LCA Bushings F-Me

[bottomwatcher]

Well I am doing a complete rebuild of my1982 720 4X4s front end. Stripped it down and made a homemade tool from 1/2 inch all thread and galvanized pipe pieces. The truck is realtively rust free in the frame department and I started cranking on my homemade tool to pull the LCA bushing out. I had a box wrench in my right hand and a deepwall socket and ratchet in my left and there was a loud "Bang" both hands stung and neither held a tool! The all thread snapped! Anyways rerigged and used heat on the outer bushing tube and made progress 1/4 inch at a time. Let it cool then started the cycle over again. I have the old one out and measured with calipers the new bushings are actually nearly one thousandths of on inch larger than the old ones I removed.    I took the new bushings to the local machine shop and asked to have 2 thousandths removed from the outer shell. Long story short they said no and that it was within spec and needed to be pressed back in. They did sell me some thicker all thread and two nuts for the princely sum of $3 so no rip off and that is why I trust their judgement not to mill the originals but trying to press these in is going to be a bitch! My plan is to go buy a brake hone in the morning and hone the shit out of the tubes but this is still going to be a tight fit. Anybody have any tips or suggestions? I already have the new bushings in the freezer and if the didn't have rubber bonded to them would have buried them in dry ice. The weird shape of the independent front suspension frame components rules out conventional tools but if anybody has done this and has any tips I am all ears! thanks!

[thisismatt]

Haven't done a 720, but did one bushing on my F250 I-beam using the all-thread & heavy washer method.  Freezer is a good idea, and a light amount of grease at least at the start to help it start straight.

[Charlie69]

I have done 2 sets of 2 wheel drive LCA bushings on 2 wheel drive 720s. They are a bitch.  My brother Garret made a bushing puller that makes it a little easier.  We use it with a 3/4" impact wrench.  we have to replace the hardened nuts after doing 2 bushings, removals and installs.  We tried using it to bush the bushings but it works much better as a puller.

 

I will be doing my 1984 ST King Cab this winter.

[thisismatt]

Oh yeah, grease the all-thread also

[bottomwatcher]

I WON! It sucked though. Hardware store components won't make it. I used grade 8 fine thread all thread, nuts and a mix of grade 8 washers and cheap hardware store washers. None of the hardware store washers survived. Most resembled a penny after it was placed on a railroad track. After getting the bushings out I used a brake hone to polish the inside of the tubes the bushings reside in then polished the outside of the bushings with sandpaper. I then placed the bushings in the freezer. Once cold I lubricated everything liberally with 30 weight and started ratcheting it in with the all thread/ washer tool. This was with a harbor freight ratcheting breaker bar and cheater pipe. We are in an ready to reinstall LCAs, ball joints, tie rod ends and new centerlink. Did I mention LCA bushings suck?

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I was going to suggest honing the bore of the control arm, but I guess I'm too late. Honing with a ball hone makes it easier to install new bushings.

 

Also, I'm kind of spoiled in that department with my Snap-On balljoint press. That tool cost me an arm and half a leg, but has paid for itself over and over again.

[Charlie69]

Your arms are bigger for it!  LOL

[bottomwatcher]

Well I have the harbor freight ball joint set but nothing in the kit would have worked. The nuts on the homemade tool built up tremendous heat just during hand ratchet installing and I understand why you had to keep changing nuts Charlie. I am also envious of your help. I am a one man show. Everything is in and I received my new moog centerlink after weeks of searching. You will have to waterboard me to give up my source. The combination of NLA part for the 80 thru 82 4x4 front suspension makes SAS swapping probably the best way to go. As far as snap on tools go they are the shit and I used to save and scrimp to buy them. Since a lot if my wrenching is on boats in saltwater they sink and rust as fast as anything else. There is no keeping tools separate. I don't cry when cheap tools sink.

[Madkaw]

I believe I drove mine in with a BFH and a bushing installer . I did freeze them first. One side went in smoothly and the other fought me all the way- but it went.