Body mount bushings?

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

The body-lift kit that I used, Energy Suspensions if I remember correct, came with the same 7/16 coarse bolts that the factory used.

 

[88beast]

i ordered an energy kit for a bronco had no hardware at all just bushings and different parts of the bushing kit had different squish to them, some sank a lot others not as much

 

[hesutton]

Yep! I did that too...salt belt rust wouldn't give a bit! Hope you have better luck.

With the care that Dave and Rob took with that truck, I'd wager doc a cold one that the bushing bolts come out without much fuss.

Ron beat me to it. The truck spent most of it's life in southern Cali. Rob keep in the shop during the winter it spent in North East OH. I brought it home to KY in June of '09 and have keep it in Dad's shop every winter. It is rust free and I sure the body mounts are not rusted too much either.

Heath

 

[hesutton]

Well, I started replacing the body mounts this weekend and what a huge PITA.

The majority of my time Saturday was spent helping Dad get the 15 feet 8 inch stove pipe on the waste oil heater and get the heater up and running. I did wrestle the rear driver's side mount the rest of the day. What a pain to have to drop the front part of the tank to even get room to work. The stupid flare fit sleeve in that bushing fought me to the last millimeter. I spend the entire afternoon and evening yesterday on that one mount. I killed two 7/16 carriage bolts pulling the two halves of the sleeve apart. All weekend and I only got two of the four cab mounts swapped out.

Heath

 

[Diesel_brad]

Well, I started replacing the body mounts this weekend and what a huge PITA.

The majority of my time Saturday was spent helping Dad get the 15 feet 8 inch stove pipe on the waste oil heater and get the heater up and running. I did wrestle the rear driver's side mount the rest of the day. What a pain to have to drop the front part of the tank to even get room to work. The stupid flare fit sleeve in that bushing fought me to the last millimeter. I spend the entire afternoon and evening yesterday on that one mount. I killed two 7/16 carriage bolts pulling the two halves of the sleeve apart. All weekend and I only got two of the four cab mounts swapped out.

Heath

yeah. those steel sleaves mushroom together and be quite a B!+CH to get out. At lest you didnt get he torch or sawzall out

 

[hesutton]

I hope the passenger's side will by less annoying since the fuel tank won't be in my face the entire time. I had a fear this "little" side project would be a huge time vaccum. I had hoped I'd have the tranny on the truck by now.

Oh well, they certainly needed to be replaced. The front cab bushings where sacked out pretty bad. The rear of the cab not as bad, but I guess there hasn't been too many big boys in the back seat of the truck in the 23 years before I owned it.

Heath

 

[sle2115]

...I was going to make a comment after you posted it had been in the garage and etc. but figured you'd figure it out soon enough! They are a ***** to say the least! I think brand new they wouldn't be easy!

 

[hesutton]

...I was going to make a comment after you posted it had been in the garage and etc. but figured you'd figure it out soon enough! They are a ***** to say the least! I think brand new they wouldn't be easy!

Rust wasn't the problem for me. The cab mount bolts look brand new. The sleeves in the bushings were free of any corrision, but that driver's rear sleeve was dang tight!!! I really hope the passenger's side mounts are eaiser.

Scott, I took your advice and ordered three tubes of Energy Suspension's special lube for the bushings. I've coated every contact area really well. I hope it'll stay quite for a while.

Heath

 

[sle2115]

Rust wasn't the problem for me. The cab mount bolts look brand new. The sleeves in the bushings were free of any corrision, but that driver's rear sleeve was dang tight!!! I really hope the passenger's side mounts are eaiser.

Scott, I took your advice and ordered three tubes of Energy Suspension's special lube for the bushings. I've coated every contact area really well. I hope it'll stay quite for a while.

Heath

That's what I meant, rust or not, they aren't easy! lol

I just got my grease too! Getting ready to put mine all back together here hopefully in the next couple weeks.

Scott

 

[reklund]

When I did mine, I had to air-hammer the rear bushings apart because of the way those sleeves had mushroomed together. No rust on mine either- it's a New Mexico truck (well, Nevada now that I've moved...) so the bolts came out easy. I used a long thin blunt nosed air hammer attachment and popped them apart after about 2 hours of cussing trying to do it a more gentle way.

Ryan

 

[hesutton]

When I did mine, I had to air-hammer the rear bushings apart because of the way those sleeves had mushroomed together. No rust on mine either- it's a New Mexico truck (well, Nevada now that I've moved...) so the bolts came out easy. I used a long thin blunt nosed air hammer attachment and popped them apart after about 2 hours of cussing trying to do it a more gentle way.

Ryan

Ryan, I might try that trick if I end up fighting the passenger's side as much as I did the driver's side.

I took a burr on an air dremel and smoothed out the mushroomed areas on the sleeves. They slide in and out nicely now. Just in case I have to do this again in 20 years....

Heath

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Please show some pictures of this sleeve business and the process.

Thanks.

 

[hesutton]

Please show some pictures of this sleeve business and the process.

Thanks.

Damon, I had my camera with me and I had planned to do so, but I was getting dominated by that rear mount. I will get some photos of the passenger's side though.

Heath

 

[hesutton]

Got the passengers side mounts off without much issue. The grade 8 7/16th all thread and grade 8 nuts made all the difference. I had to move the cab back to center as it got a bit off while lifting it up to get room to work. But overall, it was much easier this weekend than last.

I have photos of the process and will try and put them on my webshots tonight. The difference in the cab height is substantial and have plenty of clearence between the turbo and the firewall now. Before is was literally millimeters.

Heath