Axle pivot sleeves... and some questions about reinforcement

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So I'm finally swapping to a D-35 in my choptop. It's past time that I do. And while it's sitting on the ground next to the truck, I figured that now is the time to do a rebuild on it and squirt some paint.

The axle is a D-35 out of a 93 Explorer. The rubber pivot bushings were shot (the ones on the axle beams - the ones on the radius arms were too, but since I'm going long-arm, there is no worries there). I tried forcing them out, but no go, so I hit them with the torch and cleaned them out, leaving the pivot sleeve. Then I picked up some new poly bushings from James Duff.

I went to install my new bushings and discovered that the sleeve had rusted a bit, so I thought to knock the loose rust out of there before shoving the new bushing in.... and that's when the middle of the sleeve turned out to be nothing but flaky rust and disintegrated on me....

I'd rather not have to buy new bushings with the sleeves if I didn't have to. Is it possible to buy just the sleeves for cheap?

My other thought was to fill the center where it's rotted out with fiberglass reinforced body putty... the two ends are in ok shape, just the middle that's gone. Any thoughts on that?


And for my other question.... while I have the axle out and using the welder for building my long arms... is there anywhere I should add reinforcement to the beams? I'm not planning on using the thing as a hard-core off-road truck or rock crawler, it'll be a streetable wheeler that I'll play in the dirt an rocks with but don't want to smash up the body. I did, however, trim the axle shaft window in the passenger side beam a little larger though.

 

[4x4junkie]

I'm not sure about buying just sleeves, you might have to exchange the bushings, though I don't know for sure.

As for reinforcing the beams, the one weak area I've known about is on the backside of the passengerside beam where it opens up. I've seen them crack right at the ends of the welds there. Boxing it up between there and the pivot bushing will strengthen that area.
I've also seen a couple reports of cracks around the bushing ends too, though I have a feeling this is from people running too much travel on stock stubby radius arms (the beam flexing from twisting and binding in the bracket is probably what's doing it). If you're putting extended radius arms on, I probably wouldn't worry any further than just boxing up the p-side beam area since you're not thinking of going real hardcore with it.

 

[88_Eddie]

if you go to a parts store and get a new pivot bushing, it'll come with the sleeve. i dont know if you're still at auto-bone, but i got mine when i worked there. a cheaper way would be to find some tube with the correct OD to fit into the axle and the correct ID to fit the bushings. and FYI, i used a ball joint press to remove/install mine. took no time at all to change them.

 

[brinker88]

I ALSO bought a set of JD pivot bushings and the OEM sleeves were junk so I just got the Energy Suspension ones on Broncograveyard.com. Came with everything you need, even the sleeve. It fit my Dana35 perfectly

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-93010-axle-pivot-bushings-pair-black.html

 

[chrwilkins30]

I ALSO bought a set of JD pivot bushings and the OEM sleeves were junk so I just got the Energy Suspension ones on Broncograveyard.com. Came with everything you need, even the sleeve. It fit my Dana35 perfectly

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-93010-axle-pivot-bushings-pair-black.html

Same here.:icon_thumby:

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I'm not sure about buying just sleeves, you might have to exchange the bushings, though I don't know for sure.

As for reinforcing the beams, the one weak area I've known about is on the backside of the passengerside beam where it opens up. I've seen them crack right at the ends of the welds there. Boxing it up between there and the pivot bushing will strengthen that area.
I've also seen a couple reports of cracks around the bushing ends too, though I have a feeling this is from people running too much travel on stock stubby radius arms (the beam flexing from twisting and binding in the bracket is probably what's doing it). If you're putting extended radius arms on, I probably wouldn't worry any further than just boxing up the p-side beam area since you're not thinking of going real hardcore with it.

:icon_cheers:

if you go to a parts store and get a new pivot bushing, it'll come with the sleeve. i dont know if you're still at auto-bone, but i got mine when i worked there. a cheaper way would be to find some tube with the correct OD to fit into the axle and the correct ID to fit the bushings. and FYI, i used a ball joint press to remove/install mine. took no time at all to change them.

I tried looking up for the bushings but it just told me they were not available. I don't have a ball joint press, so I had to do it the old fashioned way. I have nearly perfected burning out bushings though. Light 'em and keep 'em burning with a torch till the metal sleeve in the middle starts pushing out, then poke it with a screwdriver and it'll squirt right out. Give it another minute to burn then the rest of the rubber will slide right out with some poking from a screwdriver.:icon_thumby:

I ALSO bought a set of JD pivot bushings and the OEM sleeves were junk so I just got the Energy Suspension ones on Broncograveyard.com. Came with everything you need, even the sleeve. It fit my Dana35 perfectly

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-93010-axle-pivot-bushings-pair-black.html

It kills me to have to buy another set of bushings.... but I guess $22 bucks isn't all that bad if I have to.

 

[88_Eddie]

I tried looking up for the bushings but it just told me they were not available. I don't have a ball joint press, so I had to do it the old fashioned way. I have nearly perfected burning out bushings though. Light 'em and keep 'em burning with a torch till the metal sleeve in the middle starts pushing out, then poke it with a screwdriver and it'll squirt right out. Give it another minute to burn then the rest of the rubber will slide right out with some poking from a screwdriver.:icon_thumby:



It kills me to have to buy another set of bushings.... but I guess $22 bucks isn't all that bad if I have to.

come blue! lol

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/1992-Ford-Explorer-4WD/Axle-Pivot-Bushing/_/N-iwpxxZ8oy4h?filterByKeyWord=axle+pivot+bushing&fromString=search

looks like autozone carries the same bronco graveyard bushings, might be a HUB or VDP order, but you could probably get them. with your 20% off, it may be cheaper than the graveyard. however, if it's VDP, you dont get to use your discount.


