56 Dodge 1/2 ton leaf spring bushings?

[Erick]

I have a 56 Dodge 1/2 ton Town Panel. I'm redoing the rear leaf springs and am having trouble getting new pins and bushings for the front of the rear spring. I found the rear bushing/shackles already and should be getting my new leaf springs in a few days. I've called around to many places and haven't had any luck. I'm thinking of maybe pressing the old bushings out and reusing them until something comes available. Just wondering if anybody has suggestions on where to go or if have experience on modifying other bushings to make work? Thanks for the help.

[Erick]

Forgot to mention that I am running the original suspension setup. I have it setup with an 8.25 rear from a 97 Cherokee. The company I ordered the rear shackles said they had the front pins/bushings so I thought I had all that figured out before committing to new leaf springs. Leaf springs are paid for so I'm kind of stuck.

[Erick]

I think I might have answered it myself and found a place with the bushings. Haven't found new pins so will use original pins for now. If anybody has an idea for the pins please let me know.

Thanks.

[enjenjo]

Can you make the pins? Most of them are not too difficult to make.

[wayne petty]

do you know the dimensions of the spring bushings you need...


http://www.autoandtrucksprings.com/catalog/Leaf_Spring_Bushings_Rubber_Encased-184-1.html

do you have the spring thru bolt size???


there are a BUNCH of various sizes of metal encased spring eye bushings listed here.. you can click the various brands.. and then the size chart..

http://www.autoandtrucksprings.com/catalog/Leaf_Spring_Bushings_Rubber_Encased-184-1.html

here is a different page... with less visible info.. but perhaps worth looking at..

http://tampaspringco.com/parts/bushings.html

who did you order your springs from.

once in a while the springs come with new bushings already installed..

i actually ran across a better chart of spring eye bushings.. but i don't know what it was named

so.. if you can.. POST  bushing OD.. od LENGTH... ID ,,,, ID length..  i am really great at searching for something i know the size of..

http://www.eatondetroitspring.com/products/leaf-springs/

is another.. there used to be a shop.. just a few blocks from where i live.. he had a spring forge and quenching tank...  he could make any spring you wanted in any size...  there was a place downtown.. they could do the big rig stuff.. but they also could WIND coil springs to spec..  both are closed now.. at least 130 years of business operation gone..  equipment scrapped more than likely..  i walked in the back room of a tire shop i used to work around the corner from..  they had a complete set of retreading machines..  i ask about them.. who wants retreads..   a few weeks later.. the machines were scrapped.. but this is all off thread..  can you imaging how many retreads one could sell to drifters..  where brand new tires last about 10 minutes..

[GPster]

If a newer Dodge in the '50s is like a '48 Dodge pick up it has hose trunion style shackles like the old Jeep 4X4. When I re-did the front of mine I used replacement shackles for a Jeep from J C Whitney. The "U" shaped front shackles where of a different spread for between the spring and the holder but there was only a 1/2' difference. If you need the anchors they are probably available through old Jeep parts . There is a company that re-manufactures parts for old Jeeps and most 4X4 places that sell parts for old Jeeps use them. Also when I re-did mine and had the springs out I           re-contoured the springs to reverse the spring eyes to give the front end a little drop like they used to do with old Fords. GPster

[Erick]

I haven't taken any of it apart yet and haven't been able to any measurements anywhere to know the size of the bushing. I have called many of the old mopar parts places like burnbaum and Roberts. I also called eaton Detroit and all said they couldn't get the bushings. Found a place last night that had them but will see what happens there.

The new leaf springs aren't coming with new bushings installed. I didn't worry because at the time the one company was suppose to have sent them but didn't.

Gpster, this is pretty much setup like your 48. I already got the u shaped shackles. I've been driving the truck and don't have the shop space to let it sit long torn apart. Trying to line up parts so I can have it all done right away.

The bushings should be the same as the 48. Have the inside of it threaded and then the pin threads into that. The pin is setup with a grease zerk.

[GPster]

The outside diameter of the bushings has a rolled thread on it and it is just to allow you to interference fit to screw them into the eye of the spring. It puts enough tension in the eye of the spring so that the bushing will not rotate in the spring eye. The bushing threads onto the shackle and into the spring eye at the same time during installation. I can't remember but the threads on the shackle may be one LH and one RH so to get everything correct it might be better to start with a shackle kit with the bushings. That is how I got them from J C Whitney 35 years ago. I just looked around on the internet a little bit and jeep parts suppliers show them for '40 - '48 Jeep CJ2. and I seem to remember that that type of shackle was used on the back end of my '48 Jeepster ( it was a 2WD model with independent front end). There is a supplier that makes these old suspension parts for Jeeps. OAL is the best I can remember and it seems that everyone that sells old Jeep pars gets them from them. There is a Willys reunion in Hudson, Ohio this weekend and if you can't come up with anything I'll see if I can find a supplier. This type of shackle wasn't a Dodge exclusive so you probably can't find them through Mopar because they were a supplied part to them from a vendor. GPster

[Erick]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007OZYYDI/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/176-5617656-4567414#immersive-view_1400005555968

The link shows a picture of the U shackles and the pins/bushings. I have the two U bolts in the bottom right of the picture. They are for the rear of the spring. The top right is the pin and bushing for the front that I'm having trouble finding. If it comes down to it I will press the old bushings out and reuse them until I can find something.

I still have plenty of other stuff to do before this has to be done. Building this for a daily driver as a work truck and pull trailers.

[GPster]

Like I said it was 35 years ago so I'm also 35 years older. It seems like with my complete sets of shackles I just went through the old shackle bushings and used the best two and used them for the front bushings. I re-used the bolts and after I had screwed the bushing in the spring eye I cut off the wrench end so that nothing of the bushing stuck out past the side of the spring leaf. I didn't go looking for anything other than the shackle kits. I sold it five years after I built it to a guy locally and he still drives it. If he has it at a local car show and I walk past it he brags about me as the guy that did the engine swap to make it a runner and did the top chop. It seems like it just fell together. GPster

[Erick]

Sure. I didn't think of that with maybe reusing parts from the rear shackles. Would almost be too easy. Thanks for all the help.