Leaf spring bushings ?
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 85
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From: Albuquerque
Leaf spring bushings ?
How do I get them out? They seem frozen, I am working on a 66 F-250. Does anyone know of any tricks? I was betting the crap out of them. Just a smashed thumb is all that happened.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,351
Likes: 1
From: Escondido, CA
They will need to be pressed out with a large C-clamp and deep well socket. Taken to a shop to use the correct press to remove and install them. Or if your not too worried about melted rubber, use a blow torch to heat the rubber and pick it out with a screw driver then cut the outer sleeve with a dremal or similar rotoray tool.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
To remove bushings use a heat gun or torch on the inner sleve to soften the
rubber. Push out the inner sleeve with an old screwdriver (it will get covered
with black gunk). When the inner sleeve is out heat the outside of the spring
eye etc. Push/peel the rubber out. Remove the outer sleeve with an air chisel.
You can do it with a hammer and chisel etc but it will take a while. Clean up
the inside of the spring eye and coat the new bushing and eye with anti-seize.
If using rubber bushings and some poly bushings you will need to make a fixture
with a sleeve (ID bigger than bushing OD), flat washers, and bolts, to draw the
new bushing into the eye.
rubber. Push out the inner sleeve with an old screwdriver (it will get covered
with black gunk). When the inner sleeve is out heat the outside of the spring
eye etc. Push/peel the rubber out. Remove the outer sleeve with an air chisel.
You can do it with a hammer and chisel etc but it will take a while. Clean up
the inside of the spring eye and coat the new bushing and eye with anti-seize.
If using rubber bushings and some poly bushings you will need to make a fixture
with a sleeve (ID bigger than bushing OD), flat washers, and bolts, to draw the
new bushing into the eye.
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
After the hammer and chisel did nothing for the first hour, I ended up using a recip. saw to cut through outer sleeve. Then a 10 lb. brass hammer and a huge chisel finally knocked it out. I am never going to change leaf spring bushings without an air chisel again. Smashed fingers and the smell of torched rubber just ain't worth it.
I keep the old crumpled bushings at the office as a token of triumph.
I keep the old crumpled bushings at the office as a token of triumph.
Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 85
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From: Albuquerque
Just finished the job, and what a job it was. I used a sawzall to cut each one in half, carefull not to cut into the eye, then used my air chisel to knock out the remains, cleaned up the inside with a wire cone mounted to the drill, then applied antiseize to the new ones (poly) then c-clamped them in. Thanks for all the suggestions.
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