My 1994 Ranger 2wd needs to have the front radius arms replaced and I'm not sure if I can do them because I just can't find the time . Has anyone had to have theirs replaced and what was the flat rate cost to do the job ? I am thinking that there is a local shop that just opened up and they could probably use the work and I don't mind paying for the job but can someone could give me a ballpark time estimate so I don't get ripped off .

 

Honestly effie, this isn't that difficult of a project.

Things you would need: obvious replacement radius arm, 28mm socket (or atleast a big cresent wrench), grinder and I believe an 18mm socket, spring compressor, two 7/16 grade 5 or 7 bolts, nuts, washers, lock washers and a breaker bar. The whole project really doesn't take much more than a few hours. I would say 5 hours for an amature like me.

I just did this last week... my wife wrecked her 97 (which is the same as the 94 really). It's really not the difficult, and trust me, I'm no professional mechanic.

Remove the bolt at the very back of the radius arm (28mm I believe). Then unscrew the nut that is inside the spring... it's going to be difficult to do, but you can do it. What I did was take a cheap 3/4" drive ratchet that I bought from Harbor frieght, connect two extentions to it, compress the spring some so that you can reach the nut, put a breaker bar on it... and pull like nobody's bussiness. I had to put a breaker bar on the end of my ratchet, and pulled until I though it was going to break. Short story long, it worked. Once you get that nut off, remove the spring and set it aside. The remove the bottom spring catch to reveal the second nut. Same thing with this nut. If you have too, you can put a ratchet on this nut, then turn the stud the nut is attached to (on the bottom of the radius arm), but I would only do this if you can't get the nut loose. Don't be afraid to use wd-40.... and lots of it. Once you remove this... pull the radius arm out and replace it in the opposite of how you took it off.

As I said, I just did this last week, and it really isn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be.

Either way, the process shouldn't take more than 5 hours by any means... I did it in that amount of time and I'm just a wanna-be mechanic.

Good luck,

Stan

P.S. If you need anymore advise, let me know.

 

I have a 91 Ford ranger 3.0 XLT.i need to replace the tedious arm bushings.the part where my radius arm goes to the frame .why can't I take nuts off that end of arm take that support down.while supporting the arm with jack.put half then install the bushing half put support back up put arm in the support brace put the the other half bushing on tighten brace back down then tighten radius arm and be done.i don't understand why I need to take the bolt out of the front of radius arm where I connects to front end apart when that brace on mine I bolted in from factory .doesn't have rivets or welds.some one please explain this to me .cause this doesn't make since to me and I'm going to replace the bushings tomorrow.

 

Anyone that can help please

 

You can swing it all as a unit. It worked for me.

 

Had new radius arm bushing and new brackets installed 2010.
1993 Ranger std cab 2wd.
Labor 200.00 took 2.5 hours. Had other ft end work done at the same time.
Am a DIY, but was well worth the money. No DIY for most heavy repair here.
Bought the brackets, bushings, other parts beforehand.
Find a shop that will work with you, do good work, charge fair prices. They are gold.