Spring bushing

[tanda62]

Anyone have suggestions/experience with removing a rear spring bushing  (53 B4C) that will not screw out?  It will turn with some force with the wrench but will not come out any further than what you see in the pictures.  There don't seem to be threads on the outside so I was thinking I could use a socket and persuade it out with a hammer.  I do not have a press but might have access to one if someone has used that technique with success. My other option is to leave it in and tape it off while I clean and repaint the springs.

Thanks for any help.

[pflaming]

It should turn out. I would turn it back and forth to loosen the rust in the threads and maybe put some pressure on the back end to get it past the stuck area. I had similar challenges when I removed a leaf from my springs. JMHO 

 

[Desotodav]

I tap a cold chisel in where the end curl of the spring meets the flat section as that seems to release some pressure on the spring eye.

[johnsartain]

Keep this going guys. I will be doing this on mine over the winter. I can tell there is a lot of slop in mine after getting it on the road and loosened up.

[pflaming]

Study how this bushing works, what I recall is that as it draws in, it centers the spring to the frame so you have to quess how far to thread it into the spring before you then attach and thread it on the shackle, oh and I think some are left hand threads, some right hand. Been a while, STML is part of today's existence, but then next year I put an 8 on the front of my age. 

[The Oil Soup]

I would try a two jaw wheel puller putting pressure on the inside of the bushing as you ease it out!

[tanda62]

Success!!  I laid the spring on the floor supported by a piece of wood and placed a 9-16 socket on the floor into the backside of the bearing.  Putting weight on the spring, ie sitting on it, I then used a breaker bar to unscrew the bearing out.  The bearing itself has no threads so the pressure helped it back out of the spring and the size of the socket made sure no damage occurred.  With the bearing out it was easy to flip over the spring and pull the socket out with the breaker bar.

Thanks for all the ideas and hopefully this lesson will help someone else in the future.

[tanda62]

Springs have been cleaned and painted. Used Rustoleum primer and flat black paint.  Once the frame is cleaned and painted they will be reinstalled. The next step is removing the engine for inspection, cleaning and painting.