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Relentless_Eric

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Anyone else on here get the TSB replacement bushings and start tackling the replacement? Man some of mine are toast, good thing they're getting changed out now with updated ones. I will say though, the job has been a real pain- taking me about 3hrs per pair of links to remove links, disassemble the joints, clean, grease, and install the new bushings then reinstall the links. Did both front and rear uppers so far, hope to get enough time to finish the lowers and the track bar this weekend.
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Anyone else on here get the TSB replacement bushings and start tackling the replacement? Man some of mine are toast, good thing they're getting changed out now with updated ones. I will say though, the job has been a real pain- taking me about 3hrs per pair of links to remove links, disassemble the joints, clean, grease, and install the new bushings then reinstall the links. Did both front and rear uppers so far, hope to get enough time to finish the lowers and the track bar this weekend.
I'm glad you posted this - will be requesting my replacements shortly.
 

Tjp

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Anyone else on here get the TSB replacement bushings and start tackling the replacement? Man some of mine are toast, good thing they're getting changed out now with updated ones. I will say though, the job has been a real pain- taking me about 3hrs per pair of links to remove links, disassemble the joints, clean, grease, and install the new bushings then reinstall the links. Did both front and rear uppers so far, hope to get enough time to finish the lowers and the track bar this weekend.
Hey thanks for posting. Do you mind describing the process you did to change, ie are you removing wheel, or just doing on ground?

they are out of stock on the replacement bushings until end of month.
Were all the ones they sent you red?

thanks.
 

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snowho

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On the ground, just remove one arm at a time and use a floor jack on the back of the axle housing to keep the pinion angle so its easy to get the bolts back in.

Hey did you remove them with jeep on ground or on lift / jack?
 

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What's the process of obtaining the new bushings ? Is RK shipping to all that have the old bushings or do we have to request them ?

I'll check mine today, hopefully they aren't toast.
 

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What's the process of obtaining the new bushings ? Is RK shipping to all that have the old bushings or do we have to request them ?

I'll check mine today, hopefully they aren't toast.
You must call them. Go to their website and look for their "TSB."
 

jjmstang

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That was easy. Called and talked to Adam and the parts should be shipping in a couple of weeks hopefully.
 

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SCUBATIM81

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Thanks for posting this, I wasnt aware of the TSB and do have some squeaking. Like others mentioned, called and spoke with Adam. Took less than 5 minutes from beginning to end, and the parts should be here in two weeks. RK customer service always impresses me every time I need to call.
 

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Hey thanks for posting. Do you mind describing the process you did to change, ie are you removing wheel, or just doing on ground?

they are out of stock on the replacement bushings until end of month.
Were all the ones they sent you red?

thanks.
Process for me was done on the ground. I have a 2 post lift in my shop but it's currently consumed with a project truck cut in half on it at the moment so I had to go old school with a jack and jack stands.
I jacked up under one end of the truck, placed jack stands under the frame by the lower link mounts high enough that I could droop the axle fully and control it a bit with the floor jack as needed for lining things up and removing tension off the link bolts. I found that on a couple of links to reinstall I needed a ratchet strap from the axle to the frame to pull things into place and line up the holes.
Remove one link at a time. On your workbench loosen/remove the set screw holding the joint together then use the joint tool RK sends with the bushings to remove the end retaining ring. Most of my bushing/joint ball/pivot shaft assemblies were able to be hammered out off the edge of my welding table with a dead blow hammer. Some old bushing halves like to stay in the joint cup, I used a flat blade screwdriver to pop them out. At this point thoroughly clean the inside of the cup, the pivot ball and determine which bushings are needed. Apply grease to the ball, inside of the cup and the inside of the new bushings. Slide a bushing half down into the cup, align one of the notches in the bushing with the grease fitting. Drop the pivot ball in, then align the other half of the bushing with the grease fitting and slide it over the ball and down into the cup. With the joint assembled you can reinstall the joint retaining rings and torque them to RK spec plus however much additional is needed to align a set screw flat, then snug your set screw, grease the joint and then repeat for the other end of the link and every link thereafter.

The larger joints (the ones with the cup welded to the end of the link) is much more difficult. The ID of the bushing is smaller than the end of the pivot ball/sleeve so I had to use a ball joint puller to put the bushings in tension and then cut them free with a knife. To install the new ones I used one of link bolts/nuts to squeeze them on until the bolt was tight on the pivot sleeve then tap with the deadblow to pop them the rest of the way over and into place. The bushing/pivot assembly then had to be pressed into the cup on the link with my 20ton shop press. Having everything well-greased was important for things to press/slide into place.

