Leaf Spring Bushing

Fixing something on the XJ when I noticed this.
RE 1462 4.5"
Passenger side front bushing looks like this.







As you can see, there is the rubber bushing showing then the metal sleeve showing too. The driver side does not show the metal sleeve.

What caused this?
Is it fixable or do I have to replace?

It is fixable although you will need to remove the affected leaf spring from the vehicle and press the bushing sleeve back into the eyelet.

CharlesS said:

It is fixable although you will need to remove the affected leaf spring from the vehicle and press the bushing sleeve back into the eyelet.

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Press the bushing back in with a press or will a c clamp work? and what can i do to prevent it from happening again?

Yes you can use a C clamp; that is what I used when I replaced mine recently.
You might try applying a little blue locktite to the sleeve before you press it in; otherwise I am not sure what would keep it in place.

CharlesS said:

Yes you can use a C clamp; that is what I used when I replaced mine recently.
You might try applying a little blue locktite to the sleeve before you press it in; otherwise I am not sure what would keep it in place.

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Took the front leaf off/down and i couldnt figure out how to use a c clamp on that, so i beat it with a hammer and it went back into place with minimal effort. thanks

4LVLFWD said:

Took the front leaf off/down and i couldnt figure out how to use a c clamp on that, so i beat it with a hammer and it went back into place with minimal effort. thanks

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It will probably shift back.

If you have enough "lip" of the bushing sleeve on both sides you could try staking it in place.

joe_peters said:

It will probably shift back.

If you have enough "lip" of the bushing sleeve on both sides you could try staking it in place.

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Thats what i was afraid of. Can you give a little more detail about staking the lips?

4LVLFWD said:

Thats what i was afraid of. Can you give a little more detail about staking the lips?

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Not to "farmarize" it... But could you put large washers on each side of the gap once you get it centered???

IF the lip of the metal part of the bushing sticks out of the spring "eye" a little bit on both sides when centered in the "eye", you can use sharp punch to "stake" the lip, i.e., from the rubber part of the pushing put the point of the punch against the edge of the bushings metal, smack the punch with a hammer so the metal edge of the bushing is pushed or dimpled out over the edge of the spring's "eye". Do that 3 or times around the bushing, and do the same on the other side--you have "staked" the bushing so it can't slide left or right in the "eye" of the spring.

When you need to change the bushings use a Dremel or grinder of some sort and grind out the "stakes" so you can push the bushing out in one direction or the other.

Hope that helps.

dhodgee said:

Not to "farmarize" it... But could you put large washers on each side of the gap once you get it centered???

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The spring "eye" is sliding along the bushing's metal "sleeve", so no, washers aren't going to help. You need to hold the spring in relation to the bushing.

Mine did the same thing. So i pryed it over and had a buddy put a tack weld on the sleeve so that it wouldn't slide back into the spring eye. Not much heat with a tack weld so won't hurt the bushing. Mines been like that for 4 years with no more issues. It is a pain having to rig and new set up tho. Best of luck.