Two quick leaf spring and bushing questions

[tdskip]

Hi guys - two quick questions if I may.

I had to cut the bolt out of the passenger side leaf spring, think this spring is still usable? I swear this was the only way it was going to come out, and I shaved the spring metal itself a touch in the process.

My second question is if the metal ring that remains in the drivers side rear leaf spring needs to come out or if it is supposed to remain there.

Thanks!

 

[fordtrucks4ever]

You are all good. Nothing wrong at all. Yes the sleeve needs to be removed. It is the outer shell to what is being replaced. I do hope you sandblast everything before paint. I usually remove those sleeves with a cutting torch. With a well executed slice, that sleeve will fall out in two pieces and not leave a mark on inside of spring. But then again, I have handed the torch to people and they proceeed to cut the whole spring in two pieces.

 

[tdskip]

Thanks Terry.

What is interesting is that the replacement bushing I ordered from the Healey specialist in the UK, while poly, does not have an external metal sleeve. Is that normal?

 

[fordtrucks4ever]

The poly bushings are totally different that compressed rubber. Yes that is correct not having a sleeve for polyurethane bushings. They are now avilable for just about any vehicle as a replacement aftermarket part.

 

[Guest]

I would use a hammer and punch or chisel.

Air hammer works GREAT and is well worth the $19.99 you'll spend.

Not risky at all compared to a torch. Plus you never have to worry aboutr overheating and losing spring temper.

.....although you can't light a cigar with an air hammer....

........at least I wouldn't recommend it.



see where the spring curves back around and touches?

That little gap there?

That's the perfect place to start driving the metal back towards the centerline of the hole.

Once you get it in enough, it'll drive right out.

Best to work both sides but not nessisary.

wanna brorrow my new light sabre ????


..........VRUUUUUUUUUUUM................VRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM..........

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!! SON OF A &!#^% !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JPSmit]

wanna borrow my new light sabre???

can you light a cigar with it?

 

[Guest]

Obi: "Your father's light-sabre. The weapon of a Jedi knight..."
Luke: "Cooool."
Obi: "No, not like that! Stop swinging it at me! You can't touch the blade! Don't point it at your face!!"
Luke: [zzzt] "AAAAAAH!!!"
Obi: [sighs] "I should have started with Leia."
R2: "Beep."



..........apparently not.............

 

[aeronca65t]

I just cut the springs out of my Austin...same results. I think they are useable (but take down any sharp edges on the springs with a file or sanding wheel to reduce any stress-risers that can grow into a crack).

To remove the sleeve, I used a Sawzall and cut only about 1/2 way though the metal (I didn't want to risk hitting the spring). Then hammered a big screwdriver in between the sleeve and spring and collapsed the sleeve "inward" (I hope that makes sense). Because of the cut in the sleeve, it collapsed pretty easy.

For the poly bushings, use silicon grease. It's made by "Gunk" and you can get it in Lowes, Home Depot or a hardware store in the plumbing sections (plumbers use it to grease facets).

 

[Whitephrog]

Had the same problem. I used a small hack saw to carefully cut through the remains of the bearing. Came out relatively easily with a hammer and old screw driver after that.

 

[tdskip]

Hi guys - a bit of a blast from the somewhat recent past bit I wanted to book-end this in case anyone does a search looking for help when they are doing the same thing.

I ended up taking a air power hack saw and making several cuts in the left over metal bushing. I then used a fine point chisel to hammer away at the section I cut until the old bushing metal started to fold back on itself / into the center of where the bushing used to be.

I did that in four section and then took a larger chisel and just hammered the heck of of it using those sections I peeled back as the surface for the chisel to be pushing against.

They finally came out - but I was surprised at how hard I had to repeatedly hit them.

Wouldn't have happened without all of your coaching and support guys - <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">THANKS</span></span>!