Replacing Spring Bushings (1 Viewer)

[Gdubyacobb]

I am getting set to replace my spring bushings and it is one of a few things I have never done to a car before.

From all the old threads I have found it doesn't sound like its going to be fun.

I understand I need to raise and support the truck by the frame. But the part I am fuzzy on is how much do I then lower the axel to take weight of the springs?

Can anyone help with specifics or techniques?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pighead]

Yes, support the frame on jackstands, use a floor jack under the axle to adjust it's height so that the spring pin looks centered in it's bracket...not too low, not too high. Then pound and twist and pull it out.

 

[Gdubyacobb]

Okay, so its a "feel your way through it" kinda thing.
That's what I thought, but I didn't want anything to be under pressure and pop out at me.
Also sound like it may be a good idea to have new bolts ready.

 

[Pighead]

Do one at a time. You may (probably) need to grind/wire wheel the old rubber bushing off of your spring pins/bolts where it has become one with the metal...Lube up the spring pin/bolts before re-inserting. Adjust floor jack for each end/side you're doing.

 

[darwink1]

If everything is seized up like a lot of the junk I work on tends to be you may have to cut the bolts that hold the leafs to the hangers. Have a grinder with at least a 5" cutting disc ready. Also, if your bushings wont come out of the spring eyes try using a steel drill bit on your drill thats just a little smaller than the distance between the bushings and steel sleeves, drill the s*** out of the bushings all the way around and theyll come out. Way easier and less messy than trying to burn them or pound them out. For the outer sleeve (which tends to fuse to the spring eye (if your bushings even have steel sleeves)), I use either a saws all (carefully) or even a hack saw to cut a slit in the sleeve then a hammer and chisel to fold it onto itself till it pops out.

Have a couple extra jack stands handy too. You can shove them under the ends of the leafs for support while you mess around without having to worry about the springs shifting or popping out at you.

I second either greasing or anti seizing the s*** out of your new hardware before reinstalling.

Good luck dude.

D

 

[Gdubyacobb]

All that makes me happy I didn't just tear into it yesterday afternoon.

 

[Living in the Past]

Unless the bushings are completely trashed getting the shackle and fixed end pins out can be a royal pain. If the shackles still have the nuts on the inside I found using a ratchet strap on the springs to keep them from spreading apart. Then use a port-a-power to press the shackle out on one side at a time. This should work on the rear fixed pins. I believe the front fixed pin the engine is in the way. Only did this the last time while stripping a frame with running gear is pulled the engine first to get it out of the way. This was from a 1962 and bushings were really seized to the pins. Worked really well. I left the loosened nuts on any of them I needed to press on the thread to keep from mushrooming the end of the thread.

 

[Gdubyacobb]

It just keeps sounding like more and more fun.
And here I thought stripping off all that desert cooked on weather stripping adhesive was the last of my unpleasant tasks.

 

[Living in the Past]

I'm in Phoenix and have dealt with both. Using mechanical advantage I would rather change bushing then scrape off old weather stripping.

 

[Gdubyacobb]

Well at the end of the day they all came out easy.
The desert has been very good, and dry!, to this old fella.
Of course the "bushings" I pulled out didn't look so great.
This is the new and old comparison for the passenger front spring hangers.

 

[FJsnoozer]

Make life easier and get one of these

http://www.mscdirect.com/product/85..._sJXegN7a0_PLA__15557577904_c_S&026=-99&025=c