Removing Shackle Bushings

[Blue71]

What is the easiest way to remove rear leaf spring, shackle bushings? I've always struggled with them, and usually just change the spring bushings and leave the shackle bushings in place for another day. Any quick tips?

Thanks,

Blue71

 

[Doyle]

Easiest, burn them out with a torch. I used a drill with a bit slightly smaller than the rubber thickness and drilled multiple holes in the rubber, till I could drive the sleeve out. Cleaned up the rest with a course file.

 

[EB Passed down]

balljoint press it's a big c-clamp with different size cups to push out bushings and balljoints. works awsome

 

[bobbyray27]

air hammer

 

[77broncoguy]

second vote for the hot wrench.

 

[t.lay]

Kroil, BFH and a drift have worked - also jigsaw (or hacksaw) with long bi-metal blade - slice the bushing - careful to not slice the spring eye.

 

[grant_71]

Easiest, burn them out with a torch. I used a drill with a bit slightly smaller than the rubber thickness and drilled multiple holes in the rubber, till I could drive the sleeve out. Cleaned up the rest with a course file.

X3, I actually found this out by accident, but eventually i just took em outside, lit em up w/ the acetylene, and let em burn, it was pretty cool to watch, eventually it got hot and it just pushed the bushing out by itself. Just dont breathe the fumes, they stink, and they burn.

Grant

 

[Carl]

I tried the press method, but it didn't work for me. Then I used a small propane or mapp gas torch (I can't remember which) from the hardware store and burned them out. The center part fell out in no time.

Get a hacksaw and cut through the outer metal part to loosen it up. Then drive it out with a punch and hammer. This was super easy for me.

Or I guess if you don't have a torch, just use a jig saw or hack saw for both metal parts. Then drive them out with a punch.

 

[Jungleboy]

X2 on the ball joint press (powered by an impact wrench). Ball Joints, U-joints, and shackle bushings.

 

[olbronclover]

My local machine shop used a supersized press It had no problem getting them out. But also have heard burnning them out works.

 

[Flash69]

We pushed ours out with a gear puller.

 

[Mherriford]

another vote for the hot wrench

 

[DanWheeler]

not sure if you will run into this or not but when i did my shackle bushings I had to remove the outer sleeve that fits right inside the shackle. My new prothane bushings fit directly into the shackle and don't need the outer sleeve.

Since the sleeve was completely rusted in, I had to use a hacksaw blade to cut a channel in the sleeve so I could use a socket to then press it out. I put the shackle into a vice then took the blade off the saw, slipped it through the shackle then re-attached it to the saw so I could cut inside the cylinder. I have some pictures of this if you need them.

 

[handsomerob]

another vote for the hot wrench