71GMC A-frame Help:

[conoverbandit]

Hey Y'all,

I think the A-frame bushings are gone on the pass. side of my 71 GMC 2500, you can rock the entire wheel assy. back and forth. I have new bushings to in it but can not get anyone to tell my the "right" way to replace them, so do I leave the wheel on the ground and take the old out and put new in, do I jack it up and let the wheel drop as far as it can and do it or how? The right side feels good and solid it's just the pass. side that "wobbles" in a turn to the left real bad. This keeps up and I'm going to have to go 4x on it lol. Thanks,

 

[Triaged]

You will need to take off the knuckle in order to get all the load off of them to change them. I would sugest just taking off all 4 A-arms and bringing them to a shop to have them press out the old bushings and ball joints and press in the new stuff...would make it much easier (unless you have a large press at home).

 

[conoverbandit]

Press?

I thought they scewed out of each end of the A-frame......... /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif

 

[Triaged]

I don't really know about the bushings (you have those old all metal ones?)...but I thought the ball-joints were pressed in. I've never messed with the old bushings but the rubber ones are a pain (and so are the press in ball-joints).

 

[conoverbandit]

Yep all metal ones,

checked it out better yesterday, and the bushing is moving on the shaft it mounts to so i'm probly going to have to replace all of that part. Just glad the a-frame it's self was'nt messed up. these ball joints must be factory, they're riveted in.........not the replacement bolt in type.

 

[R72K5]

3/4 ton and 1 ton all years through at least 87 use solid bushings,

1/2 ton through 72 use solid,


only 1/2 ton 73-up are soft bushings

you can buy the solid style shaft and bushings for good deal at NAPA, call them and ask them

and rivets are what hold the factory upper balljoints to the arm

 

[gm4x]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Y'all,

I think the A-frame bushings are gone on the pass. side of my 71 GMC 2500, you can rock the entire wheel assy. back and forth. I have new bushings to in it but can not get anyone to tell my the "right" way to replace them, so do I leave the wheel on the ground and take the old out and put new in, do I jack it up and let the wheel drop as far as it can and do it or how? The right side feels good and solid it's just the pass. side that "wobbles" in a turn to the left real bad. This keeps up and I'm going to have to go 4x on it lol. Thanks,

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you just jacking it up & shaking your tire/wheel assy? Be sure you don't have a bad wheel bearing. I'd almost think you could tell if it was an A-frame bushing by visual inspection /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

Nevermind, I missed the post saying you found the prob.