Radius arm bushes(rear)

[white90]

Courtesy of Vambo.

This is made much easier if the vehicle is jacked up on the axle. If you jack up on the chassis - the axle will move backwards when the radius arm is removed and it is then quite difficult to move the heavy axle forwards again to re-fit it. With the weight of the vehicle on the axle - it has the effect of holding it in place - thereby making re-fitting of the arm a lot easier (it only moves about 3mm)

A worn bush - they perish and the rubber swells outwards, which makes removing the three M10 bolts almost impossible. To save a lot of time and effort it's far easier to just cut the heads off and fit new nuts/bolt (they are M10 coarse thread x 25mm with nyloc nuts). 3-per side.

Cut off or remove the 3 x M10 bolts that hold the bush in place.

There's a 32mm nut on the end of the arm, wire brush the thread and spray with WD40 to lubricate the thread and flush out any grit. You will need either a breaker bar or some means of increasing leverage on a ratchet to undo it, it's very tight.

On the opposite end remove the 22mm nut and bolt, clean the threaded end and spray with WD40 first. You will need the breaker bar again for this.

Lever the end down out of the axle bracket and then withdraw the arm. You may have to knock it out with a bar and hammer.

The old bush will have swollen up either side of the chassis bracket and is very difficult to remove. You can spray WD40 inside and out and leave it to seep in, then a pry bar (I used a crow bar) to lever it out.

The wrecked bush.

The new item (about £4)

Put the new bush in place as shown. put the three bolts in, but don't tighten them. The reason for this is that the bush will be loose and make it a lot easier to put the arm back in.

A small amount of grease on the end of the arm to help in fitting.

Put the threaded end of the arm through the new bush and put the washer and nut back on. Push the opposite end back into the axle bracket and then push the axle forwards until the bolt goes through and then tighten the nut. Then tighten the 3 x M10 bolts and finally the large nut on the end of the arm.

Les.