Leaf spring eye bushings

[Dirtyrat]

Was just looking at my 1/4 ellipticals from Speedway, and of course the front eye is setup for a shackle, and the rear has a rubber bushing with a steel sleeve for a 7/16 bolt.

I need some opinions:
I'm a little apprehensive on the 7/16 bolt, thoughts?
My thought is that it should be at least a 1/2"? not that I can really change it unless I press out the bushing..

Also on the front spring eye, I was going to make either a steel or aluminum sleeve, although I wanted a rubber bushing for some give, thoughts?

I was going to call speedway and see if they sell replacement bushing for their 1/4 ellipticals but I'm really not wanting to wait for a rubber bushing if I can get away with aluminum/steel...

 

[sgtpontiac]

If you are concerned about the bolt size...

Was just looking at my 1/4 ellipticals from Speedway, and of course the front eye is setup for a shackle, and the rear has a rubber bushing with a steel sleeve for a 7/16 bolt.

I need some opinions:
I'm a little apprehensive on the 7/16 bolt, thoughts?
My thought is that it should be at least a 1/2"? not that I can really change it unless I press out the bushing..

Also on the front spring eye, I was going to make either a steel or aluminum sleeve, although I wanted a rubber bushing for some give, thoughts?

I was going to call speedway and see if they sell replacement bushing for their 1/4 ellipticals but I'm really not wanting to wait for a rubber bushing if I can get away with aluminum/steel...

press out the sleeve, ream out the bushing for a larger sleeve.....that is what I did on the shocks for the rear...had 7/16 now 1/2"...not sure it was necessary but in your case, I'd era on the side of caution...can get about any bushing sleeve you want at the tractor supply....or at least I can at the local Family Farm and HOme store....from brass to steel to aluminum....they have it all as well as thin wall tube in 3ft lenghts.....just a thought....

 

[Dirtyrat]

I can spin something up on the lathe, I'm just thinking I need to have some give to the bushing...

the ID of the spring eyes are about 3/4, so not much room for rubber and a steel sleeve for a 1/2" bolt...

I may just get some grade 8 bolts for the 7/16... but I'm not feeling the love for the smaller bolts... so I may spin up a couple aluminum sleeves and use 1/2" bolts, that would leave 1/8" wall on the sleeve... Maybe I will use nylon to make a bushing just to have some give over aluminum or steel....

 

[Dirtyrat]

What about these with no crush sleeve... I think that will work with a 1/2" bolt and a nyloc nut.....

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Replacement-Nylon-Shackle-Bushings-1-3-4-Inch-Spring,35665.html

 

[klink]

If you use solid bushings how much articulation will the front suspesion have? Here's a source I use for polyurethane bushings, http://www.polybushings.com/pages/bushingsbysize.html, they also carry bushing sleeves if you need them. DOM works really well too. If the front axle can't twist much without binding you'll either three wheel occasionally or you'll break stuff.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Just a thought...trailer/RV bushings are nylon or polyurethane... cut to fit.

 

[Dirtyrat]

If you use solid bushings how much articulation will the front suspesion have? Here's a source I use for polyurethane bushings, http://www.polybushings.com/pages/bushingsbysize.html, they also carry bushing sleeves if you need them. DOM works really well too. If the front axle can't twist much without binding you'll either three wheel occasionally or you'll break stuff.

Well, the suspension design is setup for a linear move on the spring, and the upper arm has a pivoting bushing on the axle side. Remember even on suspension travel on one side the angular change at the end of the spring is not much over that distance from the tire on the opp side to the spring mount.

At each end of the quarter elliptical there is a spring eye with an ID of 3/4" the issue was whether or not a solid aluminum bushing is acceptable in that situation or if I should make it something that has some give to it.

There should be no bind condition with the pivoting upper arm I don't think, as suspension travels, the caster will increase with this setup rather than decrease.

 

[Dirtyrat]

Well I decided I am going to use speedway's nylon bushings for 1 3/4" springs, and 1/2" bolts on both spring eyes. Thanks for all the input everyone...

 

[sgtpontiac]

Sounds like a good plan....

Well I decided I am going to use speedway's nylon bushings for 1 3/4" springs, and 1/2" bolts on both spring eyes. Thanks for all the input everyone...

No muss, fuss or bother making it....doing really well getting this done....even if it seems like you don't make headway....you are.....[cl

 

[Sumfuncomet]

Bolt size

7/16" is not a problem with the proper grade bolt and nut, if you thin out the bushing too much the bushing will deflect, crush and fail. I would use the smaller bolt, you aren't drag racing on slicks or hitting the spring with 700 horsepower are you?

 

[Dirtyrat]

Actually, the speedway bushing is setup for a 1/2" bolt.
The bushing that comes in the mount end on the QE setup is a rubber bushing with a steel sleeve.

I dunno, I'm not willing to bank on an unknown 7/16" bolt on each side from speedway.

If I had a failure of the nylon, I'll put bronze bushings in. Regardless, the front eye of the spring comes with no bushings or bolts, so that side is getting the nylon bushings setup for a 1/2" bolt. Even if the nylon bushing were to fail, which is unlikely, that 1/2" bolt is plenty strong enough in shear to keep from having a total failure.

I agree, I tend to over-engineer things, but I'm not willing to sacrifice safety either.