I have a 97 f-350 and I am replacing the spring shackles. The problem is that I spent most of the day trying to remove the rubber bushing from the rear spring eye. tried pressing it out with a large c-clamp, beating on it with a 3 lb hammer and drift but no luck. the damn thing won't budge. I considered taking the torch and heating up the spring eye but was afraid I would take the temper out of the spring. any ideas?

 

The bushing in there is a rubber encased bushing. Metal outside sleeve, rubber inside and metal tube (all one piece). Your best bet is to burn that rubber out so your just left with the outside sleeve. You can then crimp down the edges and knock it out.

When you burn the rubber out you aren't really putting the focus of the heat on the eye. It'll get hot but you aren't getting it red so you'll be fine.

If you need a replacement bushing let me know!

 

Exactly what ATSJunior said!

 

I've had a /lot/ of trouble with these, but torching it is the answer.
You just need to get it burning a bit, then the outer edges of the bushing will "liquify", and you can just push it out.

This leaves you with the outer metal shell.
I managed to use my torch to burn through the shell by angling at the gap where the spring is rolled around the bushing. Just enough of a gap to get it hot and then hit the oxygen and just burn straight through it.

Then, once you've got a slot through it, get in there with a hammer and chisel and just beat it out.

 

I drill out the bushing cave the outer sleeve in and knock it out

 

^ This. Much less messy and smokey.

 

same here dude hole saw each side and rubber falls out than just chisel out the metal and hammer new one in, less smokey and messy and everything works like a hot dam.

 

Hole saw each side is a darn good idea...how do you keep if from binding?

 

Or just take the old bolt, flip it so the head is against the inner sleeve, knock it out, drive the outer sleeve in. Did that on a pivot arm bushing.

 

Use a drill with enough power and steady pressure if does start to bind back off on pressure and you do both sides if done right everything drops out but the sleeve. And don't use the pilot bit in saw, just straight end saw end. My drill if it catches and anythings around it will break my finger..... again. I will be doing this again before the spring since I still have to rebuild the whole front end on my 1973 international, the bolt holes weren't slots from the factory.