Toy RUF bushings

Boonie Buster · Jun 8, 2011

Ok, my newb question for the evening.

My front spring hanger I plan to use has an 18mm hole drilled in it, meant for rear springs, but my Toy RUF's that i have, have the metal sleeve in them for a 14mm? bolt.

What bushings/sleeves can i use to replace the original to use a 18mm bolt? I just don't know much about what has been done in this realm. :eeek:

These are the details on the springs i'm using according to Pirate4x4:

84-88 Toyota Rear
Flat length = 48"
Front Half = 20.5"
Rear Half = 27.5"
Width = 2.36"
Front Eyelet = 14mm ID
Rear Eyelet = 18mm ID

I bought these from trail-gear:

ain'tstuckjustresting · Jun 8, 2011

I picked up some extras from Billy Bobs. They stock TG brand that have a 18mm ID they were a couple bucks a piece. I also had a Energy susp kit for 2nd gen rear springs. If you leave the 14mm sleeve out they have a 18mm ID.

CHOP SHOP · Jun 8, 2011

Or just get a pair of hangers for rear chevy springs.

Most swap hangers (with the exception of toyota) are for jeep/chevy springs and will normaly have a 1/2 or 9/16 hole instead of that huge ol hole.

I hate poly bushings. I would take the rubber stockers over poly replacements.

Just get some Ruffstuff hangers from Dan, cheaper and better than TG and the proper hole size.

You do realize that just a pair of 18mm bolts and nuts and washers will cost more than a new pair of hangers, right? Those are big expensive bolts.

Boonie Buster · Jun 8, 2011

Ya, i'd prefer the sleeved bushing as well, and i just rechecked my measurements on these hangers and theyre 2 7/8" inside width. I don't know what the width of my RUF's are... I think they have the poly bushings in the rear of them though, so it's be a tad wider in the rear? Correct? :eeek:

If i could get this in the correct spring width, i'd be happy:

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/2-HANG.html

CHOP SHOP · Jun 8, 2011

Its real easy to grind a little of the end of the sleeve if the sleeve is too wide to fit in the hanger.

Or it is real easy to use a washer or two as a shim if the sleeve is too narrow

I prefer the sleeved type of bushing. Then you can crank them down tight and things stay square better.

On springs and shackle hangers with no sleeve you then need to rely on locknuts to keep it tight cuz with no sleeve you can actually tighten it till it bends the mounts ears in and squishes out the bushing over time.

Plus a locknut is not keepeing it tight, just keeping it from backing off. With no sleeve to firmly mount against just and a locknut you have no way to keep the shackle/spring eye square and tight/firm.

CHOP SHOP · Jun 8, 2011

The ones you liked to are skinny scout hangers.

You can get any width you want from Dan for about $30.

Look here for all of them. http://74.86.88.201/catalog/springshackhang.html

I believe your RUF sleeves should be 2.75 wide.

CHOP SHOP · Jun 8, 2011

And a cheap trick for cheap fawkers that dont care about doing it right, just cheap............

Allot of times the bolt on a rear toy spring gets frozen into the bushing. Its pretty much impossible to get out most of the time if its frozen.

Put some torch heat to the bolt till ya see the rubber bushing start to smoke and then grab the stuck bolt/sleeve with a visegrip and twist it out. It will slide out and be kinda sticky.

Or if the bolt is not out and you just want to use a 18mm bolt like the original post wanted to do, then all ya do is heat up the inside of the sleeve with the torch and then slide it out.

Now the sticky gooey hole left in the stock rubber bushing will accept a 18mm bolt now.

Not the best way to do it tho.

Boonie Buster · Jun 8, 2011

Ya, i hear ya about the sleeve thing. I wonder if i gave him a call he could make some like the scout ones in the correct width :corn:. I know theyre too skinny, but that's the style i'm after. So you're saying he'll do custom hangers then?

The other's that are on ruffstuff put the springs too far forward for what i'm trying to do. Ya, I don't want to torch out the sleeve, then be left with a bushing that now has no sleeve and has been torched! :redneck:

ain'tstuckjustresting · Jun 9, 2011

So are you trying to reuse the factory bushings that have the sleeve built in or do you have aftermarket bushings that the sleeve pulls out?

Boonie Buster · Jun 9, 2011

The springs i have now have the metal sleeve in the front eye and i THINK they have the "regular" 2 piece bushings in the rear eye.

I was planning to remove the front sleeved bushing and replace it with a 2 piece bushing setup that used an 18mm bolt for the TG spring hangers i got.

ain'tstuckjustresting · Jun 9, 2011

Just wondering if you could get a longer sleeve and run all the way thru the hanger and bushing then use a 14mm bolt. Just need to hit up the steel shop and find a small piece of tube to use as a sleeve.

CHOP SHOP · Jun 9, 2011

ain'tstuckjustresting said:
Just wondering if you could get a longer sleeve and run all the way thru the hanger and bushing then use a 14mm bolt. Just need to hit up the steel shop and find a small piece of tube to use as a sleeve.

He has the steel sleeve molded into the stock bushing still tho.

CHOP SHOP · Jun 9, 2011

You just need to get a pair of hangers that are the shape he wants.

Hey heres how I do it. Get 3.5 box tube thats 1/4 wall and cut and drill your own. Its not tough. :awesomework:
http://www.nw-wheelers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33225&page=5

Then you can make a few sets of blue prints and compare them till you are happy with your own design and not mail order stuff that just wont work when ya think too much.:kissmyass:

:beer:

Boonie Buster · Jun 9, 2011

Cool, I might go that route then. I thought the springs i had were 18mm bolts, but after i went out to the truck (30 miles :redneck

I realized they were the 14mm sleeved style.

Well, looks like i'll make my own.

Either way, What bushings would i use in the rear eyelet? Cus those are a 2 piece style, i'm just curious as to what to get for replacements...:corn: