Replacing Leaf Spring Bushings - The Ranger Station

By: ‘BlackBII’

Every found yourself having to replace the the bushings in your leaf springs? This can either be because the bushings are bad, or the bolt has rusted inside the bushing and won’t come out. If that’s the case, cutting the bolt with a sawzall or cutoff wheel to to get the spring out of the hanger is going to be the biggest obstacle.

Removing The Bushing:

Forum member ‘BlackBII’ used a hole saw to cut the bushing from both sides.

There’s still going to be some rubber left. You can burn out what’s left. Some people torch these out which is even quicker, just be sure to not damage the spring itself.

You’ll likely end up with the bushings metal sleeve still in the spring.

You can drive that out with a chisel and hammer. If you cut it, it makes it even easier. You can cut it with a sawzall, or with a hacksaw. If you use a hacksaw, you’ll have to remove the blade, slide it through the bushing hole, and then re-attach the hacksaw to the blade.

When you chisel out the bushing, just fold it in on itself.

And then install the new bushings.

Forum member ‘Shran’ says:

“My method – use a hole saw to cut through the rubber, have to hit it from both sides, then use an old kitchen knife to cut out the rest (easy.) Sawzall through the outer sleeve, chisel it out. Grease new bushings and use a press (preferred) or ball joint tool or bench vise to push the new bushings in. I’ve torched them out too, never again.”