Removing radius arms.

[dancrim]

Need a procedure (one man)for getting the radius arms out. I want to replace the rubber bushings. I also want to replace the leaf spring bushings while I'm at it. I was hoping to remove the axle U bolts and slide the rear end back and tilt it up enough to pull out the arms, but the spring center bolt seems to require the rear axle to be lifted up as well. If I lift the axle and center bolt, will the springs spring apart? Also thought of pulling the drive shaft out and having it balanced. Is it worth it? All advice gladly accepted...

 

[Randy Forbes]

The center bolt stays in the spring, and the axle is just sitting on top of it, so your original plan is still valid. It might be a little stuck (corrosion) but should pop free if you lever under it.

I've replaced the radius arm bushings once, but it's been a very long time since then, so I don't remember how I dealt with the almost certain aspect of the bolts being stuck-fast inside the bushes.

It's usually a similar battle with the forward bolt on the leaf springs, but generally easier to deal with. Remove them from the car to replace the bushes; you'll be glad you did (as opposed to trying to do them in situ).

Balancing the driveshaft? Was it cut & rewelded at some point in its life? Unless there were terrible vibrations that couldn't be resolved any other way, this wouldn't be on my to do list.

 

[Robert560]

I just did this to my BJ8. Not the most fun job I've ever done I had to sawzall every bolt off... and those radius arm bolts aren't the easiest things to get in between.

With the springs out and radius arms detached, I was able to do a combination of shift & rotate on the rear diff and get the radius arms to come out. Once you get it out, be prepared to cut the old bushings out to remove them.

~Robert

 

[Keoke]

Once the attaching bolts are removed the arms can very easily be taken out????----Keoke

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

I just did this to my BJ8. Not the most fun job I've ever done I had to sawzall every bolt off... and those radius arm bolts aren't the easiest things to get in between.

With the springs out and radius arms detached, I was able to do a combination of shift & rotate on the rear diff and get the radius arms to come out. Once you get it out, be prepared to cut the old bushings out to remove them.

~Robert

I was able to press out the old bushings using an old bushing that I had laying around so I was spared additional pain. And, on reassembly, apply wheel bearing grease to the bolts so they don't corrode to the bushings. I did this upon reassembly in 1975 after changing the bushings and was able to remove the radius arms very easily earlier this year when I installed new bushings.
Patrick

 

[dancrim]

Are the radius arm bolts "special" or just bolts possibly hard ones?

 

[Robert560]

Once the attaching bolts are free, the arms can easily be taken out... though you do have to finagle the rear diff a bit like I mentioned. I still had my prop shaft and shock links attached, to help insure the rear didn't get away from me, and then was able to push rearward on the brake drum while simultaneously rotating slightly (top towards the rear) enough to get the radius arms to clear. They would clear their housing on the rear diff first, and then once free I could just slide them the rest of the way out of the body. Hope that made sense.

I'm not sure of the bolts are special, but I did buy the correct replacements from Moss just to be sure. They didn't look like anything special, in appearance anyway.

To get my bushings out, I used a wood hole saw to hollow the thing out right up to the outer rim of steel, and then carefully sliced into the steel rim until I nearly broke though, then used a chisel and hammer to break it away from the arm. Once free, I was able to grab it with vise grips and sort of "spin it" out. Then I simply used a sledge and a large socket to install the new ones... which I let sit in the freezer for a few hours prior to install.

~Robert

 

[dancrim]

Thanks, I spent some time in preparation today(a short break from the heat)and got the drivers side spring fasteners to slide free. The other side front spring bolt will have to be cut out. I'll keep shooting the penetrating oil to all the nuts and go for it when this heat breaks..seems like a job I
can handle with the advice I got...thanks again.