Does anybody have details on swapping out the axle pivot bushings in a D50? My truck is still for sale but I'm not ignoring necessary maintenance in the meantime and the old bushings have got to go. I believe I need two(one for each I-beam). I'm either going to get Moog or Energy Suspension. I'm seeing Moog and the Moog Problem Solver set. What's the difference(aside from price)? And what's the best angle of attack? Thanks in advance once again.

 

And would poly vs rubber in that spot effect ride at all?

 

I have installed poly and rubber bushings in different trucks and never really noticed a difference in ride but the poly's do help hold alignment a little better. The easiest way I can suggest to get the bushing end of the I beam down so you can get to it is jack the truck up on the frame just behind the leaf spring until the tire is just barely on the ground, put a jack stand under frame so you can safely pull the pivot bolt on the bushing then remove jack stand and lower truck until pivot bushing clears the bracket and then re insert the jack stand so you can work on driving the bushings. A good sized hammer or air hammer will drive the old one out, it will only go one direction, and I find it best to use a large socket that fits around the rubber or poly but sits on the metal flange and a hammer to drive the new one in. Lubing the bracket with a little vaseline or grease where the bushing will be sliding up in helps a bunch. Then jack the truck up again so the bushing starts in the bracket and you may need to assist the bushing back into place with a bottle jack or large dead blow hammer and a pry bar. Be careful its easy to get your hands pinched and you don't want the truck dropping on you.

 

Problem solves are easier to install
Whole front end had to come apart very time consuming

 

If it was me, I'd get the Energy Suspension bushings in the black color. The black bushings are Graphite Impregnated which helps to "self lubricate" the bushings. I've got Energy pivot bushings in both my trucks and they are great. They stiffened things up quite a bit on my 2wd, but the bushings were worn out for so long, I doubt I ever knew what it was like to drive it with good rubber bushings. LOL

 

Cool guys. Thanks. I have the black energy suspension spring and shackle bushings and like them fine. Didn't really notice a difference in the ride and they are holding up nicely. Reckon I'll get them again.

 

another very important bushing is the "A" shackle bushing inside the frame that no sees, so they pay no attention to it. if that bushing deteriorates, the front spring shackle will flop all over the place.

 

I don't know about it flopping much but it sure grinds away at the pocket in the frame and the shackle.

 

Is that the smaller eye that actually mounts the spring shackle to the frame? If so, I got that bad boy done with the Energy Suspension kit...

 

Any tips you can share on removing/installing the spring ends, fixed end or the front shackle bushings? Was disconnecting and reconnecting the spring ends difficult and how did you remove the old rubber bushings?

 

I usually jack up the truck and block it on jack stands then remove the tire and use the floor jack to lower the axle once the shackle and spring bolts are removed. I use a air chisel do drive out the old bushing because the metal shell can be a pain to get out. I like using poly bushings because they are a lot easier to install than the oem style. The poly's you just lube them up with the grease that comes with them and use a large c clamp to push them in. You can do the oem's the same way but they take a lot more persuasion.

 

I do pretty much the same except I don't have air tools. I did what DzlJim suggested and used the largest drill bit I could fit between the spring eye and bushing sleeve to drill out the rubber. Once I got all that out I used a sawzall to cut out the old bushing sleeve. Lubed up the poly bushings and in they went. Disconnecting springs was easy but putting them back was tough I guess because of the IFS flex.