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leaf spring bushing removal

theloudone

Rock Crawler
Joined
Dec 22, 2011
Messages
732
Location
thurmont
I cant afford new leaf springs a the moment so I'm going to replace the bushings to see if it helps the squat/lean. getting the bushings in doesn't seem like that big of a problem but I'm not sure if there's and special tricks to removing them. I did a little searching but didn't really find what I need. anyone know how to make this a little simpler?
 
I would guess your talking and a 1.1 , I almost always torch them out.
yep im talking about a full size truck. I would just torch them out but i'd have to cut off the 17 year old u-bolts off to get the leaf springs out from under the truck. all while not setting the gas tank on fire
 
they have metal fittings around what's left of the bushings. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that will make it an even bigger PITA
 
Id take them to spring shop and get them re-arched. Its cheaper then getting new ones. They can help with the bushings.
 
I used a gear puller on my Cherokees leafs to press the old bushing out of them. Pain in the arse but worked. Put a bolt in the bushing with as big a washer you can that will still fit through the spring eye and let the jaws grab the other side of the spring. It was a two arm puller.


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I drill a whole bunch of holes in the rubber and knock the inner sleeve (if equipped) out then use a chisel to cut the outer sleeve along the split in the eye of the spring. Most urethane bushings don't use the outer sleeves so their destruction is no problem.
 
what make of truck just curious? and if your trying to change the bushings with out removing the leaf spring from the truck it will be a bit harder to do vs doing it out of the truck.
 
I drill a whole bunch of holes in the rubber and knock the inner sleeve (if equipped) out then use a chisel to cut the outer sleeve along the split in the eye of the spring. Most urethane bushings don't use the outer sleeves so their destruction is no problem.

that sounds pretty easy
 
Easy way of doing it- eye ball how much of a rubber face you have showing and find a drill bit that is the same size and drill out the rubber around the diameter of the bushing. Once you do this, the center eye section will fall out, then you take a chisel and collapse the outer metal sleeve in towards the center of the eye ( where the bushing used to be) after you get enough of the sleeve collapsed you can easily tap it out with a hammer.
 
what make of truck just curious? and if your trying to change the bushings with out removing the leaf spring from the truck it will be a bit harder to do vs doing it out of the truck.
its a 1996 Isuzu rodeo/Honda passport. I would just take the leafs off but the u-bolts would need to be cut off.i would just replace one end of the leafs at a time.
 
its a 1996 Isuzu rodeo/Honda passport. I would just take the leafs off but the u-bolts would need to be cut off.i would just replace one end of the leafs at a time.

I'm not sure about Isuzu but both Mazda and Toyota leaf bushings can be pushed out with one finger. They aren't bonded to the leaf like domestic trucks.
 
I'm not sure about Isuzu but both Mazda and Toyota leaf bushings can be pushed out with one finger. They aren't bonded to the leaf like domestic trucks.



79-85 Front toyota mini truck springs have loose bushings but rear springs from 86 on up have sleeves vulcanized to them.


I'm thinking my 94 rodeo had loose bushings on the shackle end and a vulcanized bushing on the frame end. But it's been a few years since I scrapped it out so details are fuzzy these days. :lol:
 
On my Nissan the leaf bushings were a press in sleeve. I removed the hanger bolt to the sleeve, with the chassis resting on a jack, not the axle, and just jacked it up till the spring cleared the hanger, then took the blade off a hack saw, inserted the blade through the sleeve, reinstalled the blade to the saw, then made one cut all the way, or nearly all the way through the sleeve, but not the spring. with the sleeve cut, I took the blade back off, and used a deep well socket almost as big as the sleeve and wailed hell on it till the old sleeve bushing came out. Which was not that hard since I made the relief cut which allowed the sleeve to collapse a little and drive right out. To put the new one in, I just put the new sleeve bushing up to the leaf hanger hole and tapped it back in using the socket so as not to damage the bushing center hole. Then let the jack down, reinstalled the bolt through the hanger, and repeated for the other side. Took maybe 30 to 45 mins, after relocating the hacksaw and a new fresh blade.
 
Torch..light the bushings on fire...drink a soda...knock out the sleeves and rubber remains. Then i usually have a sledge hammer with the appropriate diameter of the inner sleeve and rest it with your left/right hand on the sleeve and with your dominant hand, beat on the other end of the sledge with another hammer. That is if you dont have an air hammer.
 
im gonna have the new exhaust put on by the end of the year so i might have the auto shop just do it for me while its on the lift. shouldnt cost too much extra
 
79-85 Front toyota mini truck springs have loose bushings but rear springs from 86 on up have sleeves vulcanized to them.


I'm thinking my 94 rodeo had loose bushings on the shackle end and a vulcanized bushing on the frame end. But it's been a few years since I scrapped it out so details are fuzzy these days. :lol:

Not just the fronts. My 95 4Runner has rear 84 Toyota leafs up front and they have loose bushings too.
 
Use rubber dissolving chemicals.

Methylene Chloride
Chloroform

Do learn about safety measures related to particular chemicals in use.
 
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