U-bolt / Bushing / Misc Questions - Gen 1 / 2

[Forcus]

Hey guys, starting to put my truck back together with newly painted parts (started the frame off "resto" 6 weeks ago). I am looking for suspension bushings and U-bolts now. Here are my questions:

1) Can I use the newer one piece (inner sleeve / bushing / outer sleeve) bushings in my Gen 1 (1984 4x4) leaf springs? There are three types listed in the LMC catalog - one bushing set without inner sleeve, one bushing set with inner sleeve, and one set with "plastic frame shackle bushings". My truck has the front leaf spring bushings that appeared to be one piece, and the rear appeared to be two pieces with no sleeve - they just fell right out of the rear of the leaf spring when I took it off. Basically I need to know that the leaf spring bushing diameter is the same between all years, and the width the same.

2) I am trying to source U-bolts - I think the dimensions are 1/2" (bolt width) x 2 3/4" (inside bolt width) by 9" (bolt length) but wanted to check here. The problem is there is an aftermarket overload spring setup that I want to keep, and I want to get all the U-bolts at the same place. LMC wants $12 (I think) per U bolt / hardware. A little pricey in my mind.

Thanks in advance!

 

[JohnnyU]

Head on down into Peoria. Automotive Spring can custom make you a set of u-bolts for typically less than $30. Just bring in your old one and they'll match it or modify it however you like.

 

[dabomb5756]

Hey i saw this thread earlier and i was going to agree with peoria spring, but now i changed my mind. I used to get all my stuff there until now.

I go there to have him help me get the spring bushings out of my yota springs and he wants to charge me 60 for a set. And i said fawk that.

Then today i am taking the axles out of the samurai and all of the ubolts are rusted like fawkin crazy and i had a hell of a time with em, and some of em were loose because he doesnt give you lockwashers. My impact wrench couldnt take the nuts off because the ubolt just wobbles, so i had to wrench on em forever.
The only ubolts that didint give me any trouble were the one set i got from autozone. They had no rust whatsoever, and the lockwashers kept em tight. Not to mencion they're cheaper.

I dunno where you can get ranger spring bushings. I have been getting poly sets for yj, samurai, and yota springs.
Check here: http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/

The guy at peoria spring doesnt use poly bushings. He only uses the factory sets which suck imo.

 

[JohnnyU]

Use a little anti-seize when assembling and the rusty threads are not as much of an issue. You also have to realize that the spindly ones from AutoZone are galvanized or yellow-zinc coated, which helps prohibit surface rust, but I think they are made of an inferior steel.

Most places wouldn't "help" you do anything. For what I usually need of them, they are still the best supplier.

 

[Forcus]

I ended up ordering them due to time (I found one at O'Reilly in the Help! section but they were an inch too short and I have 2-3 inch factory lift blocks). Here's what I got:

Currie 2.75" U-Bolt PN CURCE-9017 - Set of 4 with hardware shipped / $21.56 - 4 Wheel Parts Online

ES Leaf Spring and Shackle Bushing Set PN ENS-4-2122G - With Plastic Frame Bushings / $37.99 + ~$11 "handling" - Summit Racing

The bushings are fine though I was shipped the wrong steel inserts for the shackle bushings - ES is sending me the right ones. I haven't laid my hands on the U-bolts yet but hoping they will work. Other places had them, but not as cheap, and they didn't have the dimensions (which obviously is a big factor). If these U-bolts aren't right I'll just make time to come down to Peoria.