Track Arm Bushing Install,,help!
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2006
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Track Arm Bushing Install,,help!
How in the world to you install the Energy Suspension Track Arm Bushing in a F250 SD?... The old rubber ones came out easily, but I can't figure out how to press in the ES Bushing. It is larger OD "on both ends", (although the center of the bushing is the correct size" and from what I see, it's bigger than what I'm trying to press it into. Was headed fishing this morning and figured this would be quick and easy.. oohh soo wrong...
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What year is your truck?
PREMIUM SPONSOR
Joined: Feb 2009
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Well, I was thinking maybe you had an Early 99 since there track bar bushings are smaller, but the 2000 will be the larger. Can you measure the diameter, O.D. I.D., difference and let us know. What ES part number did you get?
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2006
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Have a Pic of bushing, but it will not allow me to insert it.. The instruction sheet, (if you wanna call it that) or lack of, shows the welded and cast bar. Mine is cast.. and it shows the exact bushings I have.. I just have no idea how to press them in the bar...The OD edges will not "collapse" or "compress" enough to go into Track Arm.
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From: Fresno, CA
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2006
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Ok Fellas, this thing just made me mad.. I decided to use a grinder and angle/ radius one end of the bushing, even more than it already was. I took enough off of it that it finally acted as if it would start into the track arm. I greased it, put it into a press, put some pressure on it, then took a large flat screwdriver and hammered the edges into the eyelet of the track arm. It finally started, so I finished it off with the press. Then I had to press in the metal sleeves. It's now on the truck. Guess nothing wrong with a bit of country boy engineering...
Thanks for everyones responses.
Oh, if someone has a better way to do this, I'm all ears...
Thanks for everyones responses.
Oh, if someone has a better way to do this, I'm all ears...
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 967
Likes: 7
From: coquitlam,BC
Ok Fellas, this thing just made me mad.. I decided to use a grinder and angle/ radius one end of the bushing, even more than it already was. I took enough off of it that it finally acted as if it would start into the track arm. I greased it, put it into a press, put some pressure on it, then took a large flat screwdriver and hammered the edges into the eyelet of the track arm. It finally started, so I finished it off with the press. Then I had to press in the metal sleeves. It's now on the truck. Guess nothing wrong with a bit of country boy engineering...
Thanks for everyones responses.
Oh, if someone has a better way to do this, I'm all ears...
Thanks for everyones responses.
Oh, if someone has a better way to do this, I'm all ears...
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2006
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Oh Yeah,, I had everything pressed out.. All I had was the bare track bar and the ES Bushing w/o it's metal insert installed. I gave boiling in water a thought, however, I was unsure if ES bushings would soften enough to make any difference. Then next time I embark on this, I will go ahead and toss them in some hot water.
Hey everyone, thanks for the advise.
Hey everyone, thanks for the advise.
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2006
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I almost forgot.. I saw a very noticable difference in how the truck steered and handled. Although, I also learned how loose my rear sway bar bushings must be.. Truck is tight in the front, Loose in the rear.. almost sounds like a NASCAR comment.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 967
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From: coquitlam,BC
Oh Yeah,, I had everything pressed out.. All I had was the bare track bar and the ES Bushing w/o it's metal insert installed. I gave boiling in water a thought, however, I was unsure if ES bushings would soften enough to make any difference. Then next time I embark on this, I will go ahead and toss them in some hot water.
Hey everyone, thanks for the advise.
Hey everyone, thanks for the advise.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 967
Likes: 7
From: coquitlam,BC
How did you decide or check to know your bushings were no good?
Cross-Country
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 64
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Oh, no!
Oh, no, that sounds horrible. Where am I going to get a press for something this (seemingly) simple thing. I am about to order Energy Suspension 4.7126G track bar bushings for my 4WD Excursion... but this sounds like a slow job.
By the way, every piece of rubber on the front of my truck decayed, I am guessing, sitting at a dealer's lot in the hot sun for about a year (I bought it used in South Texas)....
For those of you who want to save money and replace tie rod end dust boots... I tried the 9.13119G (the largest they make) and I think they are a little big for the pitman arm and marginal for the outer tie rod for these 4WD trucks, so I will try the 9.13101G and the 9.13105g. Now that I found Energy Suspension stuff, I am going to try to save money replacing all this rubber that died in the Texas heat!
One Tie Rod End: $45 to $150 (usually needs an alignment)
One Dust cover: $3 (no alignment, no metal parts to ship)
By the way, every piece of rubber on the front of my truck decayed, I am guessing, sitting at a dealer's lot in the hot sun for about a year (I bought it used in South Texas)....
For those of you who want to save money and replace tie rod end dust boots... I tried the 9.13119G (the largest they make) and I think they are a little big for the pitman arm and marginal for the outer tie rod for these 4WD trucks, so I will try the 9.13101G and the 9.13105g. Now that I found Energy Suspension stuff, I am going to try to save money replacing all this rubber that died in the Texas heat!
One Tie Rod End: $45 to $150 (usually needs an alignment)
One Dust cover: $3 (no alignment, no metal parts to ship)