Removing/installing leaf spring bushings

I'm replacing the leaf springs in my 86 Chevy Van and was curious as to what
the best way to push old bushings out of the ends of the springs, and to
install new bushings?

Noozer wrote:
> I'm replacing the leaf springs in my 86 Chevy Van and was curious as to what
> the best way to push old bushings out of the ends of the springs, and to
> install new bushings?
>

The best way is to pay someone else to do it.

Seriously, when we did the ones on my Camaro it was a whole lot of
manual labor to get them out and clean up the rubber goo that was left
in there. I'm curious to see what other people come up with.

IIRC, we used a combination of sawzalls, air grinders, c-clamps, tried
to press it out, tried to pry it out, tried burning them out... what a
production.

Ray

On Jun 1, 9:05 pm, "Noozer" > wrote:
> I'm replacing the leaf springs in my 86 Chevy Van and was curious as to what
> the best way to push old bushings out of the ends of the springs, and to
> install new bushings?

I don't know which operation you are doing, installing new springs or
just new bushings, so the following is general bushing banter...

Sometimes the location of a bushing makes mechanical removal
difficult. Further that, heavy corrosion combined with the
undesireable steel/rubber/steel cross section of the typical bushing
makes even destructive and forceful extraction difficult. A common
last ditch method (or first ditch method if you're experienced) to get
the stubborn, frozen cross-bolt out of the center sleeve is to use a
torch. Have a water hose ready for safety and open all doors if
working inside, as it is the messiest, nastiest repair work you are
likely to ever do to a vehicle. Blast the bolt head side and the nut
side after heating them to cherry red. You need to save any reused
parts nearby, so aim is critical here. Also, the fuel tank(s) is/are
usually near at least one spring bracket. Fashion a temporary metal
shield between the work and any lines, tank, hoses, etc. for safety.
The bushing rubber will catch on fire too, so that sucks, and it is
hard to extingish.

If you are referring to removing a bushing from a spring that has been
successfully removed from the van already -- you can try various hand
or air chisel bits that are edge sharpened to only grab/cut the thin
outside shell of the bushing. If you go around the entire perimeter
of the shell on one side and 'curl' the shell metal inward, it will
give you something to pound or press on with an appropriately sized
socket. Support the other side of the spring with a larger socket or
makeshift press blocks so that the bushing will be able to pass
through during the pressing operation.

You can clean the surface rust off of the inside of the springs with
sandpaper and lightly tap the new bushing in until it is started and
square -- I like to use a soft faced, shot filled hammer first to
limit damage to the bushing flange -- then press or hammer in with
appropriately sized socket placed on the outer sleeve.

Either way, replacement bolts and shackles are a good idea to buy
beforehand.

Toyota MDT in MO

"Comboverfish" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Jun 1, 9:05 pm, "Noozer" > wrote:
>> I'm replacing the leaf springs in my 86 Chevy Van and was curious as to
>> what
>> the best way to push old bushings out of the ends of the springs, and to
>> install new bushings?
>
> I don't know which operation you are doing, installing new springs or
> just new bushings, so the following is general bushing banter...

Pulled a pair of leafs from the wrecking yard. I'm going to need to push the
old bushings out to replace them. Not so much that they need replacing, but
the old bolts are pretty much "welded" in place by corrosion.

> Sometimes the location of a bushing makes mechanical removal
> difficult. Further that, heavy corrosion combined with the
> undesireable steel/rubber/steel cross section of the typical bushing
> makes even destructive and forceful extraction difficult. A common
> last ditch method (or first ditch method if you're experienced) to get
> the stubborn, frozen cross-bolt out of the center sleeve is to use a
> torch. Have a water hose ready for safety and open all doors if
> working inside, as it is the messiest, nastiest repair work you are
> likely to ever do to a vehicle. Blast the bolt head side and the nut
> side after heating them to cherry red. You need to save any reused
> parts nearby, so aim is critical here. Also, the fuel tank(s) is/are
> usually near at least one spring bracket. Fashion a temporary metal
> shield between the work and any lines, tank, hoses, etc. for safety.
> The bushing rubber will catch on fire too, so that sucks, and it is
> hard to extingish.

