New Shackle Installation

[trickymickey]

Hello everyone:

I have a 1971 CJ5. I am trying to install new warrior shackles. I noticed that in the steel-backed rubber bushings are pressed into the mounting brackets. I want to remove these to use the warrior greasable setup. does anyone know a good proceedure to remove these pressed in buchings.

Thanks

:? :coffee: :v6:

[sparky]

Burn out the old rubber bushings using a propane or acetylene torch and caution!

Take a hacksaw, take the blade off, put it through the hole as to cut the metal from the old bushing lengthwise.

Reasemble the hacksaw and cut through the old metal portion of the bushing.

After that it will drive out easily with a socket of the appropriate size.

Hope that makes sense. I've had a few Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywines tonite. ;)

[Glenn]

The inner part should be easy enough to drive out, but driving the outer part out is probably not an option. Run a hacksaw blade through the hole and then connect the blade to the saw and carefully cut through the outer sleeve. Or you can burn them out like Sparky says.

[Tom]

There is a handy tool called "3-in-one" service kit. It is for pressing ball joints, u-joints and brake pin anchors. They should have called it a 4-in-one. It works very well for pressing out old spring bushings and pressing in new ones. No hammers, no torches, no sweat!!!!! It can be purchased at places like Northern Tool, Harbor freight and at your local parts store. It should sell for about $50.00 to $70.00, or so. A very worth while investment....especially since it will last a lifetime. It looks kinda like a giant C-clamp and comes with various pressing aids to accomodate different situations. Hope this helps.
Tom

[paulscj5]

I should have been on this board when I did mine. I fought and fought and gave up, put my poly bushings in the lathe and turned them undersize. Left the old outer bushing in the shackle and drove the new ones in.

I see now there may have been easier solutions.

Paul

[Boyink]

I had to file down the poly bushings even after getting the rubber ones out. So much for "fits all CJ '45 - 86".

[sparky]

But did you remove the metal sleeve that went around the stock rubber ones Mike? there's a sleeve that lines the shackle hanger that goes around the stock rubber bushing. Removing it allowed me to put my poly bushings in with a C clamp and no undersizing...

[vanguard]

I changed my bushings with a homemade press. Not sure where the idea came from, but it worked great. The press was made from two sockets, 6 washers two nuts and two deepwell sockets.

One socket needs to be large enough to to fit the old bushing in side, while the other socket needs to be small enough for the exterior to fit inside the bushing hole in the spring hanger.

Insert the threaded rod through the bushing, put the large socket on one side of the hanger and the small socket with the head facing into the bushing on the other. Place three washers on both sides and then a nut on each side. Tighten in to draw the small socket into the hanger forcing the bushing into the open cavity of the larger socket. If the metal shell stays in, pry it up with a screwdriver and use some vise grips to remove it.

You can install the new bushing the same way, by just inserting the new bushing on the threaded rod and removing the large socket from the press. Just tighten to press the new bushing in.

I've also frozen the bushings prior to installation to shrink them a little to make it go easier.

One last thing, I tried energy suspension poly bushings and found them to be too long and to wide. Checked the part numbers several times, but still had fit problems. Finally, I just went back to the stock rubber bushings. After all they were good enough for the first 30 years. :twisted:

[Boyink]

But did you remove the metal sleeve that went around the stock rubber ones Mike? there's a sleeve that lines the shackle hanger that goes around the stock rubber bushing. Removing it allowed me to put my poly bushings in with a C clamp and no undersizing...

Sheeshe...I can't remember what I had for supper 2 nights ago...heck if I remember if I got the sleeve out. Now thinking probably not - but since it's all been on there for at least 7 years now it aint changing any time soon...;)

[lynn]

Vanguard, I tried the threaded rod method. Bent the threaded rod. :evil:

Then I beat on them with a hammer and chisel for awhile. I finally came up with the hacksaw method that Sparky described.
Found out later I wasn't the first to use that method! :D

It only takes 5 minutes per sleeve. After you get the sleeve out and clean up the mating area, the new poly bushings press in easily.

[vanguard]

What can I say? It worked well for me and I have changed the bushings a couple of times in my efforts to combat leaning jeep syndrome. Mine must not have been badly stuck as others.

I remember bending at least one rod too. :twisted:

[trickymickey]

Hey thanks for the help the torch worked and the hacksaw. the job was done in 5 minutes. I am going to stop by harbor freight and check out that tool as well.

Mickey

[sparky]

Great! It took me about a week to do it. Until I talked to a 3B owner that lived near me and found the torch and hacksaw trick. Took me 5 minutes then. :D

[Tumbleweed]

Another way to remove the rubber part without stinking up your garage is to take a small (1/8") drill bit and drill several dozen holes around the rubber, wallowing out as you go. Usually removes enough to punch out the rubber part. Careful use of an air hammer and chisel will take cut and take out the metal sleeve pretty easily.

[John A. Shows]

I'm replacing my shackles and bushings now and did a search and found this thread.

I just thought I'd post this reply to bump it to the top.

I'm thinking since it seems to be a popular thread that a moderator might save it somewhere.

There's some good advice in it.