Removing Bushing from Leaf Spring or Shackle

jholmes · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 69 Location: Eagan, MN

Hey everyone!!!

I have a '95 F150 that had a broken shackle I'm trying to replace. As many of you probably know, mid 90's ford trucks are known for frame and suspension rust...particularly in WI. The shackle bolts are completely rust to the bushings! I soak them in penetrent, without success, and I can't apply heat because the bushings are rubber.

I was finally able to remove the half of the shackle attached to the frame just because the new shackle comes with a factory installed bushing. I just cut off each end of the bolt. I can do the same with end that's still on the leaf spring, but I still have to remove the bushing from the spring! If I apply heat the rubber will melt and I can get most of the bushing out, but I will still have the bushing sleeve rusted in the leaf spring eye to remove.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to remove the leaf spring bushing or the bushing sleeve. Question

handnhammer · Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 60 Location: Ann Arbor, MI

This is a simple trick that I found on the Internet a couple years back! Most, if not all, leaf spring "eyes" have a little gap where the eye closes. You can open the your eyes (no pun intended!) by pounding in a screwdriver in that slot to act as a wedge. The eye will open enough that the bushing will tap out with ease. Then you can install the new bushing! Once the screwdriver is removed the eye will spring back to its original position, due to the elastic nature of leaf springs.

Let me know if this works!

jholmes · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 69 Location: Eagan, MN

This worked great!!!

What took me two hours of trouble-shooting, took only 10 min with this tip!

For those who would like to know, I used a socket that fit in the inside of the leaf spring eye, but was still big enough to grab onto the old bushing sleeve to pound it out!

Attached is a picture showing this technique!!!

Thanks much!

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