The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop bump stop installation help!

I am somewhat stuck on something that should be simple. Replacing the bump stops for the front axle. Before attempting brut force, I'm wondering if there is a "trick" of the trade out there that helps ease these things into place. These are some pretty hard rubber with little give to them. Come to think of it, the originals did not come out easy either.

My first thought is to grease them up then pound them in.......any better methods out there? Here's a pic...
photo of bump stop

My web page includes addition photos including one that shows haw far they go in by hand.

I've used my bench vise as a press, that'll get them in part way. If your u-bolts are long enough you can press them in the rest of the way by just tightening them down.

have you lubed them up?

I was rebuilding a snowmobile fuel pump a few weeks ago and couldnt get the rubber plugs back in. I brought it to work, my boss put some oil on them and used a screwdriver to pry them im. (mind you the screwdriver might be to small for the bumpstops)

Good Luck.

I tried using dish soap as a lubricant and can push it in by hand to the point where it just breaks the plane of the top of the bracket. If I push any harder I think the only thing breaking would be my hand. The vice would only get it as far as I got it by hand unless I built some sort of reciever for the bump stop to go into as I closed the vice.

I'm not sure about the u-bolts being long enough but it certainly gives me an idea. I'll try a few things and let everybody know what worked (somethings got to work here). I just hesitate to begin using large amounts of force for fear I will break the bracket or something crazy.

I like the bench vice idea. Use a silicone lube, I like Syl-Glyde (Napa has it) as it will not affect the rubber. Go easy with it, just a light coating will do.

Sheridan,
that is one great photo writeup that you have done. It is also a very nice looking project. Out of curiosity, were your front springs rebuilt by a company in WI? The rebuilt ones that I bought off eBay have a very similar yellow lettering and they were rebuilt in WI.

I got them off of e-bay in 2005 for $130 for the pair. I do not recall where they were shipped from but as for the yellow writing, my rear ones also have yellow writing on the tops. The fronts say Powell Auto Parts, Birch Tree, MO. the rear are from Cleveland, OH.

p.s.; Thanks for the nice comments

I love your truck, could be one of my top 10 thus far. I used dish soap on my and an hour of playing "mind games" with them...

OK....I got it. It was pretty simple as expected. I froze the rubber bumpers. This
makes them shrink slightly. I then sprayed them with a silicone lubricant as recommended above then lightly pounded them in. Here's the pictures with the new bumps in place:

photo of shock brackets with new rubbers

Man, they really came out good. Congrats!