you can actually burn the rubber out of the uppers as well. Unless my control arms are otherwise damaged (bent, threads for ball joint shot, etc) I always do just the bushings, I cant remember the last time I replaced an upper control arm on anything that didn't have an integral ball joint meaning the ball joint isnt replaceable separately (meaning other vehicles than these Dakotas)

 

To remove the old bushing, there's several ways. Here's one way:

http://thegarage.jalopnik.com/watchi...omp-1792350133

RwP

 

Awesome thanks for the help guys! May start this tonight but I have one last question first. How do I begin to start this with both control arms bc the Truck has no weight on it right now and the torsion bars are putting down pressure on them. Do I need to just loosen the bars at the cross member or something??

 

Here is the kit I used. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Energy-Suspe...BTuuDU&vxp=mtr

Tops are exact replacement. bottom had to be trimmed in length. There is a post showing this in detail. I will try and find it and add it to here.




edit to add. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-bushings.html

 

Did you notice much better handling?? Some on here say it firmed up the suspension alot with the energy suspension Brand. Did the top ones in this kit press in tight? I read a post in the forum that said the tops could be slid in and out by hand.

 

Also does that kit do both sides or would I have to order two.

 

Yes.

Well, since part of the rubber was missing on my OLD bushings, yes.

Yes, I had to crank the nut to get the bushing in.

Heh. Not on my truck, they weren't.

And the kit does both sides.

RwP

 

Okay idk if the tops are different with the 4wd bc someone said for the 4wd they were loose so they put Moog in the top.

 

They may have removed the bushing shells; you reuse the old rubber bushing shells with the Energy Suspension poly upper control arm bushings.

I had to burn my old ones out, then I discovered this method:


RwP

 

Ohh okay so remove the upper rubber section and leave the hard shells installed from the factory. I'm assuming the new energy suspension upper bushings have an outside shell that u just press into the old shells??