All in all the process took me 1-1.5hrs per link from removal to reinstallation. So for all 8 links it was a little over 10 hrs I believe.
 

Tjp

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Process for me was done on the ground. I have a 2 post lift in my shop but it's currently consumed with a project truck cut in half on it at the moment so I had to go old school with a jack and jack stands.
I jacked up under one end of the truck, placed jack stands under the frame by the lower link mounts high enough that I could droop the axle fully and control it a bit with the floor jack as needed for lining things up and removing tension off the link bolts. I found that on a couple of links to reinstall I needed a ratchet strap from the axle to the frame to pull things into place and line up the holes.
Remove one link at a time. On your workbench loosen/remove the set screw holding the joint together then use the joint tool RK sends with the bushings to remove the end retaining ring. Most of my bushing/joint ball/pivot shaft assemblies were able to be hammered out off the edge of my welding table with a dead blow hammer. Some old bushing halves like to stay in the joint cup, I used a flat blade screwdriver to pop them out. At this point thoroughly clean the inside of the cup, the pivot ball and determine which bushings are needed. Apply grease to the ball, inside of the cup and the inside of the new bushings. Slide a bushing half down into the cup, align one of the notches in the bushing with the grease fitting. Drop the pivot ball in, then align the other half of the bushing with the grease fitting and slide it over the ball and down into the cup. With the joint assembled you can reinstall the joint retaining rings and torque them to RK spec plus however much additional is needed to align a set screw flat, then snug your set screw, grease the joint and then repeat for the other end of the link and every link thereafter.

The larger joints (the ones with the cup welded to the end of the link) is much more difficult. The ID of the bushing is smaller than the end of the pivot ball/sleeve so I had to use a ball joint puller to put the bushings in tension and then cut them free with a knife. To install the new ones I used one of link bolts/nuts to squeeze them on until the bolt was tight on the pivot sleeve then tap with the deadblow to pop them the rest of the way over and into place. The bushing/pivot assembly then had to be pressed into the cup on the link with my 20ton shop press. Having everything well-greased was important for things to press/slide into place.

All in all the process took me 1-1.5hrs per link from removal to reinstallation. So for all 8 links it was a little over 10 hrs I believe.
Nice write up Eric thank you.
 

RH 67

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Process for me was done on the ground. I have a 2 post lift in my shop but it's currently consumed with a project truck cut in half on it at the moment so I had to go old school with a jack and jack stands.
I jacked up under one end of the truck, placed jack stands under the frame by the lower link mounts high enough that I could droop the axle fully and control it a bit with the floor jack as needed for lining things up and removing tension off the link bolts. I found that on a couple of links to reinstall I needed a ratchet strap from the axle to the frame to pull things into place and line up the holes.
Remove one link at a time. On your workbench loosen/remove the set screw holding the joint together then use the joint tool RK sends with the bushings to remove the end retaining ring. Most of my bushing/joint ball/pivot shaft assemblies were able to be hammered out off the edge of my welding table with a dead blow hammer. Some old bushing halves like to stay in the joint cup, I used a flat blade screwdriver to pop them out. At this point thoroughly clean the inside of the cup, the pivot ball and determine which bushings are needed. Apply grease to the ball, inside of the cup and the inside of the new bushings. Slide a bushing half down into the cup, align one of the notches in the bushing with the grease fitting. Drop the pivot ball in, then align the other half of the bushing with the grease fitting and slide it over the ball and down into the cup. With the joint assembled you can reinstall the joint retaining rings and torque them to RK spec plus however much additional is needed to align a set screw flat, then snug your set screw, grease the joint and then repeat for the other end of the link and every link thereafter.

The larger joints (the ones with the cup welded to the end of the link) is much more difficult. The ID of the bushing is smaller than the end of the pivot ball/sleeve so I had to use a ball joint puller to put the bushings in tension and then cut them free with a knife. To install the new ones I used one of link bolts/nuts to squeeze them on until the bolt was tight on the pivot sleeve then tap with the deadblow to pop them the rest of the way over and into place. The bushing/pivot assembly then had to be pressed into the cup on the link with my 20ton shop press. Having everything well-greased was important for things to press/slide into place.

All in all the process took me 1-1.5hrs per link from removal to reinstallation. So for all 8 links it was a little over 10 hrs I believe.
Were instructions and grease supplied? Thanks.
 
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