Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry, NJ
It can be a little more complicated than that, but not much. 1st) You will need a spreader, not like the rear spring. You can make it out of 3/4 pipe. 2) You can "usually" drive the bushings out of the bores, but you will need a driver pin/mandrel. Watch carefully for the schackel wearing through the bushing and into the spring perch. Look in my album "My Coupe" (red wheels). I had exactly this problem! I replaced both perches and the steering was vastly improved. 3) The perches can be kinda tough to get out, Take the nut off the bottom and drive up through the axle. Saturate with WD40 till it comes free. Assemble in reverse order!
Terry
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Good comments and yes, a spring spreader for the front can help to reach that hallowed "neutral" position to make driving the shackles out easier. The 18 year old me elected a bigger hammer - one of the shackles came out WITH its bushing IIRC.
Such is the power of rust - and youth.
Replacing spring perches is NOT something I would care to do with the axle under the car. My mind goes back to a front axle rebuild (the "spare" axle) which I had brought in to my then place of employment - who had the advantage of a full machine shop including a 150 ton press. After cutting off the perch head and nut that mega press could not remove the spring perch shaft (the part which passes through the axle) as it was so severely rusted in place. We elected to drill it out to a shell and then press out what little remained. I think the heat of drilling helped it to de-attach to the axle. And this a modus you may have to resort to to change a spring perch.
Spring perch bushings can wear through - and into the perch itself. This is reason to condemn a perch - although as forged steel they can be cut open - bushed with a copper or brass sleeve, and then welded in the gap to close (and shrink a bit the bushing hole) The copper or brass is then drilled out to the diameter of the bushing minus 1-2 thousandths and a new bushing installed normally. (Some just use a new bushing to "line" the perch and weld it in place and call it done.)
Anyway, thank you for the comments.
Joe K