espo spring bushings

[YAKFSHR]

got the new springs from espo. ordered the poly bushings without realizing that they don't come installed in the springs and obviously not in the shackles since their on the wag. how hard is it to press out the old ones and install the new one. a little hint, mechanic wanted $745.00 just to change bushings, yep, you read it right.

[Panoscopic]

I want to know what you find out because I want to go the espo route as well. What spec did you order? How much were they with shipping and everything?

$745 sounds crazy!

[Josh D]

I just did the fixed end of my front springs this weekend. Getting the old pressed in bushings out can be tough. I heated the inner sleeve with a torch (I used oxy/acetelyne, but I imagine a propane torch would work as well) enough that the rubber melted and it pushed right out with a drift. The rubber can then be removed. I then held the spring in a vise and cut through the outer bushing sleeve with a sawzall in two places and the two halves came right out (a hack saw can be used as well). I modified poly bushings from YJ springs that I had, so installation for what you have is probably different. If they are a press fit with steel sleeves, you'll need a hydraulic press. A large bench vise or BFH might work as well. If they are just two piece poly with an inner sleeve, just lube up the poly with white lithium grease, and push in the two halves. Then lube the outer surface of the inner sleeve and press it in. Hope this helps

[YAKFSHR]

panoscopic, new 2" over springs, poly bushings (springs and shackles) u-bolts, eye bolts came to $756.00 that includes $136.00 shipping charge to cali. it's a bummer that the poly's don't come installed in the springs. you think, them being a spring shop, they would ship them like that if you order it all at once, i mean their set up to do it or offer it as an option.

joshd, thanks for the info. i talked to my friend kris and he said the same thing. about 10 minutes per bushing. thats also what the girl at espo said. where did the mechanic get off with $745.00. even at $60.00 per hour...thats 12 hours to change bushings. dang.

[mtn goat]

isnt this where you can make a tool with some threaded stock and a few washers and bolts. line the bushings and the hole up and use the stock with bolts and washers to tighten down and push that sucker in??? or is that for something else

[Andrew]

I did this on the old 76 I had. Is there a difference on my 83 because I have to do this as well.

PS I used a torch on the 76 and it was a B****

[krob725]

that is how i talked my wife into getting the hyd press! i got one from harbor freight. it works good. 20 ton press. it's the kind with the hyd jack in the middle.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=32879
i figure by the time i press all the bushings on three trucks it more than pay for itself.
the bushings in the spring eyes come out pretty easy, but the ones in the shackles are a PITA. :eek:

krob725

[tito]

Yakfshr,
I'll swap out the bushings for you at only $500, whadda think?

I left the old bushins in the old springs since I bought a complete kit. But the shackles were definitely a PITA. Spent the time and effort to do one front shackle with a method similiar to what Josh D described. Brought the remaining 3 to the maint. shop here at work. After knocking the inner sleeve out with a hammer and big screwdriver, put them on a lathe and cut the bushing and outer sleeve right out. Maybe a local machine shop can help you out for a couple of $.

Good Luck.

[talntar]

i went the 2" espo poly way. it took me 2 days of bfh sawzall and plenty of beer but it wasnt to bad. i do have a press but its nothyd.thats where the bfh comes in.the rear shackle bolts were the worst cause po towed a salt water boat quit rusty

[talntar]

btw the new spring bushings are a lot easier then the shackle ones to get out

[Lindel]

What I want to know is what exactly is the mechanic going to change the bushings into for $745? It'd better be something involving gold for that price.

[irbob]

For 745.00 I will come to your house and install them for you. :D

[Bob Barry]

I rigged up a setup with some threaded rod, some thick washers adding up to the diameter of the bushing sleeve, and a receiver tube from the pipe-fitting rack at my local ACE hardware. On my '78's original springs, I used the impact gun to knock those bushings right out and install the new ones (didn't even have to remove the spring; just unbolt it). Thankfully, the springs weren't too crusty.