the forward bushings off and on. And reverse procedure to reinstall. Sometimes it helps to remove the upper spring retainers to help get it all lined up, but it is not always necessary.
The last set I did both sides in a little over an hour.
Jason
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 427
Likes: 1
From: Irondale, Al.
With the front up and on jack stands under the frame, put a jack under the I beam. Remove the shock and lower coil mounting. Lower the jack. With the suspension hanging, there is not much pressure on the coil. So there is little chance of it causing any harm. It is different from an A-arm or SLA type suspension where the captured spring is still under compression.
Once you have the I beam hanging, remove the large nut from the back of the radius arm and the rear bushings and washer. Use a come along (I've normally attached them to the front of the frame rail) and pull it forward just enough to get the forward bushings off and on. And reverse procedure to reinstall. Sometimes it helps to remove the upper spring retainers to help get it all lined up, but it is not always necessary.
The last set I did both sides in a little over an hour.
Jason
Once you have the I beam hanging, remove the large nut from the back of the radius arm and the rear bushings and washer. Use a come along (I've normally attached them to the front of the frame rail) and pull it forward just enough to get the forward bushings off and on. And reverse procedure to reinstall. Sometimes it helps to remove the upper spring retainers to help get it all lined up, but it is not always necessary.
The last set I did both sides in a little over an hour.
Jason
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 601
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I've replaced a boat load of these in my 49 years on this earth. Save yourself a lot of headaches and grind the rivets off of the brackets, and replace them with grade 8 or better bolts. I use a 4" angle grinder with a coarse wheel, and it grinds them down in no time. It will be way faster, not to mention way safer, than come-a-longs, hoists and spring compressors. The other benefit is the next time you replace them (and you will if you keep it for a while), you can do both sides in under an hour with basic hand tools.
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 601
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My statement was just that. Removing the rivets, then the brackets, is safer than hooking a come-a-long to the front of your frame rail, and cranking sideways against a coil spring?. Nothing wrong at all with properly using a come-a-long.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,594
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From: Southern Oregon USA
Probably more of a danger to get rivet grinding dust in your eyes or smacking your hand with a hammer driving them out
Jason
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,760
Likes: 8
From: Gadsden Purchase
The idea is to post your favorite way to do it and why.
...that's all it takes to make this a great thread.
I don't like RC's and Bubba's way because it's harder on the axle bushings
than it needs to be, and real easy on them if the radius arm brackets are
removed.
The "best way" isn't for anybody to decide other than the person doing it!
I've done it both ways and I ain't doing it again without removing the rivets.
Don't freak yourself out over the grade of the bolts, I've sparked tested
the rivets and they aren't any better material than grade 2 bolts. :) They
are not grade 5 bolt material.
I used grade 8 fine tread bolts because I figured it's the best way to go.
I believe the tightening ability of a fine thread grade 5 or 8 is the important
thing here. I hand-fitted 7/16" flywheel bolts where 3/8" rivets were.
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/radiusarm.jpg
IMO.
YMMV :)
Alvin in AZ
...that's all it takes to make this a great thread.
I don't like RC's and Bubba's way because it's harder on the axle bushings
than it needs to be, and real easy on them if the radius arm brackets are
removed.
The "best way" isn't for anybody to decide other than the person doing it!
I've done it both ways and I ain't doing it again without removing the rivets.
Don't freak yourself out over the grade of the bolts, I've sparked tested
the rivets and they aren't any better material than grade 2 bolts. :) They
are not grade 5 bolt material.
I used grade 8 fine tread bolts because I figured it's the best way to go.
I believe the tightening ability of a fine thread grade 5 or 8 is the important
thing here. I hand-fitted 7/16" flywheel bolts where 3/8" rivets were.
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/radiusarm.jpg
IMO.
YMMV :)
Alvin in AZ