Spring eye bushings .?

[Naiveambition]

Anyone have a trick they used to get spring eye bushings out. I'm guessing these are the factory ones with metal around the outside. I'm sure they are rusted in. Had a hell of a time trying to get just the bolt out.

Thanx for any clues

 

[thescot]

Hydraulic press is your best bet. If your trying to do it on the rig you might try making a driver of sorts. This will be a piece of pipe about 4" long with a ID big enough to slip the bushing into as it comes out. Now get a grade 8 bolt about 10" long that fits thru the bushing and put the bolt thru the bushing. Slip the piece of pipe over the bolt, centered on the leaf eye. Your also gonna need a cap of some type. Something like a 1/4 plate thats bigger than the OD of the pipe works. Drill the end cap to the size of your bolt, slip all of it on and start tightening the nut which should drive the bushing out. If your gonna reinstall poly bushings fine, if stock ones like you pulled out a press would be most desired or you'll be fighting this forever. Hope my Okie press directions make sense.

 

[PaRenegade]

If they're the rubber bushings around the metal sleeve, I've taken and drilled several holes around the circumference thru the bushing (against the sleeve), then with the thin ribs remaining either cut with a recip. saw or pound the sleeve thru.

 

[73CJ]

Pressing works but sometimes the outer metal sleeve will stay. A torch will take them out. Then use a die grinder with a carbide burr and grind a line across the inside until it cracks. It can be taped out easily then.

Lots of ways to skin a cat.

 

[Naiveambition]

Thanx foot the quick replys.

Hmmm ya all got me thinkin now. Had no idea it would take this much effort to remove them.

Thescot, do you have a pic or drawing of your idea. Yes iam gonna try to remove them on the jeep.

Also are the shackle bushings the same, meaning they will need to be pressed out. All of the new bushings are poly bushings that are split, so will I need to press them back in or can I use like a C clamp to get them in. These are a daystar kit and are semi hard, though if was thinking they were the rubber type.

Parenegade, if I drill around, I'm guessing the only way to cut is thru the break in the spring, or u mean knock the bushing out the cut from the inside and piece it out.

 

[PaRenegade]

Actually I was thinking of my air powered recip saw. But if you can get a narrow blade for a regular recip saw that should work. Just something to cut the rubber and relieve the friction between the center sleeve and the outside edge of the rubber that has adhered to the spring eye. Once the center is gone you can pry the outer shell away. Right now the pressure of the rubber against both metal surfaces is working against you.
Get yourself some lubrathane (silicone grease) or dielectric grease to coat the new ones with so they're easier to get out the next time, plus it reduces friction since these are pivot points (the inside hole) and will help your suspension move freely.

 

[Hedgehog]

Please listen to me on this one. Take the spring out and remove the bushings. If you don't have a moveable press of some sort your creating a lot of extra work for yourself.

Remove the spring from the Jeep. Then find a bolt that will JUST go in the bushing.then I put a nut on the bolt, double nutting it works better. Find the biggest strongest washer you can that is smaller than O.D. of the bushing, stack a couple for extra strength. Put the spring on something that has a hole for the bushing to be driven into. Then get the biggest hammer you can handle well and beat the snot out of the bolt to drive the bushing out. A 2 or more pound hammer works great(I use my 8 pound sledge hammer. With the right force it's surprisingly easy, especially once the bushing starts to move. With the bushing out clean the eye out, lubricate the bushing and the eye with light oil and drive the new bushing in. I was lucky, in my odd junk box there was a shock mount bolt with steps in it that worked like it was made to drive bushings out.

 

[jdarg]

A Harbor Freight u-joint press makes very short work of this, even with the springs still attached to the axle. On most of mine the outer sleeve came out with the bushing but I had to hack saw it on a couple so be ready for that.

 

[mstar]

Well I have done this job a few times over the years and most of the advice is good. Last couple times I replaced bushings in spring or hanger I heated up the inner steel bushing and push it out easily with screwdriver
then remove rubber part with knife and pliers.Now you have the outer steel bushing to remove.Several options on that operation.Air muffler tool with straight cutter will get it out quick or cut with torch or use the press method with bolt and washers. Mike S.

 

[Naiveambition]

Thanx for all the responses, it made it much easier.

This is how I mangled to get it done

Drill rubber grommet first all the way around, then hammered eyelet out. Then used a hacksaw in the slot from both sides, cutting to center. Man I wish I had a sawzall. Overall bout 30 minutes labor.

Then used a chisel to get under it and the pound it out. Did notice that the eye shrunk about 2 hacksaw blade widths, but the poly bushing were almost dead on measurement.

I think the hardest part about the job was finding jack placement, jack stand placement to get the holes to line up, even used a cumalongto pull rear forward.

With offsett axles there is no center weight distribution spot, but there done. Hope the front is easier.

 

[Hedgehog]

Hope yo don't mind me asking. What is going on on the bottome of the frame? Looks boxed and pieced together somehow, but that's not the way a frame is boxed. Just lookin' at your pictures and wonderin' what I'm seeing.