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1974 Blazer oem Leaf Springs

Chief Brody

Chief Brody

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I need to replace the spring eye bushings in my front leaf springs.

First, how do I know if I just need to get whole new springs?

I have also been told that I will wish I never tried to remove the eye spring bushing if I try to do it.

Is it really that bad?

Why do all the new leaf springs only come with front eye bushings? :dunno:
 
With control arms I always burn them out. It's really smelly but it does the trick. You don't have to burn them until they dissapear, just until they are gooey. I don't think the heat will be bad for the spring but someone may comment on that.

On the way in lots of lube and a threaded rod with nuts and really big washers on each side to pull the bushing in has worked for me.
 
Do you take the whole spring off or do you do this while they are still attached to the axle?
 
Easier to do it removed from the whole truck/axle.

Another quick tip to aid in rubber removal rather than just wait for the fire to melt it is to drill holes in the rubber several times around and then burn it out.

But regardless of how you get the rubber out, thats the least of your worries. The bigger hassle is getting that steel sleeve out. You can either just a punch and hammer and drive it out or use a socket or something a hair smaller in diameter than the sleeve and press it out.
 
thatK30guy said:
Easier to do it removed from the whole truck/axle.

Another quick tip to aid in rubber removal rather than just wait for the fire to melt it is to drill holes in the rubber several times around and then burn it out.

But regardless of how you get the rubber out, thats the least of your worries. The bigger hassle is getting that steel sleeve out. You can either just a punch and hammer and drive it out or use a socket or something a hair smaller in diameter than the sleeve and press it out.
Click to expand...

Anything I need to know about removing the U-Bolts and dropping the leaf springs?

Also, do leaf springs go bad...what are chances my springs are fine and just need new bushings?
 
Over time springs will lose tension. How much and how long it takes depends on several factors, few of which can be accurately determined.

I had to replace the front leafs on my 250 after about 15 years, but it has a LOT of load out in front.

When the bushing wears out, the spring eye moves up in the bracket. I have seen people drive a wedge in on top after jacking up the frame to take the load off.

You can't drive it like that, but after you let the truck back down, you can measure the difference a new set of bushings would make.
But, you need some kind of reference.
Plus, if you have much weight off, like the engine, the measurement is worthless.

In my case, since I have IFS, the sag got to the point that my front end guy could not set the front end because it was beyond the adjustment limits. So it was obvious that the springs were badly sagged.

I got mine from here. http://www.springsnthings.com/

WAY better price than anywhere else I found. So good, in fact that I called to make sure it was not for just one spring.
Plus I was worried that they might be junk. You always get what you pay for. But, in this case I have had no problems with them.

And they came with bushings installed.
 
Yep, their site as changed over time. They used to show springs more. I think they still have lots of them.
They used to make them themselves which is why the prices are good. Hopefully they still do.

Drop them an E-mail and see what they say. If you have a spring code that helps too.
 
Another tip on getting new bushings in is to freeze them. That's what I do. It theoretically makes them smaller. I don't actually know if it makes a difference.
 
JC Whitney should have a listing for a stock replacement spring...
 
They do, but they only come with one bushing...wonder why?
 
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