Pushing In The Bushings

Pushing In The Bushing Pressing Bushing Out

Energy Suspension recommends a minimum 5-ton arbor press for fastest rebushing. Slower/lower-buck alternatives include a bench vise, big channel locks, impact sockets, and possibly even a torch. Spray lube normally helps the old bushings come out easier.

Energy Suspension recommends a minimum 5-ton arbor press for fastest rebushing. Slower/low

Most 4x4 owners equate handling and articulation with hard parts: namely springs, track bars, and control arms. We tend to overlook bushings.

OE suspension and steering components normally have rubber bushings. Cost-effective, these score high in NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) tests. Rubber’s main compromise is it wears out faster than firmer materials. Sunlight, ozone, grease, and road grime accelerate its demise. Further, bonded rubber bushings can be a pain to change.

Polyurethane bushings aren’t always the cheapest replacements, but they offer a few advantages over rubber, mainly durability. Poly bushings are usually firmer than rubber, so they’re less susceptible to tearing and shearing. Chemical-resistant polyurethane doesn’t degrade from UV rays, oil, grease, and other contaminants.

Further, firmer polyurethane usually yields stiffer handling. (Hardness in polymers and rubber is measured on a durometer, so firmness difference can be quantified when OE specs are available.) RTI ramp-champs and long-travel legends might want to stick with rubber for ultimate flexibility, knowing that service intervals could be shorter. However, many lifted 4x4s, particularly ones that tow, can benefit from a poly rebush.

Pushing In The Bushing Energy Suspension Bushing Kit

Energy Suspension’s ’03-’08 Ram 2500/3500 4x4 master kit includes poly bumpstops plus bushings for the control arms, track bar, sway bar, leaf springs, and shackles. A body mount kit (upper right) is also available. Red poly is optional; pigment doesn’t affect durometer.

Energy Suspension’s ’03-’08 Ram 2500/3500 4x4 master kit includes poly bumpstops plus bush

Energy Suspension recently released a master poly bushing kit for ’03-’08 Dodge 4x4 HDs. These Rams have a reputation for dodgy handling, particularly when running larger-than-stock tires. Typical prescriptions include aftermarket dual steering stabilizers, heavier-duty front track bars, and steering-box frame braces. However, replacing tired rubber bushings with polyurethane might actually be a better bang-for-the-buck starting point.

The engineering challenge is finding the optimal durometer measurement for each part. For example, control-arm bushings have to absorb both lateral and fore/aft forces. Energy Suspension engineers address this by making the side bushings softer than the center pieces. Performance characteristics can also vary within the same hardness: Two Energy Suspension bushings with “hard” 90 durometer readings might have different Hyper-Flex poly recipes depending on whether their functions are primarily torsional or tensile.

How-To
These photos show highlights of Energy Suspension engineers installing the new kit on an ’03 Cummins that had 177,000 miles on its stock bushings. This vehicle routinely tows a fifth-wheel, so it was a prime candidate for the upgrade. The hardest part of the job is removing the stock bushings from the arms and springs. Some tools that might be helpful for a DIY job:

• A vise or, preferably, a hydraulic arbor press

• Impact sockets

• Large channel locks

• A torch (torching was not used on this install)

This job took the Energy Suspension pros the better parts of a day. (Professional wheel alignment might be necessary for some vehicles.) Most of that time was spent pressing out the worn OE bushings. But at the end of the day these new poly parts just might outlast the rest of the truck.

In bonded-rubber bushings, degradation can set off a chain reaction. Here, cracked rubber allowed the spring-eye’s bolt threads to structurally compromise the bushing’s sleeve.
In bonded-rubber bushings, degradation can set off a chain reaction. Here, cracked rubber
Rubber bushings aren’t designed to last 177,000 miles. Understandably, the ’03 Ram these came from didn’t track very straight or turn crisply.
Rubber bushings aren’t designed to last 177,000 miles. Understandably, the ’03 Ram these c
On multilink vehicles such as this Ram HD, Energy Suspension recommends rebushing one arm at a time to maintain wheel alignment. Cam-washer indexing is marked prior to arm removal. Also, the passenger-side exhaust pipe must be unbolted on Cummins applications to remove an upper control-arm bolt.
On multilink vehicles such as this Ram HD, Energy Suspension recommends rebushing one arm

Trade secret: It’s impossible to use too much grease when installing bushings. Energy Suspension includes a tub of marine-market waterproof bearing grease. For this Ram’s front control arms, the kit’s new steel sleeves are used to press in the center and side bushing. Then a second side bushing goes on for a full-width fit inside the framehorn.
Trade secret: It’s impossible to use too much grease when installing bushings. Energy Susp
Another layer of grease goes on prior to installation. Excess is cleaned off with WD-40 on a rag.
Another layer of grease goes on prior to installation. Excess is cleaned off with WD-40 on
To maximize bushing life and minimize noise, Energy Suspension engineer Billy Harrill recommends cleaning and prepping: 400-grit emery cloth takes care of sharp edges, and JB Weld can be used to fill any pits inside the eyes.
To maximize bushing life and minimize noise, Energy Suspension engineer Billy Harrill reco

The kit’s sway bar bushings are slit for easy installation over the bar—they don’t need to be slid around the bend like the OE rubber units. Energy Suspension also grooves the internal surface to hold grease, as seen in the cutaway.
The kit’s sway bar bushings are slit for easy installation over the bar—they don’t need to
The kit also includes replacement bushings for the sway bar endlinks. Not visible are replacement bumpstop snubbers.
The kit also includes replacement bushings for the sway bar endlinks. Not visible are repl
These Rams’ rear spring bushings have flared steel lips. They need to be chiseled inward before they can be pressed out.
These Rams’ rear spring bushings have flared steel lips. They need to be chiseled inward b

Bushings and sleeves are replaced in the rear leaves and shackles. The shackles are attached to the springs prior to reinstallation on the vehicle.
Bushings and sleeves are replaced in the rear leaves and shackles. The shackles are attach
Fender-washer shims often come with the territory when you’re using aftermarket parts on leaf springs. Energy Suspension makes its own application-specific molds to achieve a full-width fit.
Fender-washer shims often come with the territory when you’re using aftermarket parts on l
Handling improvements come from tighter tolerances and harder bushing durometer measurements. Longer service intervals are another benefit.
Handling improvements come from tighter tolerances and harder bushing durometer measuremen