beastpath Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I am doing my UCA swap, shocks, bushings, ball joints, and tie rods this week (along with head gasket and transmission pull). Have got most of the front disassembled, but before I go deeper into this than i already have.... Should I replace my lower control arm bushings? I've read that this is very very difficult and that you have to burn them out of the truck. Is it worth it to do? Everything else is or will be energy suspension Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KovemaN Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 If they arent' worn out, it's not worth it. The hard part is dropping the t-bars and getting the bolts out. To remove the bushing from the frame might be a pain too. If the whole thing won't slide out then you will have to burn out the inner sleeve and take a saw to the outer sleeve. If it's worn out, the inner sleeve should just drop out then you can take a sawzall to the rubber and outer sleeve (from the inside). Once you have cut through the sleeve it will be easy to hammer out with a chisel or punch. That is the method I had to use to replace the leaf spring bushings on my D21. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I'm in roughly the same place beastpath, about to rebuild the front end and wondering about the LCA bushings also. I decided to make the call when I have it torn 1/2 way apart, it should be easier to check then... Good luck with your work, let me know any tips or warnings you discover... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 If they arent' worn out, it's not worth it. The hard part is dropping the t-bars and getting the bolts out. To remove the bushing from the frame might be a pain too. If the whole thing won't slide out then you will have to burn out the inner sleeve and take a saw to the outer sleeve. If it's worn out, the inner sleeve should just drop out then you can take a sawzall to the rubber and outer sleeve (from the inside). Once you have cut through the sleeve it will be easy to hammer out with a chisel or punch. That is the method I had to use to replace the leaf spring bushings on my D21. well....i have to take the t-bars out for the tranny drop, so may as well right. lol. Cool, cutting out is safer than burning out. I'm in roughly the same place beastpath, about to rebuild the front end and wondering about the LCA bushings also. I decided to make the call when I have it torn 1/2 way apart, it should be easier to check then... Good luck with your work, let me know any tips or warnings you discover... B can do will do. my passenger side looks all mangled, so i figure Id better do them. tip 1: release the tension on the t-bars before you disconnect sway bar, shocks etc. lol. i had bushings shoot everywhere when the nut for the shock finally released..it was the only thing holding the lower arm up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeV Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Lowers are the devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadm4x4 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 oh great. now i dont want to do mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KovemaN Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Lowers are the devil Correction: Lower BALL JOINTS are the devil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY1PATH Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Imo the B!t¢# Is getting the whole thing level again when it keeps t-bars settleing on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 jeez, this is taking forever. I only just got the drivers side all burned out. Damn that formula 5 stuff is STICKY!!!!! was hoping to get both sides done today, but doesnt look like thats happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balmer Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 oh great. now i dont want to do mine Do a sas then you can just torch everything out! After working on my IFS I can't wait to burn it out of there this fall! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 why does nothing ever work for me? I got the bushings in, but the rear facing one wont slide in all the way. I've hammered on it, I've clamped it, but it is sticking out just enough where the LCA wont go back on. the truck seems to be fighting me every time I do anything to it. part of me wonders why i even bother with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 why does nothing ever work for me? I got the bushings in, but the rear facing one wont slide in all the way. I've hammered on it, I've clamped it, but it is sticking out just enough where the LCA wont go back on. the truck seems to be fighting me every time I do anything to it. part of me wonders why i even bother with it. murphy's law! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 im gonna clamp it overnight, but if that doesnt work what do i do? burn the new one out and get another? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 why does nothing ever work for me? ...the truck seems to be fighting me every time I do anything to it. part of me wonders why i even bother with it. She's testing you - making sure you are worthy of owning her Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY1PATH Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 use wd40 to clean up that formula 5, makes quick of sticky situation. then you can use rags and alchol or acetone(if you so desire) to clean up the wd40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 She's testing you - making sure you are worthy of owning her ha! youd think i'd be worthy with the amount of cash I've spent on her. use wd40 to clean up that formula 5, makes quick of sticky situation. then you can use rags and alchol or acetone(if you so desire) to clean up the wd40. OH YEAH! i had forgotten about that tip from you. Thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Could the bushing be directional? Was the new one the same length as the old? Without pictures/not having done this myself, it's hard to second guess... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 ive got it back on, clamping it overnight seemed to help, but it was brute force that really got it into place. im having second thoughts about doing the passenger side.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Too late now, do the other side. Just take what you learned and go... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creekkid Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 (edited) Correction: Lower BALL JOINTS are the devil. I thought the BJ's not too hard at all. I'd rather do them than control arm bushings. Edited August 13, 2009 by Creekkid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 Too late now, do the other side. Just take what you learned and go... B i know i know....at least it will be done for another 20 years I thought the BJ's not too hard at all.I'd rather do them than control arm bushings. I had to take the whole hub off to get the lowers off. that sucka is heavy. i would agree that the bushings are more difficult Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creekkid Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Agreed that the hubs are a pain in the ass. But I managed to do both Lower BJ's in about 4 hours whereas it took almost a whole day to do the bushing in the UCA on JUST the driver side. Still got to do the pass side though....driver's was toast. I think my lower bushings are toast as well and am very reluctant to do it my self....looks like a MAJOR PIA. You got any pics of the work you are doin on the lowers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 yeah, the bushings take a long time cos you have to burn stuff out, and pretty much have to take everything off to get to the LCA bushings. ill take pics of it when i do the passenger side tomorrow. on a plus though I got the Rancho UCAs in and they look sweet!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 heres a pic of me buring the lower bushings out. IDK why I didnt take any of the new ones. Too busy swearing at the truck i guess.... My finished Rancho UCA lift (almost finished, have to adjust the tbars again and get an alignment) Tips: put a cloth or something underneath the area you are burning the bushings, lots of nastly stuff comes out. big C clamp helps i didnt remove the bracket that holds the t-bar to the LCA, just one bolt at the bottom so I could slip the LCA over bushigs. Then I reinstalled the bolt afterwards. I actually reinstalled it backwards as there is room to get the nut inbetween the LCA and frame, but not the bolt, should work the same. wear a good mask when burning the bushings, rubber smoke is awful. Unbolt the tension bars before you drop the LCA. when installing the new bushings, put the new metal sleeve just inside one of the bushings, tap it slightly into the bushing hole, then connect the other bushing on the other side. Then clamp them together (use two big washers or something on each side of the bushing, i used the big metal washer things from the torsion bar bushings as I was replacing those at the same time). If you try to hammer one bushing it at a time and then push the sleeve in it wont work, the bushings will be slightly misaligned and will not allow the sleeve to pass through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY1PATH Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 when installing the new bushings, put the new metal sleeve just inside one of the bushings, tap it slightly into the bushing hole, then connect the other bushing on the other side. Then clamp them together (use two big washers or something on each side of the bushing, i used the big metal washer things from the torsion bar bushings as I was replacing those at the same time). If you try to hammer one bushing it at a time and then push the sleeve in it wont work, the bushings will be slightly misaligned and will not allow the sleeve to pass through. thanks for playing guinea pig on that, let us know if the poly squeaks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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