Installing Poly Bushings in Leaf Springs

[JR_Charger]

I tried installing PST's polygraphite bushings and this is as far as I could get -

- which is no progress at all.

This guy's bushings pushed in by hand -



But I couldn't drive mine in with a sledgehammer (granted, I had to use the sledge one-handed but still . . . ). The hammer either bounces off or the bush pops off to the side or goes in at an angle and gets wedged in place.

One of the comments to the above video mentions using a vice. My vice isn't big enough for this. I think a press would work better anyway, but I don't have one of those either.

I'm open to any clever solutions the forum has to offer.

 

[padam]

I would use a piece of threaded rod with a plate on each side.

Plus a little grease.

 

[JR_Charger]

Watched a couple more videos, mine are nothing like these -





I can't get them started at all using my hands, or trying to hold them in place while hammering on them.

 

[JR_Charger]

I would use a piece of threaded rod with a plate on each side

It may take something like that to guide them. But are they manufactured correctly? Is the O.D. too large?

 

[Timmayy]

I used a threaded rod on mine in the past. Large washers and bolts on each end. I put Anti-seize as a lubricant and just tightened the bolts. I also did this with the top bushings in the frame rails. It worked well for me.

 

[69a100]

Is the O.D. too large?

I don't know, I'm not there to measure them? You may have to buzz them on a grinder a bit to fit, taper the end for better centering, and soap them up good for a good slide. Good Luck.

 

[Rusty knuckles]

Hard to tell but is that primer on the rubber? I'd flap wheel the heck out of the eye then use a little oil and see what happens.

 

[R/T Boy 67]

Have the steel sleeves from the rubber bushings been removed?

 

[JR_Charger]

Got them in! The temperature went from "nice" to "ugh," maybe the extra heat made the difference? All I know is I couldn't push them in to save my life in the early morning, but in the afternoon I was able to push them in with some difficulty.

I think the leaf spring eye may not be totally round. It seems like the gap area of the hole is the source of the trouble.

One thing about my idea to only grease the bottom part of the bush, when these things finally "go" they go all the way; so it is better to have the hole bush greased.

Hard to tell but is that primer on the rubber? I'd flap wheel the heck out of the eye then use a little oil and see what happens.

No, it's the prothane grease.

Have the steel sleeves from the rubber bushings been removed?

Yes, and I spent some time grinding off all the corrosion and nastiness that was in there. I'm planning to move these bushings over to the new springs so I don't want anything tearing them up.