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Radius Arm 67 3000

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bucaneer

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I am replacing the rear springs and bushings also converting to tube shocks. The right springs and shock were removed with out any problems.However I cannot remove the forward bolt holding the radius rod in place. The nut backed off without a problem. I have tried to turn the bolt with a breaker bar it will not move. I replaced the nut and tapped it with a hammer and still it will not move. It appears just to be a bolt through a bushing am I missing something? Any suggestions.
 
Hello Bucaneer, I have never worked on the new cars with radius arms, but I believe it to be just a bolt thru a bushed end. Bolt is probably rusted to the metal inner sleeve of the rubber bushing. I would soak it awhile with a penetrating oil such as PB Blaster and keep trying to knock it out. If time and oil doesn't do it, you might need some heat.
Good Luck, Dave.
 
You must cut the bolt off even with the bush ends, a sawsall works good here. Then you can press the bush out and replace it with a new one, the bolt is frozen inside the bush--Keoke

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Keoke said:
You must cut the bolt off even with the bush ends, a sawsall works good here. Then you can press the bush out and replace it with a new one, the bolt is frozen inside the bush--Keoke

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Click to expand...
The method described above is the only way I've ever been able to remove a radius rod on a Big Healey.

As Keoke says, cut off the exposed bolt as "flush" as possible to the bushing surface on both sides (of the bush). Having the radius rod loose on the opposite end will help in wrestling it out.

Drive the old bush__bolt remnants and all__out of the radius rod (without bending it...) and you're home free to replace it with a new one. And while you'll probably never have to do that job again, the "next guy" will love you for coating the new bolt with Kopr-Shield before installation ;)

The same practice can be used to remove stubborn leaf springs at the forward perches.
 
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F%&! I hope cutting the bolts isn't the only way - that sounds like a real PITA!

I have been defeated previously when trying to remove my radius arms too. Mine is stuck in the boxed section on the axel. I was hoping that taking the wheel hub off that I might then be able to knock the bolt out with a drift (the bolt head is inboard, so needs the drift access from the wheel side...)? Need to replace my axel seals, so the hubs need to come out anyway...

I'm wanting to fit telescopic shocks too - but the exhaust is in the way on the left side and the fuel pump on the right... I'm accruing rear end jobs for a rear end saga! lol.
 
F%&! I hope cutting the bolts isn't the only way - that sounds like a real PITA! -YEP ! sure is especially if you do not have a sawsal--Keoke-:concern:
 
I cut the bolt by bending the saw blade at an incredible angle to make fit in the forward box section.Applied a lot of pressure on the saw and it cut through the bolt very quickly.
 
Keoke said:
sure is especially if you do not have a sawsal--Keoke-:concern:
Click to expand...

Is this what you mean by sawsal?

sabre saw.jpg
 
I put a propane torch on high and just burnt the rubber out of it, which makes it easier to get a saw blade in. of course that's with the chassis completely stripped. If your'e going to have the frame acid dipped just leave them on, when you get it back there easy to get off.
 
I recently had the rear axle out and replaced the radius arm bushings with a few other jobs (sawed out with a sabre saw). I've just been going through parts catalogs looking at Top seals and various parts my car was missing (god knows how it did such a good job of keeping the rain out :-/ ).

I came across a part called a Radius Arm STIFFENER in AH Spares old catalog... is this just a plate for repairing the box section that houses the radius arm, or have I found another part I'm missing. I cant see where it'd go, but before doing the radius arm bushing change, another Healey driver who drove my car said "There is something funny about the rear on that car..." so I'm more than usually suspicious. I haven't been able to test the effect of the re-bushed radius arms yet as there are a few other jobs I have to finish before the car gets back to the road.

So, am I missing a part? or will the new bushings make all the difference?
 
I was unable to find a suitable illustration on their website, but I strongly suspect that it's a repair piece, not a standard fitting. None of the BJ8s I've taken apart had any "removable" panels, so I doubt your missing anything.
 
Good! Thank you. Nice that something had its full quota of parts!
 
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