ericantonio

I know these need to get done, one of my projects for the next coming months. Got my wheel bearings done today and I told them I was gonna do my radius arm bushings myself. Guy asked me if I've ever done them cause they are pretty hard he said. They actually quote 3 hours to do radius arm bushings. But for the 95 2wd, looks like I will have to do the following:

Remove wheel
remove lower shock bolt
remove springs
unbolt the radius arm bushing nut
And then the hard part: how to pull the radius arm bushing forward for the pin to clear the radius arm bracket?

Is that pretty much the scenario? Am I missing some steps.

Crownman

Once you have everything loose you can use a wratchet strap to pull the ibeam forward if you have something to anchor it to.

Or, you could stick a jack under the spindle. Then remove the Ibeam bushing bolt and slowly lower the entire Ibeam and it will pull forward easily.

Or, check the rivets on the radius arm brackets. If they're loose or really rusted you could just cut the rivets out, remove the radius arm nut, remove the radius arm bracket, replace the bushings, then use some grade 8 bolts and bolt the radius arm bracket back on. Then install the outer bushing and tighten down the nut. If you do it this way you don't have to remove the spring, the wheel, or the lower shock bolt. ANd you don't have to pull the beam forward.

clarkbre

DO this and replace the axle pivot bushings at the same time. Doing both the axle pivot and radius arm bushing sets at once will make the truck feel new again. Having everything out will make everything very accessible that would be difficult to access otherwise.

ericantonio

Funny I was looking at pictures of the underside today during work and It hought "hmmm, that looks like it's just a bold holding that in, I bet if I take that off..."

So thanks to both of you guys for suggesting that! Guess I'll be putting more stuff on my shopping car at rockauto.

clarkbre

I used the prothane 6-601 axle pivot bushings. I was able to torch out the old bushings and then set the new ones with a rubber mallet. I bought them on amazon for $23.

Its amazing that taking those 2 bolts out pretty much drops the front end out of the truck. Mine was more involved with the 4wd. For that task i absolutely wished mine was 2wd