Question about ORD front leaf bushings

[Frankenchevy]

I’m doing a little tinkering on the truck this evening for the first time in a couple weeks. I’m torquing everything on the suspension now that the truck is bearing weight on all fours. I have ORD bushings all around. The bushing in question is the main eye of the front spring. The bolt on the driver side had to draw the “cup” in quite a bit before reaching 75ft-lbs.

so I looked at the passenger side and this is what it looks like with the bolt snugged hand tight before putting a wrench on it:

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There is about a 5/32” gap. Anyone pay attention to this when installing ORD’s HD front shackle/bushing kit? Would the experts out there recommend putting a washer on either side of the bushing? Truck has stock K30 springs...

Thanks!

 

[bucket]

It's common to see the front hangers pinched together. If the bushing insert sleeve has knurled ends, I'd leave out any washers. But if they are smooth, washers shouldn't hurt.

 

[Frankenchevy]

It's common to see the front hangers pinched together. If the bushing insert sleeve has knurled ends, I'd leave out any washers. But if they are smooth, washers shouldn't hurt.

I don’t recall them having knurled ends like the oem ones, but it’s been a while. I don’t think the sleeves even protrude beyond the bushing which seems odd in my head.

 

[bucket]

I don’t recall them having knurled ends like the oem ones, but it’s been a while. I don’t think the sleeves even protrude beyond the bushing which seems odd in my head.

They shouldn't protrude. When the bolt is torqued, it preloads the poly bushing and the sleeve keeps it from getting smushed down too much.

 

[Iowan]

Little off topic but are these poly or rubber? I’ve em looking for some good bushings.

 

[Frankenchevy]

Poly

 

[shiftpro]

Polly wants a bushing...

 

[CookieSoup]

i would do washer spacers before i bend the shackes

 

[ali_c20]

I use washer on both sides. Didn't want to bend the shackles and it's easier to get the spring out of the shackle when it's nice and straight. Works since 4 years on my poly bushings.

 

[77 K20]

I didn't have any problems with mine. Mine are nice and parallel.

Did you replace the front upper shackle bushing also? From what I remember the upper bushing had a very narrow shoulder on it and the leaf spring bushing was at least twice as wide.

The bushing you have on the leaf spring doesn't have a wide enough shoulder.

Or did the upper and lower shackle bushings get swapped? (I'm not even sure that is possible...)?

I'm 5,121 miles from home- otherwise I'd run outside and check for you.

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[shiftpro]

I'm 5,121 miles from home- otherwise I'd run outside and check for you.

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Awe gee thanks for nothing ya lazy bugga.

 

[Frankenchevy]

I didn't have any problems with mine. Mine are nice and parallel.

Did you replace the front upper shackle bushing also? From what I remember the upper bushing had a very narrow shoulder on it and the leaf spring bushing was at least twice as wide.

The bushing you have on the leaf spring doesn't have a wide enough shoulder.

Or did the upper and lower shackle bushings get swapped? (I'm not even sure that is possible...)?

I'm 5,121 miles from home- otherwise I'd run outside and check for you.

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The issue isn’t at the shackle end, it’s the main eye bushing. On my one ton, the shoulders on the upper and lower bushings of the shackle end were almost identical. The OD was slightly different, so they weren’t possible to mix up. The shackles are perfectly parallel.

On the front main eye, the bushing shoulder is a little too narrow. The springs are whatever comes stock on a CUCV. Which is what I told ORD, I just got the wrong ones for some reason...

 

[77 K20]

Gotcha... I read your post along with one about the shackles at the same time and obviously got mixed up/confused between the 2 different conversations. Oops... That's what I get for posting past my bedtime.