Pressing bushings into spring eye

I was reading a installation of OME lift on Project Skymiles site, he mentioned that his supplier pressed the bushings in for him before shipping (saving him a lot of hassle). I bought new urethane bushingswith my 3" OME suspension from Rocky Mountain Outfitters (no pre-press , didn't think to ask?). Is it a bitch job (I don't own a ram or press)? Can I press them in with common tools (I do own a backhoe ) OR should I take the springs into the local shop to have them pressed?
Do I use regular axle grease to pre-lube the bushings?

Thanks,
BLUTO

Finally getting around to installing this lift after several months :gonnablow .....thanks to the rain we're getting EVERY DAY!

pressing bushings into spring eye

IF somebody does post an answer to this question,....do you think that the urethane bushings will make a great deal more noise or vibration transferred to the body?

BLUTO

try here.
http://www.wagoneers.com/XJ/tech/OldManEmu/ome-lw.html
http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/susp/xj_ome_tflx/

Did they use poly bushing on the site or factory style rubber. In my springs, the poly's pushed right in but I had to cold chisel out the steel sleeve that comes on the rubber busing. The rubber ones are the ones that need to be pressed in as far as I know.

Dan

2offroad and Dan, you're both correct. I looked thru Haynes XJ manual and found a "homemade" press that you could make out of threaded rod, pipe, a socket, and nuts and washers. This would be for removing/replacing rubber bushings into spring eyes.
I found (after getting home) that the poly bushings push right in. The wagoneer site was pretty decent .
Thanks for your input,

BLUTO

Dan Turner said:

Did they use poly bushing on the site or factory style rubber. In my springs, the poly's pushed right in but I had to cold chisel out the steel sleeve that comes on the rubber busing. The rubber ones are the ones that need to be pressed in as far as I know.

Dan

Click to expand...

factory-style rubber

yes i have it bookmarked for when i go OME.

I just did this installation (new OME rear springs and front coils) two weeks ago.

Yes the poly bushings have more squeek to them (I kinda like it). I have noticed some noise, but I'm not sure if it is just road noise transferred through the bushings or driveline vibration from changing the driveline angles.

My bushing kit was from Daystar and they included a little tube of greas to grease the bushings.

I had my local NAPA shop press out the old busings from the upper shackle mount. I think they charged $8.

bushings

In the midst of a OME 3" lift....using heat and penetrant, I still managed to snap 3 outta 4 upper shock bolts off. Taking crash course in MIG welding and replacing with 5/16" capscrews.
Spring eyes (w/poly bushings) are larger than stock shackles, Rocky Road Outfitters didn't mention THAT! Now I'm fabbin'-up new shackles to fit.
Got a ton of other irons in the fire too!
I'll post some pics when I'm finished.

BLUTO

Bluto

Sorry to hear your woes. I think I lucked out, I didn't have any problems with bolt removal (no raod salt in SoCal). I removed the spring and shackle as a unit(so I didn't have to remove the Class III hitch). I didn't have any fit problems with the bushings/shackles.

how much should i pay for an HD 3" kit? do you need adj' trackbar, control arms, tcase drop, sye, cv driveshaft? it doesnt come with anything but shocks and springs right?