EDIT-as for the BJ press, autozone loans them out. when i worked there, i'd take the tools home all the time and just bring them back the next morning. i had a cool manager though

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

come blue! lol

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/1992-Ford-Explorer-4WD/Axle-Pivot-Bushing/_/N-iwpxxZ8oy4h?filterByKeyWord=axle+pivot+bushing&fromString=search

looks like autozone carries the same bronco graveyard bushings, might be a HUB or VDP order, but you could probably get them. with your 20% off, it may be cheaper than the graveyard. however, if it's VDP, you dont get to use your discount.


EDIT-as for the BJ press, autozone loans them out. when i worked there, i'd take the tools home all the time and just bring them back the next morning. i had a cool manager though

I didn't bother to look on the website, I tried punching it up in the store. But I've found that sometimes if you can't ask the computer just right in the store it'll tell you to f-off. For such a big company you'd think they could get a decent system in place....

I'll have to look into that tomorrow, thanks for the info. :cheers:

 

[88_Eddie]

I didn't bother to look on the website, I tried punching it up in the store. But I've found that sometimes if you can't ask the computer just right in the store it'll tell you to f-off. For such a big company you'd think they could get a decent system in place....

I'll have to look into that tomorrow, thanks for the info. :cheers:

oh yeah, i know what you mean. i hated that about their damn system. i always find the part # online and take it in to them.

seems like i had to order the factory pivot bushings from the hub, there werent any stores in raleigh that had them in stock.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

The bushings are VDP, and they are $11 more than BII graveyard and $10 more than Summit Racing.

I had thought about ordering some from BII Graveyard... and well, I will probably do it sometime here to replace what I used....

I had bought pivot bushings for my F-150 and forgot I still had them because I didn't get around to installing them yet. I thought about it and dug them out yesterday to find that.... they are the same bushing.

I knocked the old sleeves out (what is left of them anyway) and examined things. I think I'm going to do a little welding around where the bushings go, looked like it was more tacked than fully welded (I'm guessing this was supposed to allow drainage or something). Then I'm going to put some grease in the hole before putting the bushing sleeve in place to make sure the steel in there doesn't rust any more.

Passenger side beam will be boxed, I have the steel marked for cutting today (didn't get that far yesterday, ended up working on two tractors).

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Drivers side reinforcement

Passenger side reinforcement.

Opened up the window for the passenger side axle shaft.

Bushings....

I'm undecided as to which bushing I should use. The Duff bushings are solid one piece and the Energy Suspension ones are multi-piece. The Energy box said something about hyperflex bushings?

I'd like to pick whichever one will flex better, lol.

 

[AllanD]

the "Energy" suspension bushings are multipiece because the middle piece is made of stiffer urethane.

AD

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, the pivot bushing material is not limiting of flex, it's the width of the bracket and the beam twisting and binding up within it.

Putting extended radius arms on it will reduce that twisting = more flex.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

the "Energy" suspension bushings are multipiece because the middle piece is made of stiffer urethane.

AD

Yea, I noticed that, the center piece seemed really hard and the ends seemed maybe just a hair softer than the Duff ones are overall.

Yeah, the pivot bushing material is not limiting of flex, it's the width of the bracket and the beam twisting and binding up within it.

Putting extended radius arms on it will reduce that twisting = more flex.

I'm doing new extended arms, they'll go back to my transmission crossmember and use Ballistic joints.



So I guess the general opinion is that it really doesn't matter which bushing I use?

 

[4x4junkie]

Naw, use whatever you think fits best (I'd probably use the Energy ones for their stiffer center having better control).

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Ok, so the Energy suspension bushings are in place and I've been fitting up the axles and figuring out the extended arms (any advice on how to get the correct caster angle?)...

Looks like my camber is going to be way out of whack. My pinch bolts are froze up, gonna try some heat next. Anyone happen to know what size bolts they are? I'd like to get a couple spares, asked at the local Ford dealer and they told me the pinch bolts are NLA - no longer available.

 

[4x4junkie]

(any advice on how to get the correct caster angle?)...

Set them up so the box section of the beam where the RA attaches is square with the ground at ride height. This will set you up for about 5° default caster angle, which you can then fine-tune it from there using the camber/caster bushings.
Info about correct ride height is toward the bottom of this page:
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.htm

New pinch bolts are usually included with new ball joints. If you're replacing those, you should have new ones. Unfortunately I can't recall exactly what size they are.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Thanks again 4x4Junkie!

I'm not replacing the ball joints as the ones in there are still good from the feel of things (they look pretty good too and all have grease fittings). Drivers side pinch bolt came out with the liberal application of heat, the passenger side one started to come out but snapped off. I hate dealing with snapped off fasteners.

I also need to figure out just where to locate the axle (as far as front to back) I wanted to push it as far forward as I could get away with (in hopes that I wouldn't have to change my front driveshaft then), but I'm not ready to assemble the axle (still have to find a replacement differential side slip joint since one of the ears snapped trying to get the old U-joint out) and I still have to grind them out for full circle clips. Is it possible to figure out where the axle needs to be located by using measurements from someone else's rig?

 

[88_Eddie]

i replaced all my ball joints because i was still working at the zone, the duralasts will come with a new pinch bolt and snap ring. we didnt sell just the pinch bolt, but i think rock auto has a pinch bolt and snap ring only kit. if not them, lmc truck will sell just the bolt.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I was figuring if I had the bolt size, I could try getting one through McMaster-Carr, they have a listing for 12pt high-strength bolts in US and Metric - the US ones (and I know these are metrics but not what size) are above a grade 8 hardness and the metric ones are rated above a 10.9 for hardness.