What did you do to your truck today?
06-17-2018, 01:30 PM
Senior Member
Been working on the radius arm bushing replacements today with Moog Problem Solvers (not poly). Got the passenger side changed out, but not all torqued yet. Got 2 of the 3 rivets out of the driver side using a combination of drill, grinder, air chisel, sledge hammer and cold chisel! I'll get that finished up tomorrow with any luck! Got all new grade 8 hardware too! This has been a real pain in the neck, and if it has to be done again in the next ten years, I'm paying someone else to do it! But I figure I saved a few bucks doing it myself this time! And at least it wasn't raining!
06-17-2018, 03:37 PM
Senior Member
06-19-2018, 08:44 AM
Member
I raided the Jacksonville Ace Pull-a-Part and found everything but an exhaust system. There are 19 9th Gens there and 6 more were hauled in while I was working. I spent $87 for a steering gear box, '96 plastic vacuum canister, sliding rear window for my fiberglass cap, some minor seat parts, an unblemished but acid-white tailgate panel, and several parts for a couple of my buddys' projects. The gear box was a recently replaced unit from a 2003 fleet van with 333,379 miles on it. Has QR code and a bar code stickers, Ford markings, and a barely rusted patina; SCORE!
Installed the steering box Saturday morning and discovered the alignment shop busted the center link joint, accounting for the drift and wander that recently developed. I had just replaced the link 3 weeks ago and took it for an alignment. I won't be using them again.
Good times!
Installed the steering box Saturday morning and discovered the alignment shop busted the center link joint, accounting for the drift and wander that recently developed. I had just replaced the link 3 weeks ago and took it for an alignment. I won't be using them again.
Good times!
Last edited by stxlt; 06-19-2018 at 08:50 AM.
06-23-2018, 12:01 PM
Senior Member
All done now with the radius arm bushing replacement. Had to order a 9/16" drill bit to enlarge two of the bracket holes after getting the rivets out (per the Ford Tech Bulletin, thanks Steve83!) . Got that done last night without too much trouble. So bushings are in, new grade 8 bolts are in and torqued. The passenger side bushing wasn't in too bad of shape, but the drivers side looked like it was turning into "gel", not melted, just looked like it was turning back into liquid rubber, weird! I've noticed the nagging pull towards the passenger side while driving the truck is pretty much gone now!
Now that's done so I just ordered some new door seals and side window rubber, and some sound insulation for the next project!
Now that's done so I just ordered some new door seals and side window rubber, and some sound insulation for the next project!
06-23-2018, 03:56 PM
Senior Member
All done now with the radius arm bushing replacement. Had to order a 9/16" drill bit to enlarge two of the bracket holes after getting the rivets out (per the Ford Tech Bulletin, thanks Steve83!) . Got that done last night without too much trouble. So bushings are in, new grade 8 bolts are in and torqued. The passenger side bushing wasn't in too bad of shape, but the drivers side looked like it was turning into "gel", not melted, just looked like it was turning back into liquid rubber, weird! I've noticed the nagging pull towards the passenger side while driving the truck is pretty much gone now!
Now that's done so I just ordered some new door seals and side window rubber, and some sound insulation for the next project!
Now that's done so I just ordered some new door seals and side window rubber, and some sound insulation for the next project!
06-23-2018, 10:39 PM
Senior Member
Yep, I do notice a change! I can let go of the steering wheel and it drives straight down the road! Couldn't do that before, it would have ended up in the ditch! Big improvement, even though it was a lot of work (and ibuprofen!)
06-23-2018, 11:20 PM
Senior Member
I still want to do the axle pivot bushings on mine - but it looks like a royal pain. If only I had a lift lol.
06-24-2018, 08:25 AM
Now that I got this nice new 96’, I was thinking I’ve adding a keyless entry, maybe even keyless start. The later not as important. So do you really need to pull the entire dash? How much will you save doing it yourself? I think you responded to a thread of mine about power mirrors, that the aftermarket all had vibration. Is it possible to still get OE?
06-24-2018, 08:31 AM
clintm6, You Sir, have a beautiful truck. I admire the effort you have put into your truck! The grille paint idea is on my list...
Let's see...Beginning in January of this year, I retained the current Gabriel shocks but swapped in new front coils (Moog 822), AC Delco Pro tie rods (All), Ball joints, Pivot bushings, Radius Arm bushings, and an alignment. I've replaced the cab and core support mounts with Energy Suspension Urethane pieces and genuine Ford bolts for the core support. Out back, I replaced the shackles with Moog k150409s and the leaf spring bushings with Energy Suspension 4.2122s. The Gabriel Air shocks were replaced with Monroe MA771s and a fresh air line kit installed. The shackles didn't get urethane bushings because the new Moogs had cast-in rubber bushings. The replaced set didn't have the correct hole size to accept the ES bushings, prompting their replacement. The leaf springs are in good shape and appear to have been replaced by the previous owner; the leaf isolators are barely worn and the arch is better than the springs I sourced from my parts carcass - a 170k mile, 1992 edition of this truck. All mounts are in good shape, no loose rivets, or any apparent cracks. The front shocks still quell bounce with the new coils. The brakes (only at the wheels) hub rotors, and bearings have been gone through and the Wrangler tires have 9200 miles on them. I even took the seat out and rebuilt the foam where needed in the bench; the back is fixinta be done this weekend and I am going to add a heating pad to the lower and upper sections.
It rides very nice now. If I were to do it again, I wouldn't use the poly bushings under the cab.
Let's see...Beginning in January of this year, I retained the current Gabriel shocks but swapped in new front coils (Moog 822), AC Delco Pro tie rods (All), Ball joints, Pivot bushings, Radius Arm bushings, and an alignment. I've replaced the cab and core support mounts with Energy Suspension Urethane pieces and genuine Ford bolts for the core support. Out back, I replaced the shackles with Moog k150409s and the leaf spring bushings with Energy Suspension 4.2122s. The Gabriel Air shocks were replaced with Monroe MA771s and a fresh air line kit installed. The shackles didn't get urethane bushings because the new Moogs had cast-in rubber bushings. The replaced set didn't have the correct hole size to accept the ES bushings, prompting their replacement. The leaf springs are in good shape and appear to have been replaced by the previous owner; the leaf isolators are barely worn and the arch is better than the springs I sourced from my parts carcass - a 170k mile, 1992 edition of this truck. All mounts are in good shape, no loose rivets, or any apparent cracks. The front shocks still quell bounce with the new coils. The brakes (only at the wheels) hub rotors, and bearings have been gone through and the Wrangler tires have 9200 miles on them. I even took the seat out and rebuilt the foam where needed in the bench; the back is fixinta be done this weekend and I am going to add a heating pad to the lower and upper sections.
It rides very nice now. If I were to do it again, I wouldn't use the poly bushings under the cab.