Alternatives to rubber bushings in leaf springs?

This week when I was swapping my rear axle, I noticed that the bushings in my leaf springs are shot. Not a huge deal, because I'm changing to OMEs soon anyway, but I'll still need bushings for them too. What are my options to help reduce wear? I was wondering about a flex joint type thing I saw available for the Toy's I think, but wouldn't lateral stability suffer?

I don't recall who sells them but I have seen bolts for leif springs that have greese zirks in the end of them. This should definately reduce wear.

stock rubber is my preference for ride, etc. and lets face it, most worn out bushings are like 20 years old.

deaver makes a 'baja bushing' just for that, not sure about fitment, but that should give you a place to start looking.

my yota crawler had a jonny joint spring mount on the frame side of the shackle. it was totally stable but it wore my bushings in the leafs quickly

Well, there's "rubber" (it's actually a synthetic petrochemical elastomer - not rubber,) polyurethane (synthetic polymer rather stiffer than "rubber,") and I've noted that some of the larger full-size trucks used bronze bushings in the leaf eyes - 1940's to early 1960's IHC LL, for instance (the bigger ones - 1-1/2 to 3 tons.) Probably rode like buckboards, but should be plenty durable.

The "greasable bolts" would have to be accompanied by "greasable bushings," which are usually poly. After all, while the elastomer used in OEM bushings is petrochemically derived, petroleum products (oil, grease, gasoline, Diesel oil) tend to be antagonistic to the polymer. "Greasable" bushings tend to be polyurethane, since petroleum products aren't anywhere near as antagonistic to polyurethane as to OEM elastomers. However, a "greasable" bolt (bored bolt with a zerk fitting) on its own won't do anything useful for you.

98stocker said:

stock rubber is my preference for ride, etc. and lets face it, most worn out bushings are like 20 years old.

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My leaf springs are only about 3 years old.

xcm said:

deaver makes a 'baja bushing' just for that, not sure about fitment, but that should give you a place to start looking.

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I'll have to take a look at those, thanks.

I spanked the brand new rubber bushings in my DPG trailgunners after a few wheeling trips. Dirk helpfully sent me a new set for free, although I still had to get them pressed in. I would usually put like 1000lbs of gear in my jeep for desert expeditions, probably more than it was designed for, I'm sure that plus banching didn't help the bushings any. If they fail again, I'm going poly. This was the leaf-eye to shackle bushing, FYI.

I suspect but can't prove that rubber flexes better. I've also heard poly bushings are squeaky if not well greased. I suppose you could grease rubber bushings with a rubber compatible silicone grease, but I've never heard of anybody doing that.

98stocker said:

stock rubber is my preference for ride, etc. and lets face it, most worn out bushings are like 20 years old.

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Unless you happen to be Running RE leafs!
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1021358

http://www.deaverspring.com/products/bushings.html
http://www.alcanspring.com/orbit-eye.htm
http://www.afabcorp.com/AFCO_Dynate...duct_Code=20229P&Category_Code=ct_leaf-mounts

No experience with any of these, but I think these have been discussed on here before. There was a thread on Pirate about this kind of setup as well.

Make sure you guys tighten the leaf spring bolts AFTER the rig is on the ground, sitting on it's own weight. Tightening them while it's in the air will kill your bushings quicker than usual.

hubs97xj said:

http://www.deaverspring.com/products/bushings.html
http://www.alcanspring.com/orbit-eye.htm
http://www.afabcorp.com/AFCO_Dynate...duct_Code=20229P&Category_Code=ct_leaf-mounts

No experience with any of these, but I think these have been discussed on here before. There was a thread on Pirate about this kind of setup as well.

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Thanks, that gives me a lot to work with, I've seen those Alcan Orbit-Eyes before, but I couldn't remember who made them or the specific name.

muddeprived said:

Make sure you guys tighten the leaf spring bolts AFTER the rig is on the ground, sitting on it's own weight. Tightening them while it's in the air will kill your bushings quicker than usual.

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That might have been an issue, when the lift was installed none of us really knew much about Jeeps, it's a good possibility that might have been the cause, but I can't remember how we did them.