Considering the amount of work to pull the replacements off at the wrecking
yard, I think I'll just pick up the bushings and take it to a local mechanic
who will have the necessary tools and experience to do this job.

Man... six nuts per side and hours of swearing...

: )

Noozer wrote:
> "Comboverfish" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>>On Jun 1, 9:05 pm, "Noozer" > wrote:
>>
>>>I'm replacing the leaf springs in my 86 Chevy Van and was curious as to
>>>what
>>>the best way to push old bushings out of the ends of the springs, and to
>>>install new bushings?
>>
>>I don't know which operation you are doing, installing new springs or
>>just new bushings, so the following is general bushing banter...
>
>
> Pulled a pair of leafs from the wrecking yard. I'm going to need to push the
> old bushings out to replace them. Not so much that they need replacing, but
> the old bolts are pretty much "welded" in place by corrosion.
>

Burn the rubber out with a torch, and/or drill through the rubber with a
drill bit to weaken it and push the center piece out with the bolt still
in it. Then assemble a hacksaw with the blade through what's left of
the bushing so you can cut through the outer shell. Once you've cut a
slot or two in the outer shell you can drive it out with a hammer and an
appropriately sized socket or a blunt junk screwdriver or punch.

To pull the new bushings in, you will need some heavy all-thread and
nuts and washers, and a socket that will sit on the eye of the spring
and another that will just pass through it. Set the bushing in place,
put the bigger socket on the opposite side of the eye from the bushing,
and pass the all-thread through the socket drive hole, the hole in the
bushing, and then pull it into the spring with the smaller socket. Some
light oil may help but don't go nuts with it, oil is not kind to rubber.
When you put the springs in the van, don't tighten down any of the
bushing bolts completely until the van is sitting completely on the
ground (you don't want to put any twist in the bushings at normal ride
height.)

If you are really anal retentive, you may want to disassemble the
springs, have the leaves blasted and painted, and then reassembled with
new sliders. Personally, for a vehicle for which new springs are
available, I'll pay the $2-300 for brand new springs with bushings to
save all the forking around.

>
>>Sometimes the location of a bushing makes mechanical removal
>>difficult. Further that, heavy corrosion combined with the
>>undesireable steel/rubber/steel cross section of the typical bushing
>>makes even destructive and forceful extraction difficult. A common
>>last ditch method (or first ditch method if you're experienced) to get
>>the stubborn, frozen cross-bolt out of the center sleeve is to use a
>>torch. Have a water hose ready for safety and open all doors if
>>working inside, as it is the messiest, nastiest repair work you are
>>likely to ever do to a vehicle. Blast the bolt head side and the nut
>>side after heating them to cherry red. You need to save any reused
>>parts nearby, so aim is critical here. Also, the fuel tank(s) is/are
>>usually near at least one spring bracket. Fashion a temporary metal
>>shield between the work and any lines, tank, hoses, etc. for safety.
>>The bushing rubber will catch on fire too, so that sucks, and it is
>>hard to extingish.
>
>
> Considering the amount of work to pull the replacements off at the wrecking
> yard, I think I'll just pick up the bushings and take it to a local mechanic
> who will have the necessary tools and experience to do this job.
>
> Man... six nuts per side and hours of swearing...

Yeah, that's another good option. Hydraulic presses are your friends.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Noozer wrote:

>
> Considering the amount of work to pull the replacements off at the wrecking
> yard, I think I'll just pick up the bushings and take it to a local mechanic
> who will have the necessary tools and experience to do this job.
>
> Man... six nuts per side and hours of swearing...
>
> : )
>
>

That is the 'best' way to do them, they 'are' a serious pain in the
butt. I have used the drill method and the threaded rod with two
sockets when helping a friend. If you drill enough holes in the rubber
it will fall out. If you can core it, you can use a threaded rod like
mentioned.

On my own set, I paid someone to do it. They used a torch. :-)

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)