Stock Front Shackle- and Spring Eye Bushings

['68OrangeSunshine]

Patient is a '71 GMC Jimmy K/1500, 350 V8, SM465/NP205/3.73 Auburn Posi in 12 Bolt Corp rear.
Symptoms are bumpsteer, ''clunk'' on turns, leaking P/S fluid, premature P/S Gearbox failure, loosening of P/S to Frame bolts, front tie rod, etc.
Cause is diagnosed as missing shackle bushing on drivers side, back end of front springs.
I want to R&R all the shackle bushings and spring eye bushings on the front end.
Most of the local parts chains [O'RAP, 'Zone] seem only to carry Energy Suspension kits with gumdrop colored polyurethane bushings.
My mechanic says to avoid the poly bushings, as they do not stand up to the severe Arizona summer heat like the OEM rubber does, and they give a much harder ride.
Is it possible to replace these bushings without completely removing the whole 3-leaf spring assembly from the Dana 44 front axle?

[1rippen6]

I think the rears you can, I believe I may have a set of the OEM bushings. I can check tomorrow and let you know.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I think the Rear is OK. Not the gaping wound, the front end is.
Rippen, how many do I need per side?

[Spf79]

You can do it without removing the spring packs, but not a fun job when using only floor jacks. You have access to a lift?

The rear eyelets in the frame for the front spring packs were the worst for me. Get a small torch, like map gas or a plumbing propane style... hammer, punch and WD40. Lol, ibuprofen. Honestly, I had to borderline burn mine out, and the punch out the metal sleeve in the frame mount after soaking it with WD40.

Try off road design for your bushings.

https://www.offroaddesign.com/
Good luck!!

[1rippen6]

Here is what I have, they are the shackles bushings for the front springs. There should be a metal bushing for the bolt to go through I may have them also. It takes 4 per side 2 in the spring 2 in the frame. I have 6 correct ones 48 shipped, I also have 2 that are close that will need a little work that I'll throw in.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Thanks for the offer 1Rippen6, but I ordered some generic Dayton parts from Rockauto.
If they suck, or are wrong, I might order yours. Won't know until Jan 3rd.

Spf79, I did look at the ORD parts. They added kevlar to their poly bushings. Some of their stuff requires modification. I'm trying to avoid ''mission creep'' [where the project snowballs from one simple fix, to a whole system upgrade.] While they may sell quality parts, they are rather proud of them, pricewise.
And yes, I don't have a lift. This is all a shadetree operation.

[hemi43]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Thanks for the offer 1Rippen6, but I ordered some generic Dayton parts from Rockauto.
If they suck, or are wrong, I might order yours. Won't know until Jan 3rd.

Spf79, I did look at the ORD parts. They added kevlar to their poly bushings. Some of their stuff requires modification. I'm trying to avoid ''mission creep'' [where the project snowballs from one simple fix, to a whole system upgrade.] While they may sell quality parts, they are rather proud of them, pricewise.
And yes, I don't have a lift. This is all a shadetree operation.

I sent you a PM

[1rippen6]

No problem, thanks for letting me know.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by hemi43

I sent you a PM

Yeah, Hemi43. I got it.
I replied, but I had to delete some older mssgs to make room to send. Use the email address in the PM for further communication.

[Spf79]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Thanks for the offer 1Rippen6, but I ordered some generic Dayton parts from Rockauto.
If they suck, or are wrong, I might order yours. Won't know until Jan 3rd.

Spf79, I did look at the ORD parts. They added kevlar to their poly bushings. Some of their stuff requires modification. I'm trying to avoid ''mission creep'' [where the project snowballs from one simple fix, to a whole system upgrade.] While they may sell quality parts, they are rather proud of them, pricewise.
And yes, I don't have a lift. This is all a shadetree operation.

I have a bad case of "mission creep"... lol. Totally understand where you are at, keep us posted on how it goes. Note, I used a drill to go through the old bushing in the spring eyelets. This made the removal quite a bit easier.

Good luck sir!

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Spf79

I have a bad case of "mission creep"... lol. Totally understand where you are at, keep us posted on how it goes. Note, I used a drill to go through the old bushing in the spring eyelets. This made the removal quite a bit easier.

Good luck sir!

I've seen the drill-out trick in a few u-tube videos. Plus a lot of bleeped-out cussing, c-clamps, blowtorches etc.

I'll try to shoot some pix to make it more of a documentary. But last time we repacked the front hubs and bearings, I went onto the house to grab my camera -- by the time I got back, my buddy had slapped it all back together.
No way it was coming apart for a photo.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Well, we ''got 'er done'' yesterday. No pix. Too busy. The drivers side spring eye bushing was easy -- it was about gone anyway. Passenger side was a little harder.
The lower shackle bushings were next. My friend got the drivers side one out without too much trouble. I had a harder time with the passenger side. As I drove off the steel tube with another steel tube, it got all jammed up, and we had to set up the compresser and blast it out with an air hammer.
The upper shackle bushings were left alone. Pulling them out would have required removing the headers. I thought about sawing off the bolt heads and replacing them with the nut and washer on the inboard side. But my friend said No, I wouldn't be able to see if the nut was loose if it was hidden. Since they weren't broken, I didn't fix them.
The Dorman parts from Rock Auto fit fine, except the inside tube ends of the front spring eye bushings required a few 16ths shaved off with a grinder wheel to fit the mounts.
Jimmy rides a lot better now. No ''klunk'' on turns. Still need to R&R the P/S gearbox. It got pretty thrashed in the old set up. Could pop any time.