Real Time Help Needed!! Castor Bushings

[Bear80]

Well got time to put in the OME castor bushings and I spent alot of time reading the best way to do the job, here and on slee's site. So here is the problem:
"Once the arms are marked, place a ratchet strap through your front tow points and around the axle on each side. Tighten them until snug. This will stop the axle from moving. " -slee.

Well my axle moved forward with the straps, actually the body rolled back as the axle stayed put. Note I left the wagon on the ground with the tires on. So how am I going to get the axle pulled back?? Right now I think a come-along on the tow hooks and block the front tires. I could sure use some ideas, as I'm heading to my friends shop to press the bushings in.

 

[Beowulf]

So how am I going to get the axle pulled back??

Can you crank down on the ratchet straps?

-B-

 

[Bear80]

that's the problem, the axle moved in the direction of the straps. The axle moved forward, what I need is to pull the axle towards the back of the wagon.

 

[squeezer]

I did mine without ratchet straps at all... truck was level.

Mount the arm to the axle first and do the rear bolt last. gives you a nice lever arm to muscle the axle into place with.

 

[Bear80]

I did mine without ratchet straps at all... truck was level.

Mount the arm to the axle first and do the rear bolt last. gives you a nice lever arm to muscle the axle into place with.

You did this with the tires on? here's a picture, as you can see the axle moved forward towards the front rendering the straps usless.

 

[landtank]

is that axle still supporting the truck?

 

[Rainy Day FZJ]

Jack that rig up by the frame! now!

Take the load of the vehicle off of the suspension when doing this kind of work, it will make your life much easier, and the axle will be easier to move instead of the rig to align with the axle. Tough to follow...

 

[Bear80]

well got my bushings pressed in and now I'm about to tackle putting the arms back in.

the rig is not jacked or on jack stands, I figured the axle would be kept more in place if I left it on the ground. So now that I think of it, the straps hold the axle when the frame is on stands? I'll see what I can do, but I'm not too sure I can jack it on the axle to set the frame on stands because I have no arms installed. Oh well fun time for me now.

 

[concretejungle]

Bear, can you put your jack on a large block so it'll jack up the frame and then slide a stand under, one side at a time?

 

[landtank]

Be careful man! That has to be the most dangerous thing I've seen in a while.

I personally had the frame on the jack stands, removed the tires and let the axle hang by the shocks when I did mine. You might try to get your truck in that state before crawling under there to force the axle around into place.

 

[Rich]

It is fine to leave the wheels and tire on with the arms removed. It is not fine to remove the arms while the truck weight is on the front axle. Front frame should be on jack stands. Front wheels should be chocked front and back to prevent movement. Parking brake on. Wouldn't hurt to have lockers engaged either.

Given your current situation, you should probably use two jacks, and two people, to jack up both sides of the front frame at the same time. Chock the front tire first.

 

[Bear80]

Well got everything back on. It really was a piece of cake to get the axle and arms to line up. Can't say that I'd pull the arms without setting the wagon on stands. From what I can tell, doing so was close to being dangerous. The arms came off fine, but the axle was alowed to rotate forward from the spring pressure. In theory, the whole axle could have pushed out from underneath. The front pan hard bar and shocks are the only things holding it in place. However once the frame was on jack stands, I could use the jack to place the axle in just the right position to install the arms.