Sinking Creek 4WD Association

So anyway, I went to put a new tie rod on the driver's side outer and did a rough self alignment. When I drove the bronco there was some heavy vibration in the steering, (been a little vibration all along, but I just attributed it to the super swampers) so I thought I would check the ball joints and axle pivot bushings before I went to get an alignment. Here's what I found:

The passenger side ball joint had a little play maybe a 1/16" not too bad ehh?

I went to pull the axle pivot bushing for the passenger arm out and I did so with my hand. It seems that the !@#? person that removed the old bushing also removed the sleeve from the control arm (axle housing) so basically you do not have to press the bushing into the housing.

I am pissed, because you can't order this sleeve for the control arm (housing). The only way you can get it is to purchase a new or used control arm. Putting a new control arm in involves disassembling the whole axle basically! What a PITA!!!

Does anyone have any constructive suggestions?

Brett

What's the sleeve made out of? Any chance of finding a generic universal sleeve/spacer to occupy the space, or a piece of tubing the right diameter/thickess?

steel, i assume. I need to make up .017 around the outside of the bushing.

The od of the bushing is 1.79" the id of the arm is 1.807". Do you think I could find a sleeved bushing that was just a little bit larger than the current one?

Brett

That sure doesn't sound like much of a gap to be causing problems but I suppose it's possible.

I almost wonder if you couldn't make a sleeve out of some sheetmetal.

I don't know if this sleeve would be the same as the one thats on whats left of my 1980 f150, but you're welcome to go pull whatever you need off of that heap. Just let me know so that I can let the sub leasers know you'll be coming over.

I received some bad information from the bronco graveyard. (imagine that, they must have wanted to sell some more parts, i guess) so here's what i found out.

The sleeve is supposed to be pulled, because the energy suspension poly bushing comes with a new one. The sleeve and bushing are supposed to be pressed all the way through the arm (not just one side) and the spacer goes on the back of the bushing not the front. I loaned a ball joint press from the auto zone pulled the arms one drop bracket and pressed those suckers in all the way. At 3:30 a.m. on sunday, the vibration in the steering wheel is gone. Hooray!!!!

Brett

Brett wrote:At 3:30 a.m. on sunday, the vibration in the steering wheel is gone. Hooray!!!!

Brett

geww! what are ya dding it? or just that motivated?

It's more like an obsession
Brett