While taking out my leaf springs I found the eye bolts and shackle bolts rusted solidly into their sleeves and or bushings. So I did what any enterprising wrench hand would do, I burned the bushings to try to release the springs. It worked great for the shackles but the spring eye bolt remained stuck in the frame bracket because the metal sleeve, which was firmly rusted to the bolt would not pass through the hole in the bracket. So next I got out my 4-1/2" grinder and using a cutting wheel I cut the head off the bolt. Now I am left with some crusty chunks of metal that used to be the bolt and the sleeve. It appears that it was once a 14 mm bolt that was about 115 mm long (4-1/2"). Am I correct in thinking that I could replace it with a 9/16" x 4-1/2" bolt? And still be able to use a regular Toyota bushing?




Rusted bolts are no match for me and my trusty 3/4" drive breaker bar and extension. And likewise, bushings are reduced to globs of the most foul black grease/tar when subjected to the heat of the oxy-acetylene torch.


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It's never a good idea to put that kind of heat to a spring. It may well not be a spring anymore if the temper has been drawn out of it.

It's one thing to burn the head off a bolt, but I like to find cold methods of clearing spring eyes. I have used all-thread along with large sockets, or a piece of pipe, to make pullers that will drag that junk out of a spring.

The rust on those springs is pretty gnarly though, so you may not have lost much.

You'll have to lay hands on the replacement bushings you want to use to see what bolts will work, if you're not gonna get factory parts.

 

I ran into that on two trucks.

Marlin crawler for the bolts 18mm and OME for new bushings. No sweat.

Now the front mount has a 14mm hole that needs to be opened up to 18mm....... I have a $200 reamer for just this job so you do not lose your teeth using an 18mm drill bit; which I do NOT recommend.
The reamer is the only tool I would use to save my hide from that drill.

I recommend you do the chevy leaf spring replacement and weld in a new perch farther forward and cut the factory one off. Saves you losing teeth and $200; while giving you a better spring.

 

Or you can 4 link the truck and go to coil springs, either way you are doing it the hard way. I suggest you stop.

 

I paid $12 for an 18mm bit on Amazon. No problem drilling a hole using low speed and thread cutting oil.

a C-Clamp presses spring bushings out easily,

 

For now, my '93 truck is going to stay pretty stock. I have a 1989 4runner that is going to be my project. So no 63 inch Chevy leafs or link suspensions for this truck. I just want to clean it up, within reason, so that it will get me through the winter.

As far as burning the bushings goes: when the bolt rusts to the sleeve it can not be pressed out even with a hydraulic porta power. I know because I have tried it. The spring hanger and even the frame will bend before the bolt moves (I am not talking about what to do once you have the spring out of the truck. I am talking about freeing the spring from the Spring hangers and Shackles). That said, the job could be done by drilling and grinding on the bolts. I would have nothing but respect and admiration for folks who choose to do it that way.

And yes the truck is rusty, but I am perfectly happy to do my part in rescuing one of these excellent trucks from the scrap heap. I am documenting my work on this truck, including engine, drivetrain and body repairs in another thread right here on Yotatech.

A good YouTube video it Is worth a thousand words, and so I refer you to an excellent YouTube series by a user named Sixth Gear Garage. He took in 1985 extra cab that had a rotten floor and rocker panels and turned it into a truck that I would certainly be proud to be seen in.

 

If the heat of burning the bushing was so great that it could take the temper out of the spring how is it that this plastic spring silencer could survive right next to the eye? The truth is that burning the bushing is a quick, painless way to get the job done (aside from the terrible mess that it makes). And it lets you get on to other fun things, like driving out the steel outer shell of the old bushing that you see here still installed.







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I couldn't justify spending $200 on a reamer when a metric step drill that I could get for less than $7 would do the job easily and safely.




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since they are $7@ Harbor Freight buy a few, the edge doesn't hold for squat. At least that has been my experience

 

Big difference in places where we see the assorted Winter Chemical

That is why going to all that trouble New Springs

 

Actually, I saw this one offered on Amazon. It's pretty likely that it's a low grade item at that price point, but if it allowed me to open up the four holes safely and quickly I would consider it a good bargain. That said, there is nothing stopping anyone from ordering a higher quality step-drill from a company lke Grainger, MSC or Fastenal. Even at $50 it would be a fantastic deal compared to a $200 reamer.

 

Speaking of useful stuff that you can get at Harbor Freight for a reasonable price, these air chisels came in handy today.

 

BTW - if I recall, my OEM shackles, the "bolts" were more like "studs" and could never "take the bolt out of the plate" on the one side.

It did not seem to affect the way the shackle worked, I just figured that made the spring less likely to "shift" on the shackle (parallelogram the shackle).

 

I've had this air chisel for about 20 years. Last time I did this job, on my 1984 Xtra Cab, I carefully cut the shell with a sawzall reciprocating saw and then forced it out with a chisel and a hammer. I like this method better.

 

My budget is very tight and I've got a lot of work to do, so I am going to be reusing my old shackles, I think they will clean up okay and I can always replace them later. I'll probably get some new urethane bushings though.

 

Just stumbled across this while I was looking for a hole saw. Available in metric 4 mm - 20 mm. Marketed by Milwaukee Electric Tool and apparently made in the USA. At better online retailers for around $46. That said, my budget requires that I give the $7 Harbor Freight bit a try. Maybe a comparison video for YouTube is in order.

 

I just realized that this picture may have been the source of some confusion or misapprehension. The oxyacetylene flame is actually not pointed at the spring in this picture It is actually about 12 inches in front of the shackle, pointed up into the air. I just held it that way for the purposes of creating a picture. It is just a coincidence and an optical illusion that makes it look like I am heating the spring eye itself.