dose anyone have a method for removing the front eye bushing in the leaf springs (other than having them pressed out), im sure they wont be easy to get out. i figure i'd ask b4 i start on it. got the rear ones done last night
Seems like you could heat the inside bushing enough to burn the rubber some but not damage the spring eye. Then the inner bushing would come out. Use a sawz-all to cut a slit thru the rubber and outer bushing and then you could drive it out.
Just dont do what I did when i was changing mine out. Earned me a trip to the doctor and 6 stitches below my eye. And no, im not saying what I did because i was young and dumb. Well maybe just a warning: If you use a punch to pry open the the eyelet, be careful, It can pop out with some force. Now the way i finally got mine out was to drill out the rubber until i could push out the inner sleeve. Then used a punch and hammer to bend in the outer sleeve. Having 2 good eyes would make it easier to hit the punch with the hammer. Having one eye swollen throws off your depth perception and your thumb suffers the consequences.
think i will try to drill the rubber out, will i need to jack the car up like i had to do wth the rear ones and if so how far?
We used a press to get mine out. Took about 15 min to do both and installed the new CalTrac bushings.
If you're going to do that with the springs still attached to the car I would definitely sawz-all the outer sleeves. How do you intend to get the new bushing in? Maybe you should remove the springs, take them somewhere that has a press, and let them remove the old bushings and press the new ones in. Fortunately, mine were still very solid and didn't have to be changed.
You are doing this with them in the car? That will make it tough to hammer on once you drill out the rubber. the spring will be kicking back after yout hit the punch. If its onthe car i would say go the sawzall/hacksaw method to cut the outer shell after you drilled out the rubber and puched out the inner shell. The after the outer shell is cut you can pry it away from the spring. You will need to jack up the car high enough to giv eyourself room to work onthe spring, remember it will have to drop down a but to get out of the frame. If you are installing new Urethane bushings then they dont need to be pressed in. Sometimes the even say to leave the outer shell intact and just remove all rubber and insert the urethan bushing.
maybe ball joint press? seems like it should work i havnt done it yet but its how i press in upper control arm bushings
drill out the rubber as stated above, then if you take a sawzall and cut some releafs in the metal shell that is left in the spring eye it will make it easyer to chisel it out. now as asked how do you plan on puting the new bushings in? if you have to press them then just find a machine shop to take the springs to and have them press the old ones out and new ones in.
Many years ago, I tried burning the rubber out with a torch, as it seemed like a good idea. What a mess! I would not recommend it. Pressing them in and out is the way to go. I do my own with a steel cup and a big socket and a big ole hammer, but if you don't have the right peices, you will beat your brains out and likely injure yourself.
