Broken Radius Arm
#1
Broken Radius Arm
Hello,
This is my first post on here. I have been through the site and it is very helpful, but I can't seem to find the one piece of information I need.
My father has a 96 F150 4x4. The radius arm bracket broke off the frame due to rust. We got the new part, but while removing the nut from the end of the radius arm the stud broke off. We got a new radius arm, but this is where my problem begins. How do you remove the radius arm from the axle housing? Do the ball joints and spindle assemblyhave to be removed to access the bolts or am I missing something. I can't seem to find any posts about this. There are several about changing the bushings but not the arm itself.
Thanks for any help,
Phil
This is my first post on here. I have been through the site and it is very helpful, but I can't seem to find the one piece of information I need.
My father has a 96 F150 4x4. The radius arm bracket broke off the frame due to rust. We got the new part, but while removing the nut from the end of the radius arm the stud broke off. We got a new radius arm, but this is where my problem begins. How do you remove the radius arm from the axle housing? Do the ball joints and spindle assemblyhave to be removed to access the bolts or am I missing something. I can't seem to find any posts about this. There are several about changing the bushings but not the arm itself.
Thanks for any help,
Phil
#3
I've never had to take mine off but at one point I thought I had to. To me it looked like it would be impossible if you didn't remove the spindle assembly. Just not enough room if you need to get a wrench on the other sides bolt.
#4
Didn't have a Haynes manual. It turns out that the nuts inside the axle housing are welded and will not turn which means you don't have to try to get a wrench in there to hold them. The top bolt appears to be a bolt from inside the axle housing, it is not. It is just a bolt with a stud made into the top of it to hold the bottom of the spring. A 1 1/8 wrench with a pipe on it will brake it loose, I did not have a deep enough socket to use. Just about the time I thought it would snap off it broke loose. The bottom bolt was not nearly as tight. From there on out it was easy. Hope this helps if anyone else needs to change this.