I would like to replace the worn out mount bushing with a Energy Suspension piece. My question is , how difficult is the job. According to the manual removing the toque arm is complicated. I don't want to remove it. I just want to replace the rubber mount piece with the performance piece. Any info or short cuts would be appreciated.

 

I wouldn't really say hard or complicated. I would rec. spraying plenty of PB Blaster or similar product on those two bolts on the rear. Try to keep the torque arm unsprung (keep the rear end even up and down left to right)

Make sure you order the right bushing. As I remember the company that supplied my poly graphite bushings said there were 2, one faced one way, and the other, the opposite, (left and right)

Dont put your face under or to either side of the immediate vicinity of the torque arm when you are unbolting it or yanking, try to keep your head pushed back out of the way. Even after unbolting it from the rear, you may need a rubber mallet, or dead blow hammer to give it a few hits to pop it off, again just stay clear.

Oh on last thought, before trying to remove the torque arm from the mount up front, spray some sort of lube all over the existing bushing to help free it up, White lithium, WD-40, PB-Blaster to cut the rust in there, something.

Good Luck, it wasn't that hard, I had to swap torque arms when I did the th350 swap.

 

You don't have to remove the torque arm. Either remove the springs or drop the axle far enough to remove tension from them. This will allow you to manoeuvre the arm without much effort. Check the following link for more info:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...-arm-woes.html

JamesC

 

Just to let you know the OEM bushing is rivited in the bushing mount that is bolted onto the trans tailshaft. To put the new bushing in requires that you grind off the rivits on the "clamshell" that the bushing is in.

 

I Just did this and it wasn't too bad of a job. Although my rear end was out when I did the job.

I would lower the rear end to take tension off the springs and support the rear end well and remove the torque arm completely. Take off the two rear bolts after the diff is lowered and then loosen the two clamshell bolts and get that arm out of there.
Then place a jack under the tranny x-member and take out the four bolts and lower the tranny all the way down (I had to do this to get the bracket out you may not). then undo the three bolts, pry down on the tranny with a block of wood (again you may not need to do this) and slide the bracket out.
Then drill the rivets on the old bushings and install the bracket.

I found it easier to install the new bushing on the torque arm first then install on the tranny. Then put the tranny back up and install all your bolts. install the arm on the diff and put everything back in place. job done.

The hardest part for me was dropping the rear end without killing myself. everything else is mindless. give yourself a half day to do it by yourself.