Energy Suspension bushing fitment

[damnoodle]

I ordered new OE style leaf springs from LMC. I also ordered new bushings from http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/products/chevrolet_k20_4wd_1984 and ordered OE replacement bushings “Part Number: 3.18102”. My front rear leaf eye doesn’t fit correctly. The poly bushings don’t fit flush with the spring eye on both sides and the metal tube sticks out. Thoughts?

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[Rusty Nail]

Looks good to me..

 

[damnoodle]

Looks good to me..

Won’t that space between bushing to side of eye and the extra sleeve material allow the axle to have side to side movement? I ask Because the shackle should clamp down on the metal sleeve and allow the rest to float.


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[PrairieDrifter]

Won’t that space between bushing to side of eye and the extra sleeve material allow the axle to have side to side movement? I ask Because the shackle should clamp down on the metal sleeve and allow the rest to float.


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That’s how it’s supposed to work. That’s how the bushing is able to move and that’s how the suspension is able to flex

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Most of the poly bushings I’ve seen and the ones that I have, have a big lip on the end of the bushing to take up that gap. It all depends on how it looks when it’s all together.

Not a great angle but you can see the lip I’m talking about

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[damnoodle]

That’s how it’s supposed to work. That’s how the bushing is able to move and that’s how the suspension is able to flex

Shouldn’t there be some sort of pressure on the side of the leaf springs so there is no lateral movement. Just like control arms on IFS or if you had coil springs in front there is a track bar is in place to keep the lateral movement out of the axle.


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[PrairieDrifter]

That’s what the bushing does. It puts pressure to the side of the leaf spring eye via the hangers clamping in on it, since you can’t have leaf on hanger contact. You just have to make sure you have the correct length bolt sleeve.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

The only thing that would allow side to side movement on a leaf spring system would be worn out bushings. If the bushings are new they won’t give, to the very little leaf spring twist that happens, and that clamping force from the hanger to the poly/rubber bushing to the leaf spring keeps everything centered and immobile side to side. While the sleeve on the bolt allows the bushing just enough give to rotate on that sleeve for it to work properly. So a panhard/tracbar/centering bar, whatever it is, is not needed

Also I’m no engineer, I just like to think about stuff in depth, which helps to figure out how things work.

 

[damnoodle]

The only thing that would allow side to side movement on a leaf spring system would be worn out bushings. If the bushings are new they won’t give, to the very little leaf spring twist that happens, and that clamping force from the hanger to the poly/rubber bushing to the leaf spring keeps everything centered and immobile side to side. While the sleeve on the bolt allows the bushing just enough give to rotate on that sleeve for it to work properly. So a panhard/tracbar/centering bar, whatever it is, is not needed

Also I’m no engineer, I just like to think about stuff in depth, which helps to figure out how things work.

I agree with everything here. I’m not sure you’re seeing what I am. One bushing correctly fits flush against the leaf eye on one side. The other side is not flush against the leafs eye and is being held away from the eyelet by the bushing that fits flush. Then the sleeve sticks out of the bushings on both sides by 1/32” causing the shackles to clamp the sleeve only and not apply contact to the bushings. This would allow the leaf to float and have lateral movement. I think the bushings should be shortened inside the eye and the bushings face between the eye and the shackles should be lengthened to the same length as the sleeve.

My thoughts are I bought the wrong ES kit. Even though these new springs are OE style I think the spring eyes are shorter. I don’t have my old springs to measure. I think the correct kit would of been the aftermarket kit. I can’t find bushing measurements for the aftermarket kit.


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[86Peter454]

can you grind down the sleeve so the shackle touches the bushing?

 

[Rusty Nail]

I think it will look different after you put weight on it / install it.
Looks like you're making a mountain out of a molehill to me, but i'm no expert!

 

[Craig 85]

Are your spring edges on a flat plain the entire length of the spring or do they taper (wider at the ends)? It's been about 8 months since I replaced the front springs in my K30, but if I recall, OEM springs are tapered outward at the bushings.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Your concerns are valid OP. You’ve installed the rear spring bushings in your front springs. With the way that is now your gonna get spring walk and eventually break a shackle or damage the frame. In addition it’s gonna drive like ****. Below are pics of my front spring and Energy bushings.

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[Rusty Nail]

/pwn

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I see what you’re saying now. The lip of your bushing isn’t contacting the leaf, almost like it’s too long. That’s my bad. Personally I think you would be happier with these aftermarket poly bushings. A lot of us are running them. Looks like you got some stuff flip flopped