replaced my body mount bushings today

[cparman]

Well, I have been putting this off for a while. The bushings were junk, and I did not want to do this. Got started after lunch today, and tightened up the last one just before five. Think I did ok time wise. My questions are what is the torque spec for the bushings? I bought a set of rubber replacement bushings from LMC. No I did not take any pictures, and yes I might take some pictures tomorrow if I go to my shop. Torque specs would be appreciated.

[lks dcvn]

I don't have the specs - but congrats on replacing them...

Not a project that I look forward to.

[70 Suburban]

two grunts and a push

[Bentblazer]

I have the specs in my shop somewhere, will check in the am to see if I can find them.

[Jtrux]

What a pain in the butt. I used the poly ones from energy suspension but i've heard that rubber is the way to go.

[cparman]

Originally Posted by Jtrux

What a pain in the butt. I used the poly ones from energy suspension but i've heard that rubber is the way to go.

YES!!! I was fortunate in that they all ( but one ) came right out. The drivers side bushing where your feet are was stuck in the steel sleeve. A little pb blaster a BFH, and then an air chisel and it came out. When I got home, I went straight to the shower to get all of the crud off of me. I'll take my camera to the shop and take a pic or two.

[GeorgeF]

Pics would be appreciated- I am ready for this project if my set of mounts ever shows up from backorder at LMC.

[VA72C10]

I'll be watching for pics and info as well as my blazer project will be in need of this

[Jtrux]

Did you use new bolts or no?? I ground all the welds down on the factory bolts and put new ones, that was the real time consumer.

[cparman]

The kit from LMC was very complete, bolts,nuts,washers, and even a few shims. The PO of my blazer had put a sheet of .060 or so sheet metal in the bed of my Blazer, so there was no real good way to know where the body mounts were. SO, I put it up on a lift, and drilled a small reference hole where I needed it to be, and made a diagram. Too a 1" hole saw and cut holes in the sheet steel to find the bolts. My reference holes were close, but not perfect. Once I found all of the bolts, I started with a small drill bit in the center of each bolt, and going up two drill sizes at a time until I got to 1/2 drill bit. drilling only down far enough to get past the head. Then took a sharp chisel and cut the remaining head of each off. It sounds time consuming, but it really did not take that long. Once all of the bolts were out, I drove the Blazer around the building and put it up on a lift. Took a hootie pole ( a threaded jacking pole? ) and slowly raised the body until I could remove the old bushings. What I found was if I raised the body near the rear of the rocker box, I could get the front 3 ( not the rad core support one ) and sat the cushions in place. pushed the bolt in from the bottom just to make sure the hole was aligned. Did the same on the other side, and then got the two rear ones the same way. Had one of my employees go up in the Blazer and push the bolts in the correct way, and hold pressure on them until the nuts tightened up. Did the rad core support ones this morning, and I PROMISE I will take pictures either this afternoon, or in the morning. Just a nasty job that I am glad to have behind me! IF you have a lift available and a helper it will go a bunch easier. I will caution you about raising the body up with a hootie pole. MAKE SURE that you do not go so high that you lift the Blazer of of the lift VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION

[cparman]

ok here are the pictures. Not the greatest, but hope they are helpful. Especially the ones of the hootie pole! As an additional thought, if you were to do like I did, and remove the heads of all of the bolts, you would have a way to soak a rusty bolt with PB Blaster if it were seized in the steel bushing, or where the bolt goes thru the body. My bushings were junk, but I also wanted to make sure that late this year I would not have any trouble getting the body off the frame. Its been a couple of years since I did a frame off, and I need to have way too much money in another toy.

[FoxHound]

Originally Posted by cparman

Well, I have been putting this off for a while. The bushings were junk, and I did not want to do this. Got started after lunch today, and tightened up the last one just before five. Think I did ok time wise. My questions are what is the torque spec for the bushings? I bought a set of rubber replacement bushings from LMC. No I did not take any pictures, and yes I might take some pictures tomorrow if I go to my shop. Torque specs would be appreciated.

I just got done doing that too. I believe the torque specs were 50 lbs for the two front cab mounts and 20 lbs for the others. I am not sure about the radiator support torque specs, because I still have my radiator support off, but I would imagine around 20. I will look that up.

The real fun part's gonna be lining up all the body pieces when you're through! I still have to do that and I'm not looking forward to it.

[SOON2BLAZE]

Torque specs for rubber mounts in the faq section. Congats on getting them done! It's a nasty job.