Front Upper Control Arm Axle Bushing Very Loose

A permanent way to repair the mount is to take your bushing down to an exhaust shop and have them expand a piece of tubing until it is slightly smaller than the large shoulder. Slice that to the correct width to fit snugly inside the mount, press the old bushing in a little bit to locate the sleeve, weld that in. Now you have a lot of press fit area, it won't fail, and you can replace bushings several times before you have to restore the press fit.

I don't like tack welding. If you tack it well enough to stay, you are melting the innards and they really need all the help they can get.
Not that I would recommend it over the actual kit but that is how I installed a JJ on that side. I had a piece of .120 wall tube that I cut to length, pressed the JJ body through it and welded it up. While I saved a couple dollars versus the kit, it added more effort to the install.
 
Not that I would recommend it over the actual kit but that is how I installed a JJ on that side. I had a piece of .120 wall tube that I cut to length, pressed the JJ body through it and welded it up. While I saved a couple dollars versus the kit, it added more effort to the install.
I do it similar but I just weld the barrel in.

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He posted something pretty cool above...Blaine knows how to make one take a beating.

My post was off base..I couldn't make it stay welded but it worked short term now that remembered
... Mine had been loose a while...then became death wobble..then I tacked it...then got a heavy mount and crushed it getting carried away with a ball joint press...then got Johhny joints and a pro and got out of the way.

I'd probably run a few large sheet metal screws in on to keep it captive to get by if I had to. (I know that's pretty stupid probably- I won't keep a clevite long in that situation so I wouldn't care) ...then fix ...it'd be cool if they had a circlip on the small side or a keeper. The stock mount is basically sheet metal.

Fixing that is a good step to better steering. That I'm sure of.
The issue won't be solved by a retaining clip since what fails is the press fit. It would eventually wear the hole large enough to allow the retaining clips to pop through. You have to restore the press fit.
 
The issue won't be solved by a retaining clip since what fails is the press fit. It would eventually wear the hole large enough to allow the retaining clips to pop through. You have to restore the press fit.
I love the way a retaining clip holds a Johnny Joint together, and it's welded to mount..I realize it's all a different design entirely.

The stock design seems to have a pretty common failure rate along with the less than meaty mount. ..at the passenger front upper.
 
I love the way a retaining clip holds a Johnny Joint together, and it's welded to mount..I realize it's all a different design entirely.

The stock design seems to have a pretty common failure rate along with the less than meaty mount. ..at the passenger front upper.
I've never seen one fail on a stock rig. I see them fail all the time on lifted rigs that move the suspension further.
 
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I've never seen one fail on a stock rig. I see them fail all the time on lifted rigs that move the suspension further.
Makes sense..most stock ones I see are in good shape well over 100,000 miles..my lifted 03's upper front right with 20,000 miles and wheeled hard was loose.
 
My axle passenger side upper bushing is loose. If I'm following thread correctly if I buy another bushing its likely to be loose fit as well because the press fit is the problem? I don't have a welder nor the skills to do the suggested repair mentioned. Anyone have other solutions that have worked?
 
I think Blaine made a post once where he had a fix for that I can’t remember the details... I know firsthand when Ml was loose it would cause death wobble in a sweeping turn and I was constantly having to adjust the steering...Actually I was having to apply some type of counterpressure all the time to the wheel.

If you can get to the place you can put a Johnny joint in you’ll be happy.

Blaine was using some kind a muffler part from what I remember
 
I went this route from Currie. Not as elegant as what Blaine does but is strong and requires only basic fabrication skills.

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Anyone use loctite press fit retaing compound on a loose fit bushing? Waste of time or worth trying?

I need to start researching welders instead of researching ways to do this without welding.
 
I went this route from Currie. Not as elegant as what Blaine does but is strong and requires only basic fabrication skills.
Finally getting around to fixing this. Curries website states this mount doesn't need to be welded to the axle tube. Any concerns with that? Is this something that someone with little mig welding skills can accomplish?
 
Finally getting around to fixing this. Curries website states this mount doesn't need to be welded to the axle tube. Any concerns with that? Is this something that someone with little mig welding skills can accomplish?
You don’t need to weld to the axle tube. You will need to weld around the top edge of the bracket you cut off. I did run a bead across the tube and a plug weld on the back, but it wasn’t necessary. I did mine with a Lincoln mig 140 110 volt machine. As long as your machine is over 100 amp you should be fine. Take your time and make sure all your surfaces are clean and you have a good ground. Just go for it…..
 
You don’t need to weld to the axle tube. You will need to weld around the top edge of the bracket you cut off. I did run a bead across the tube and a plug weld on the back, but it wasn’t necessary. I did mine with a Lincoln mig 140 110 volt machine. As long as your machine is over 100 amp you should be fine. Take your time and make sure all your surfaces are clean and you have a good ground. Just go for it…..
Also make sure you disassemble the j-joint before you weld. If it get too hot the inner bushing will melt.
 
Also make sure you disassemble the j-joint before you weld. If it get too hot the inner bushing will melt.
Thanks, good reminder about the JJ removal before welding. I've been practicing some welds for a few weeks now but still apprehensive about screwing it up. I was also thinking about whether bracing the front where it's open would be a good idea or not.

Height for this bracket is same as stock?
 
Thanks, good reminder about the JJ removal before welding. I've been practicing some welds for a few weeks now but still apprehensive about screwing it up. I was also thinking about whether bracing the front where it's open would be a good idea or not.

Height for this bracket is same as stock?
The bracket will be the same height as the stock one.

I thought about boxing in the front also, but talked to several people who have this set up and none did it and all were still in use so not necessary. I keep thinking I will go back and box it in just for looks but it has been several years and I just never got around to it.
Truth is , It works fine as designed.....

I don't think you will screw it up.....I did it and I am no welder......This is not like welding frame sections together.....clean work area , good ground , make short passes , don't try to run one bead all the way around. If it doesn't please you, grind it down and run another bead. Its about penetration and consistent speed.
 
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The bracket will be the same height as the stock one.

I thought about boxing in the front also, but talked to several people who have this set up and none did it and all were still in use so not necessary. I keep thinking I will go back and box it in just for looks but it has been several years and I just never got around to it.
Truth is , It works fine as designed.....

I don't think you will screw it up.....I did it and I am no welder......This is not like welding frame sections together.....clean work area , good ground , make short passes , don't try to run one bead all the way around. If it doesn't please you, grind it down and run another bead. Its about penetration and consistent speed.

Well, it's in and painted. Hopefully the Next time it's worked on it will be coming off for a 3 link savvy mid-arm, except I'll likely be paying a "real" welder to do that work. I haven't changed out the driver side bushing but it wasn't loose, so I'll save that for another time.

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