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HOW MUCH TROUBLE AM I IN FOR?

Kain

Kain

3/4 ton status
Joined
Mar 16, 2011
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Location
Lubbock Texas
I noticed the front end had some play in it the last time it rained. got to looking an the front spring bushings are shot. i want to upgrade to odr version but dont have money for that now. Is this a pain in the but or relitivly easy?link below on what im going to replace with

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ens-3-2105g
 
Its a little of both. it is a pain in the ass but it isnt a trans rebuild. Difficulty level is low if you have a safe way to lift the truck.
If you already have aftermarket springs make sure they are not superlift. I think they are unique to that brand.
You dont have to pull the spring completely. I lift the front of the truck with an engine hoist from my shackles to take the weight off the springs, then just use a pry bar to pull the spring eye from the hanger. Use a hammer and a punch to get them out and then a threaded c clamp to push them back in. Use the grease they give you liberally. Took me under an hour to do my last set but I have done them several times now.
 
Depends how stuck the bushings are. I've had some that the bolt siezes in the bushing. If the bolts come off okay, it shouldn't be bad. I have used the torch to burn the bushing out, and I've used the drill bit trick too. Depends on how bad the bushings are.
 
Maybe in Texas the sleeve doesn't freeze to the bolt, which saves a lot of time on the job. When that happens I just go right to a cut-off wheel or good metal blade and slice the bushing and bolt on both sides. Do you have poly bushings now or rubber? Also check the upper shackle bushings as they seem to fail the most often.
 
the upper shackle bushing did fail, thats what i noticed first. what do you measure to make sure there the right ones?
the rear is poly the front is rubber. the previous owner did a lot of goofy thing but there where 3 or four before the guy that married the 77 chassy to the 82 body
 
I went thru all that with my old superlift springs.
I just measured the eye diameters, called ORD told them what I had, also installed their HD shackle kit that covers the upper bushings and the bolts as well as upgrades your bolts to 1/2 inch

I ended up burning out my bushings. Stinks and can make a mess tho.
 
If you're going to replace the bolts, save the funds and get the greasable ones. Very well worth the money.

When I ordered mine I ordered the wrong size. Let me know what size you end up needing and I may have them. Brand new. I have no use for them since I've got the right size now.
 
well i took another look after cleaning some of the mud of and the spring ones are polly the shackle hanger upper is rubber and thats the on that failed.

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i suspect that's the clunk when i was wheeling.in july (25th to aug 5th)i am going to go to vegas for ten days. i should have my fitech by then. i want to go north to delmar where me and my dad used to go camping. and i want this fixed before then. i also want new bolts. the greasable ones.
 
frame bushing is rubber . but NOT bonded like spring bushings .

its 2 halfs like a poly and center tube . fairly easy to swap out if not to rusty in there.
 
It's pretty common for springs and eye bushings to be changed and then not do the frame bushing. A lift usually doesn't come with the frame shackle bushing. It's one of the extras that is often forgotten.
 
For removal and installation: I've never had good luck burning old bushings. I've always taken a thin blade on a sawsall and made 2 slits about 45 degrees apart. Take a punch and knock out the newly-created keyhole, then the rest of the bushing compresses into the vacated area and slides right out.

To put them back in, use a ball joint press from your local parts store. Works like a charm.
 
i have a press and have used a piece of pipe and a c-clamp before, but that was on a camaro that wasnt lifted. it was low and easy to get springs out
 
Kain said:
i suspect that's the clunk when i was wheeling.in july (25th to aug 5th)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I had a good clunk every time the axle traveled up on that side when the upper bushing was blown. The wear on the bolt said it had been bad for some time, but I never noticed on the street.
 
same only get it when going down a bad road or wheeling and in lubbock they dont know how to fix roads
 
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