[Jlep]

Before I attempt and get completly screw, how technical is it to do radius arm bushings???? I have the Haynes manual to follow, but I want to know what I'm in for.......

 

[Redwagon]

depends on how you go about it...if you remove the arm completely...pain in the a$$...what a lot of guys do is grind the rivets of the radius arm brackets from the frame...change the bushings and the bolt the bracket back to the frame.

 

[sewiv]

Along this line, anyone know the size of the nut on the end of the radius arm on a `94? It's bigger than an inch, but smaller than 1 1/8", and I can't find my metric deepwell set right now.

 

[Redwagon]

1 1/16?

 

[ScorpionBoy]

I just did this a few months ago. Definitely grind/drill off the rivets on the drivers side. the passenger side is probably already bolted. it took me a few hours total. i didn't need to use any straps or anything tricky to line stuff back up, just had the truck frame on a jackstand and used the floorjack to position the radius arm for reattatching. check out this thread.

http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54965&highlight=radius+arm+shortcut

EDIT: after you do it this way, you will be able to change the bushings out in about 30 mins for both sides.

 

[Graydevil]

Me and a buddy just did his and we droped the whole suspention out from the truck it took us about 2 hrs to do it.. You will need a 22 mil at least thats what we used on his 96..

Here how to do it take the shocks off the passanger side and let the suspention down with a jack and take off the retainer clip at top of spring. Take off the nut on radis arm and suport the hole suspention on jack stands.. Take the pivot bolt out if i rember right it was an 18 mill.. U now can pull the suspention to the front of truck and replace the radios arm bushings.. slide the radios arm back in place put the plastic cup on then the rear bushing put washer on then nut..DO NOT TIGHTEN YET leave the suspention on the stands and go do the driver side and repeat the same on driver side..If u put passenger side back together u will fight the driver side the hole time the its a roal pain in the a$$

 

[collinsperformance]

if you want to do it easly remove the rivets off one side one night and replaces with bolts and do the other side the next night and on the weekend replace the bushings.....or get ready to spend a good long saturday or both days doing it over the weekend. i did the drill and air chisle off the head and use the air punch to punch out the rivet.......mike

 

[Streetgang]

Grinding off the rivets from the rad arm bracket/frame connection is by far the most popular method to get the job done.

If you need help in step by step form just use the search.....I think there was a write up on this with good pics and everything.

In any case the driver side bracket already uses nuts and bolts, but the pass side uses rivets to hold the bracket on. You will need to grind/cut/chop/hammer those rivets out, and then replace them with all grade eight bolts/nuts.

 

[ScorpionBoy]

Grinding off the rivets from the rad arm bracket/frame connection is by far the most popular method to get the job done.

If you need help in step by step form just use the search.....I think there was a write up on this with good pics and everything.

In any case the driver side bracket already uses nuts and bolts, but the pass side uses rivets to hold the bracket on. You will need to grind/cut/chop/hammer those rivets out, and then replace them with all grade eight bolts/nuts.

what he said. and don't be intimidated because the rivets are pretty soft steel. i drilled one and used a cold chisel to pop the head off, took about 7 minutes per rivet. it is super easy.

 

[SigEpBlue]

I'll have to second the Über-easy comments. Doing the driver's side by itself only became difficult when trying to reinstall the nut; I ended up using a come-along to pull the axle back into position so there were enough threads exposed to start it. Why Ford couldn't have made the stud on the end of the radius arms another half-inch longer, we'll never know. LoL. Just make sure you use Grade 8 hardware when reinstalling everything!!!

If I had to suggest anything, it'd be to use urethane bushings instead of rubber. Either way, you'll feel like you're driving a new truck afterwards. Oh, and remember it's 80-120 lb-ft of torque when installing that rear nut.

 

[ScorpionBoy]

I'll have to second the Über-easy comments. Doing the driver's side by itself only became difficult when trying to reinstall the nut; I ended up using a come-along to pull the axle back into position so there were enough threads exposed to start it. Why Ford couldn't have made the stud on the end of the radius arms another half-inch longer, we'll never know. LoL. Just make sure you use Grade 8 hardware when reinstalling everything!!!

If I had to suggest anything, it'd be to use urethane bushings instead of rubber. Either way, you'll feel like you're driving a new truck afterwards. Oh, and remember it's 80-120 lb-ft of torque when installing that rear nut.

guess i got lucky, i was able to just use the jackstand to position everything. i put inner radius arm bushing on then the bracket then worked it into place with a little prybar. reattatched the bracket to the truck, put on the outer bushing and nut. easy as pie. and i second the poly bushings. be sure to reuse the heatshield on the passenger side.