I was taking on what should have been a simple task, installing smittybuilt steps on the side of truck. The trouble came when I went to remove the bolt on the forward mount of the leaf spring, it came loose from the bracket but not from the bushing. I put a breker bar and pipe extension on it and it turned almost half a rotation but wouldn't come loose from the bushing. The bushing would give a bit but the bolt had seized to the metal inside the bushing.

To solve this I cut the bolt and torched out the bushing, not too hard but now I can't find a replacement bushing. Everywhere I have checked only has the rear shackle bushings. Any ideas?

Here are a few pics.





What the bolt had seized to

 

you didn't try PB blaster first?

 

Yes, tried it 3 times in an hour period.

 

From what I've been reading, PB Blaster is slow working stuff. Should have been using it couple times a day for a couple of days....

 

That same thing happened to me that bolt would not come out when my srping broke. I swear to god i beat and pulled and wedged and pried and knock and beat on that on bolt for 3 hours and it finally came out. i highly recomend putting oil on it before yo put anther one in. Trust me when that thing gets stuck it ain't going nowhere that thing too some serious beating to get out no pb blaster would work or nothin.

 

I think on that you are going to have to go to your Local Toyota dealer on that with the VIN for your vehicle best get the new bolts at the same time.

Never Seize is your friend when it comes to putting things together so you can take them apart.

Locktite is also great for those you don`t want to come apart at the wrong time.

I have fought with bolts in the steel sleeves of bushings so often I don`t even try any more just cut them off and knock the whole thing out . Unless I put it together just a few months ago.

 

haha, this is what happened to mine to.



the dealership will have front bushings

 

Happens to everyone I think. Happened to me when I did my trail gear rear lift install. Luckily with the new spring hangers i just plasma cut the old hanger off so front problem solved. I had to cut my shackles off too to get the springs out. The worst cast of this was when I put my front lift on a few years back and the A arm bolts did the same thing. Had to cut each bolt twice with a saws all. Biggest nightmare ever. I probably spent over 8 hours total just cutting bolts. Id replace them with some trail gear bushings with no metal sleeve so that wont happen again.

 

Why in this link is there a seperate part # just for 89? Are they the same as 88?

http://group5motorsport.com/Store/Pr...77&Make=TOYOTA

 

The rusting problem can also be solved with greasable bolts.

88 and 89 bushings are different. Best bet is to just call toyota and order them new through there. I would also think that enegy suspension has them.

 

do they make front greasable bolts??

 

I imagine any bolt thats the right size will work. If the bolts are made for the back, they must be made for the front.

 

You are also going to have to press the outer metal sleeve of the bushing out. That bushing consists of the outer metal sleeve, rubber, and inner sleeve. In your picture, the bushing is not fully out. The same thing happened to my leaf spring. I had to cut the bolts and use a ball joint press to get the bushing out whole. It was a real PITA

 

Front spring eye bushings are available below:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/...l#PolyBushings
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/...es.shtml#FAQ16

If you don't have a press to remove the old bushing:



You can drill out around the center sleeve:



Then remove it and saw out to cut the outer bushing in 1 or 2 places:



Then remove the old bushing and insert the new one:





Greaseable bolts available as well:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/Shackles.shtml#FAQ7

 

Which part # would you call the bushing on these diagrams my local toyota dealer faxed me?

 

48210C in the lower diagram. Upper picture is for the earlier pickups with the funky spring hanger pin.

 

.....

 

Actually that may be it, hard to tell in the parts diagram.

Have the poly bushings in stock and can ship w/ 1-2 day shipping.

 

PM sent

 

Ordered it from 4crawler but I need the truck for some memorial day fun at the lake this weekend and won't have the part till early next week.

Any temporary fixes??