leaf spring bushing replacement problems!!!
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 410
Likes: 1
From: West Virginia
leaf spring bushing replacement problems!!!
I ordered new Energy Suspension bushings for the rear leaf spring and they don't fit. The rear bushing fits, but the front bushing is too small. I called them and they said the kit is right and the parts in the kit are right for a 95 Bronco.
The bushing measures a little over 1 1/2" but the spring eye on the Bronco measures 1 3/4". I went out and measured the spring on my wrecked 95 F150 and it measured 1 3/4".
Anybody have this issue before? Any ideas? Energy Suspension sent me two PDF forms to fill out and send back so they can see if they have anything in the size I need. I will have to do that tomorrow. It is too dark now to see, he wants measurements with a micrometer, and there are a lot of them to make.
So at this point I am just mad. I've waited weeks for these bushings to come in. The Bronco has been jacked up out back for some six weeks or more with the rear end out of it. All this crap for a boot on the cardan joint and leaf spring bushings. On top of that I still need to replace the radius arm bushings before I can put it on the road. I wanted to have it on the road back in September, now it looks like......who know when.
I'll shut up now, sorry about the rant. Any thoughts?
The bushing measures a little over 1 1/2" but the spring eye on the Bronco measures 1 3/4". I went out and measured the spring on my wrecked 95 F150 and it measured 1 3/4".
Anybody have this issue before? Any ideas? Energy Suspension sent me two PDF forms to fill out and send back so they can see if they have anything in the size I need. I will have to do that tomorrow. It is too dark now to see, he wants measurements with a micrometer, and there are a lot of them to make.
So at this point I am just mad. I've waited weeks for these bushings to come in. The Bronco has been jacked up out back for some six weeks or more with the rear end out of it. All this crap for a boot on the cardan joint and leaf spring bushings. On top of that I still need to replace the radius arm bushings before I can put it on the road. I wanted to have it on the road back in September, now it looks like......who know when.
I'll shut up now, sorry about the rant. Any thoughts?
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
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From: Gateway to the West
I think if you have measurements from TWO 95 F-series models (the Bronco fits the bill) its a hard argument for Energy to hold. Are the spring eyes front and rear different diameters? (I would doubt it but not impossible I suppose).
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 410
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From: West Virginia
Well I just got off the phone with Energy Sus. and gave him all the measurements he asked for and he told me they have nothing to fit it. I informed him I have two 95 models with the same front bushing setup and asked about the possibility they are missing an application. So he is sending the info to their engineering dept for further investigation. While this does nothing for me now, it might help someone else in the future, if they do anything with the info.
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 410
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From: West Virginia
Here is an update on my leaf spring bushing issue.
I finally got the correct bushings, from Ford. They went in the spring pretty as you'd please.
After the last few weeks of looking for the correct bushing, I must issue a strong warning to anyone thinking about messing with the spring bushings. Measure the bushing and make sure you have the correct replacement BEFORE you take the old bushings out. It seems most will use the 1.6" bushing, and this is what everyone will sell you. But as I found out some trucks came with a 1.78" front bushing. This goes for all the trucks not just the Bronco, as my 95 F150 has the same front spring eye bushing as my Bronco, and as I understand it the same bushings of either size were used on the 1/2, 3/4, and 1ton trucks. The Ford part is obsolete and I could not find anybody on the aftermarket that made the bushing. Everyone that had a listing for the size said it was no longer made.
The bushing I got from Ford is part # F4TZ-5781-B. At this time, only three were found nation wide, and I just used two of them.
I finally got the correct bushings, from Ford. They went in the spring pretty as you'd please.
After the last few weeks of looking for the correct bushing, I must issue a strong warning to anyone thinking about messing with the spring bushings. Measure the bushing and make sure you have the correct replacement BEFORE you take the old bushings out. It seems most will use the 1.6" bushing, and this is what everyone will sell you. But as I found out some trucks came with a 1.78" front bushing. This goes for all the trucks not just the Bronco, as my 95 F150 has the same front spring eye bushing as my Bronco, and as I understand it the same bushings of either size were used on the 1/2, 3/4, and 1ton trucks. The Ford part is obsolete and I could not find anybody on the aftermarket that made the bushing. Everyone that had a listing for the size said it was no longer made.
The bushing I got from Ford is part # F4TZ-5781-B. At this time, only three were found nation wide, and I just used two of them.
New User
Joined: Feb 2011
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replacing leaf spring bushings on bronco f-150
I have just deldt with this same exact problem over the weekend, and thank you to the guy who had bought the last of the supply in the nation haha. I as well could not find the replacement parts for the front bushing of the leaf spring so this is what I have done. I usually heat the spring around the bushings to melt the rubber and beat them out, so you will have the bushing sleeve is still left in the eye. I cut this sleeve with a torch, just a line through the sleeve. Pound that out and reuse it! Purchase the bushings that are still available that are sloppy in the eye lid, and take the old sleeve that you just cut out of the eye of the spring and wrap it around the new pushing. Pound the bushing and the old sleeve in at the same time, now you shouldnt have any slack. Basically what your doing is making an adapter or a shim, it is tight enough not to be sloppy. Sorry to hear about the guy who has had his truck apart for 6 weeks. I had this job done in 3 days, theres nothing wrong with some afro-engineering.
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