>> I'm replacing the leaf springs in my 86 Chevy Van and was curious as to
>> what
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> 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
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> 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...
: )
Nate Nagel - 02 Jun 2007 13:47 GMT
>>>I'm replacing the leaf springs in my 86 Chevy Van and was curious as to
>>>what
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> 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
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>
> Man... six nuts per side and hours of swearing...
Yeah, that's another good option. Hydraulic presses are your friends.
nate

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Mike Romain - 02 Jun 2007 14:22 GMT
> 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
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> : )
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
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