As I am going through all the suspension parts I need I am trying to figure out the best solution for my front spring perches.

They’re riveted on so to replace the whole perch I need to grind off the rivets which I prefer not to do. The bushing is worn out if round but the steel remains fine.

Is there a practical way to press the old bushings out and pressing new ones in on the truck without removing the perch?

If it requires expensive tools I am probably left with removing the rivets. New ones are only $40 each so there is no point in investing in tools for that price.

Thanks!

 

A down and dirty way:

To remove it: cut two slots in the bushing with a hacksaw blade. (Be careful not to cut into the perch.) One slot and you can drive it out with a cheap deep socket, or a bolt that is nearly as big. Two slots and you can push it out with your finger.

To replace it: Get a long enough fine thread grade 8 bolt and nut, and two really thick washers. Freeze the new bushing in a freezer (Overnight in a deep freeze, 0 degrees or colder is best), and heat the perch with a torch (not too hot). When you're ready, grab the bushing with a glove and run out to the truck. Stick the bushing in, run the bolt through it with a washer on each end, then tighten the bolt until the bushing is centered.

 

Thanks so much. Makes total sense, I have done the bushing install that way before and just didn't think of it. It didn't occur to me to cut through the bushing. Hopefully I have some time today to give it a try. I am going to start with my leaf spring bushings since I don't have to lay under the truck to get at those.

Thanks!!

 

I was able to remove the right one today. Going to buy bushings tomorrow and get the other one cut out this weekend.

It was impossible to not slightly score the bore when cutting out the bushing by hand with a hack saw. I don’t expect it will be an issue I just need to take some 1000 grit sandpaper and lightly smooth it out to make sure everything is smooth when the bushing gets pressed in.

 

I used a piece of 1/2 " threaded rod and washers, etc to thread them out and new ones in. There's pics at the end of my build thread below- no damage at all, and believe it or now they came out and new ones went in very easy. I was surprised to see the clod rivets on the frame to bracket were loose on one side. I had to grind them out and replace with bolts.

 

@Greg Rogers No link to your build thread!

 

It's in his signature..https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ase-build.html
Go to post # 222

 

Ah! Signatures don’t seem to show on my phone. I didn’t realize that until just now. Thanks and I will be sure to check with a computer first next time!

 

Yeah it's on p 15 probably #222 as John mentioned. I just looked at it and no pics of removing bushing from that mount, but there is a pic of the rod, nuts and washer,etc. I remember it being very easy right on the truck. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ase-build.html Maybe you can do this link on your phone?

 

Thanks @Greg Rogers . What I cant tell from your pic is what you are using to press on the bushing so it slides out into the socket on the other side. I can see that the rod has a nut, then washer then socket, but not whats on the pressing side of the rod. Simple question is what are you using to press on the bushing to get it out?

Going back in is pretty straight forward with a nut and a washer on each side....

Thanks!

 

You'd be using the socket to push the bushing in place..just tighten the nuts,,

 

Yeah it seems like the nut was too big to go thru the bushing, but it was small enough to go thru the bracket and the spring eye, so with threaded rod thru the old bushing with nut sitting on old bushing and then thru a big deep 1/2" drive socket at other end that is big enough for bushing to go into, then a washer and another nut. You hold one nut and tighten the other. The threads push the bushing out into the big socket. ( It seems like a 1 1/8 or so deep socket... When putting in new bushing just the opposite though using a washer against the new bushing so nut doesn't try to gouge into the bushing. I'm gonna try to get a better pic.

 

So the threads on the rod grab onto the inside of the Bushing and pushes/pulls it out as the rod moves with the bushing?

I am comfortable putting it back in, just trying to figure how to get it out.

Sorry for being thick, just trying to get my head around it before I go get some supplies.

thanks!

 

Maybe this will help

 

The spring perch bushing has a very thin wall unlike the much larger bushings with a larger face in the videos above. I fully understand the process and the principle.

I am just trying to understand what is being used on the side of the bushing to press it out. A socket on both sides? One to push it through and the other to create a space for it to go into on the other side?

The picture below from Gregs post just aren’t clear to me. I See a big silver socket to catch the removed bushing, threaded rod, ONE washer two nuts and what looks like the old bushing. I don’t see anything that is being used to push the old bushing out unless the new bushing is being used as the press and displacing the old bushing as it goes in. If that were the case there would need to be 2 washers, not one, or the nut would gall the end of the bushing.

Again I fully understand what is going on, I just don’t know what individual parts or tools are being used in the process specific to the front upper spring perch bushings (not the leaf spring bushings) in a 1955 Ford truck.

I am probably just going to stick with the hacksaw at this point and just spend the hour or so on my back under the truck cutting it free. I was trying to save some time and avoid damage to the spring perch with the hacksaw which is unavoidable. It looks like I don’t have the tools or understand what the right tools are to press it out Macgyver style.