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So I have been working for a while now on finishing my lift. All that was left to do is the leaf springs, and I thought I had everything that I needed last night when I started. We finally got everything disassembled and lo and behold I was going to need new bushing shells because there was no way in God's green earth that the factory bushings were going to Simply come loose so I could use them. Having worked on this project for nearly 5 hours and needing to finish up so I could drive my Jeep home, I made the call to go ahead and reassemble with the polyurethane bushings without the bushing sleeves. Having been a military mechanic for almost a decade I accept a certain amount of risk when I'm unable to complete a project with everything that I need, but the ride home was not nearly as nerve-wracking as I expected it to be.
So my question is this do I really need the metal bushing shells for the rear suspension, or is it safe to ride on just the polyurethane for a while?
Old man emu 2-inch budget leaf springs from Rocky Road Outfitters gave me so much lift it might as well have been a 4 inch kit. I'm going to need pucks for the front coils to make this thing level.
Last edited by Ozark Mountain Ranger; 11-15-2017 at 09:10 AM.
The polyurathane bushings are going to wear quickly without the sleeves, so I would order new bushings w/sleeves and find time in the next few weeks to get them installed.
yeah, you don't want those poly bushings to loosen up the bolts as the suspension articulates. also, the smaller diameter bolt will eventually oval out the bushing so when you do install the sleeves, they will not fit snug.
The polyurathane bushings are going to wear quickly without the sleeves, so I would order new bushings w/sleeves and find time in the next few weeks to get them installed.
Yeah I am ordering OEM Replacements from Quadratec tonight. I wouldn't feel good reusing the original bushing shells off of my old Leafs because they're 22 years old and rusted. I'd rather waste $7 a piece on brand new ones and just torch the rubber out. Probably going to spend the extra chips and get jks shackles for the rear
Yeah I am ordering OEM Replacements from Quadratec tonight. I wouldn't feel good reusing the original bushing shells off of my old Leafs because they're 22 years old and rusted. I'd rather waste $7 a piece on brand new ones and just torch the rubber out. Probably going to spend the extra chips and get jks shackles for the rear
I just find it weird that the poly bushings didn't come with new sleeves. (When I installed 3" Zone full leafs a few weeks ago, it included the sleeves with the poly bushings.)
I just find it weird that the poly bushings didn't come with new sleeves. (When I installed 3" Zone full leafs a few weeks ago, it included the sleeves with the poly bushings.)
Yeah I got a Rocky Road Outfitters 2 inch budget old man emu lift and opted to get my own u-bolts and bushings. I ended up getting an energy suspension Master kit and it comes with the inner shell and the polyurethane bushing but not the outer shell. The actual directions say reuse the show from your old Leafs but when I went to try and take them apart I couldn't get them pressed out
OP, correct me if I'm wrong but, you're talking about the OUTTER metal part that the OE style bushings are vulcanized to, correct?
'Cause these guys keep saying SLEEVES which is the metal insert that goes in the middle of the bushing and the bolt goes through it.
Good question because I was wondering the same. I think he is talking about the outer shell. I have had to reuse these many times. I burn the rubber out of them, clean them up, and then hammer the new bushing in slicked up with liquid dishsoap and a dead blow hammer.
Poly bushings that I have used for leaf springs do not use a 'can' or outer shell like stock bushings. Only the 'sleeve' which inserts into center bore of bushing.
Poly bushings that I have used for leaf springs do not use a 'can' or outer shell like stock bushings. Only the 'sleeve' which inserts into center bore of bushing.
So they fit tight enough to not need the outer shell then? In which case he is good to go right?
Poly bushings that I have used for leaf springs do not use a 'can' or outer shell like stock bushings. Only the 'sleeve' which inserts into center bore of bushing.
Originally Posted by Bugout4x4
So they fit tight enough to not need the outer shell then? In which case he is good to go right?
This is why I was seeking clarification from OP.... 'cause if it's the aftermarket 2-piece bushings with the sleeve insert, he doesn't need the can. Hell, a lot of aftermarket lift springs use the poly or even 2-piece rubber and they don't have the can either. Just the 2 bushing halves and the sleeve.
Yes, correctly sized poly bushings will fit snug/firmly in spring ends.
Snug/firmly is an under statement. LOL I used the kit below on the Crown springs I installed. NOTHING ELSE is going in that spring but the bushing halves and sleeve. And that's with LOTS of grease.
11-15-2017, 09:08 AM
Do you really need it?
