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help - spring eye bushing replacement (my first post!)

  • Thread starter Thread starter TexasCJ8er
  • Start date Start date
T

TexasCJ8er

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Hello all, I'm new to this board and the world of Scramblers (just purchased my first jeep, an '82 CJ:cool: .

I'm in the process of changing out my shackles (someone put horrible homemade 'lift shackles' on that need to go) and all the spring bushings (am retaining the stock springs). I've run into difficulty trying to remove the metal sleeve that was pressed in with the original bushing in the spring eye end of the leaf spring (opposite of the shackle end). Any ideas on how to remove this thin metal piece would be appreciated???? Banging and prying with a screw driver is going to take me years at my current rate of progress!

Thanks.
 
if you are not trying to salvage the rubber...then drill the rubber out with a 1/4" drill bit...i have done this with success.

scott
 
Welcome to the board. Those sleeves are fun....once you have the rubber out, use a chisel to catch an edge of that sleeve, then fold it into itself. A good BFH (big #$@ hammer) and WD-40 (or similar) is very helpful here. Or you could go ahead and get those lift springs now. John N
 
spring eye bushing

Thanks for the reply. I drilled the rubber out, but to put in the polyurethane replacement bushings I have to get the metal sleeve out as well. It's in very tight and rusted to the spring. Is chiseling my only hope? Any ideas? very frustrated....:mad:

Thanks.
 
Spring Bushings

I bought the prothane bushings from Quadratec, and their Rep. told me that I didn't need to use the metal sleeves. It said in the literature that the sleeves were not used on all springs. I have an '82 stock. Do I need to put the sleeves in there? Thanks - Dwain
 
bushing sleeves

You don't need any sleeves - I'm putting in the same poly-bushings, but you have to take the ones that are there (if yours has them with the original rubber bushings) out. Mine has the original sleeves in there and they are a real pain to get out. That's what I'm seeking help on. It looks like it's just going to take a lot of the old hammer and chisel! Not fun work.

Still looking for an easier way - grinding wheel on my drill? Would this work?

Thanks for all the input.
 
Re: bushing sleeves

Here's another idea, but you'll still need that hammer and chisel. Take the blade out of you hacksaw, put it through the spring eye, re-assemble the hacksaw, now cut ito the sleeve as far as you can without cutting the spring. Now it should come out easier, but I did it the hard way. John N
 
bushing sleeves

Great idea. I'll let you know how it works out. Sounds like it might help a lot.
 
Re: bushing sleeves

I ran into that about 9 or 10 years ago, had to drill them out finally. Once you drill the rubber enough, they will pop out.

...PS, welcome to the board! I'm fairly new here too, but have found out I don't need to look anywhere else for CJ8 questions! :) :) :)
 
hacksaw is the key

JohnN,
I followed your advice and used the hacksaw. It worked like a charm. After sawing completely through the sleeve, it peeled back with a little chisel and hammer work and popped right out. Before I cut it, it wasn't moving much at all. Thanks for the tip.
:D
 
Your welcome, glad it worked. I got the idea because that's how I got the leftover axle tube out of the knuckle when I just narrowed a Dana 44 to go into the front of my Scrambler. A lot thicker material, however on an axle tube.
 
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