• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

need new hangers


ILLEGALCONCEPTS

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
500
City
Pittsburgh PA
Vehicle Year
1996
Transmission
Manual
Ok, well I noticed my drivers side was sitting a little lower then normal a few weeks ago a figured it was just the Ranger lean. I don't drive the 96 too much any more and had it out yesterday when the wife noticed it too. Figured I better get under it and see what was going on.

Turns out the front spring hanger has failed and is folding on itself. So I am going to replace all hangers and bushings for the leaf springs. Where have you gotten the best prices from? Best places to deal with? I want to step up to poly bushings for sure, best place for those?

Just picking your brains..........


James
 
Straight from Ford. $30 apiece for the hangers and $7 for the hanger bolts. As for the bushings I don't know. Make sure you get some 1/2" gr 8 hardware for mounting the brackets to the frame.
 
I don't like the local dealership. We've had words over the years and they are only a last resort for me. I got most of my parts from rockauto.com, shackles came from LMC and the bushing from Summit. So, less then $300 and everything will be new in the back.

Now, any tips on doing this? I don't think removing my bed is an option. I've got a fiberglass cap and wires all run through the bad for my speakers. If it comes down to removing the bed though, I am going to install my new fuel pump I've had since collecting turbo parts and a new sender. I have a grinder but no air tools. I figure I'll probably just cut all the bolts and hangers off with the sawsall and then grind the rest of the heads off. Then punch out the remains of them. After that, how about getting the old bushings out of the springs? I've heard that burning them out seems to be the only way most of the time. Can I just use my MAPP gas or do I need to think hotter. My springs aren't stock and they already had bushings installed in them, so I don't remember if they have that stock style metal outer leave. I am hoping not and the Energy Suspension bushings say to make sure that is out as well.

Any advise is appreciated. I would really like to knock this out in a day or two.

James
 
If you can remove your bed, it will be a million times easier.

A good grinder with a couple good metal cut off wheels will do the trick. If you grind the head off the rivets, then use a punch (held in a pair of vice grips) and hit it with a big hammer to punch out the rest of the rivet.

Make sure to put a jack under the axle.

Make sure to set your jack stands on the frame and not the axle.

Find someone with small hands to get in beside the gas tank to put the backs of the bolts on on the driver front hanger. That is the hardest part about installing the new hangers.

Another tip is to coat them with a good rust-oleum paint before installing them. That will be added protection.

If you got the poly bushings, then be prepared to have to punch out the outer ring that is inside the eye on the springs. Below is what I had to do when I installed the poly bushings in my springs.

100_4418.jpg
 
Gee that looks like fun.................... if I was drunk.................. had nothing else to do..............and felt like swearing at myself for several hours. Damn

Oh well, guess I should be happy if I can get one side done a day. When I did my sway bar, I had to remove the one gas tank strap and loosen the other to get enough room to get in there with a wrench. Guess I'll plan on doing that again, figures I filled up and only have about 50 miles on the tank.

James
 
If you can, try to find someone to press those bushings out of the springs. Try diving them out with a proper sized socket, with plenty of PB Blaster. Burnign those bushings out is sloooooow and messy. You'll still have to drive out the spring liner like mjonesjr shows.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

TRS Events

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Latest posts

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Ranger Adventure Video

TRS Merchandise

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Sponsors


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Sponsored Ad

Back
Top