Bushings or Shaft kit?
 

I am going to rebuild my front end soon and noticed you can buy the control arm shaft bushings or buy the kit. Do you really need to replace the shafts on truck that is not beaten up?

I have rebuilt other cars and never replaced the shafts, only the rubber bushings. I know the truck is not the same style. There is a BIG price difference.

Re: Bushings or Shaft kit?
 

If you have no play and they will take grease -- and if the rubber bushings are still intact --replace nothing. If you do take them apart --- inpect shaft threads and bushing cap threads for wear. If properly greased about each or every other oil change --will last near indefinitely.

Re: Bushings or Shaft kit?
 

These shafts/bushings are a steel on steel joint and like dennislbrooks said should last a good long time. I replaced mine, and found out too late I didn't need to. If you replace them. Soak them good with penetrating oil like PB Blaster and be careful removing the bushings from the shaft and arm as they are threaded into the A-arm and onto the shaft with threads of the same pitch. The threads in the A-arm are very shallow and can become damaged (stripped) if you get too rough with it.

Re: Bushings or Shaft kit?
 

Even if new you can pump grease past the rubber bushings-- they are pretty durable -- I reused my OEMs on my Dallas TX 67 even after I swapped both upper shafts and bushings ---which were good used ones from a 72. Just make sure all upper and lower bushngs will take grease --about 2 full pumps in each one.

Re: Bushings or Shaft kit?
 

The lower bushings hardly ever cause trouble, but the top ones can get loose. I replaced the top bushings and bar and cured a front end noise I had when going over railroad tracks. A front end shop I talked to said they would leave the bar in and just change the bushings on top. But we had the front clip off and just changed the whole bar since it was very easy to get to then. Also changed top ball joints while we were there.

Re: Bushings or Shaft kit?
 

I only see the upper bushings without the shaft. I am curious about the way it goes together. Metal bushing threads onto shaft and into control arm? Where does the rubber go? In the kit photo I see shaft, 2 bushings, 2 rubber, 2 zerks, and what appears to be 2 nuts, what are the nuts for? They are not pictured on the lower kit.

Re: Bushings or Shaft kit?
 

One other thing, I can't seem to find a lower control arm bumper, I only see the upper one.