The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk rear end to springs bushing

trying to find the rubber bushing that goes in the mount that hooks the rear springs to the axle on a 1951. there is a round housing with a rubber bushing in it that the springs u-bolt to then mount under the axle.

I'm pretty sure that the rubber bushing is not available separately. I wasn't able to find them anywhere. The "rear spring seat" needs to be sent somewhere to be revulcanized. Big bucks. Here's one place that will do it (see "suspension" section in link):
https://secure.steelerubber.com/search_frameset.php

Dave Evans
52_3100

Is this what you're looking for? Rear spring to axle bushing
Samantha

Thanks, Samantha. I could not find a listing. I have also bought them from Jim Carter, but looking for something on his website is not easy and not very enjoyable.

I am not certain, but I don't believe that is the appropriate part. I think the bushing in reference is the metal bushing with the rubber surround that is fit into the actual mount where the axle itself can pivot. I seem to recall no one actually carried that part and you needed to send in the mounts for the bushings to be revulcanized as mentioned above. If memory serves me, the Filling Station offered the service for about $85 each but their catalog isn't working for me right now.

Jeff

Samantha's part is the metal bushing inside a cylinder of rubber inside a metal sleeve that fits into the 5.403 seat.

I recently installed the part at Samantha's link into the part at my link. This is the second set I have installed.

Thanks Tim. I'll admit to not having looked for a replacement in the time since I rebuilt the rear in my '53. At that time I don't think they offered that part seperate, only offering it as a rebuild service.

Is that part 'as original'? The original looked to be just the metal bushing surrounded by rubber, not metal/rubber/bushing.

How did you install them ? Can they be installed with a long bolt slid through the mount and bushing than drawn into place while tightening a nut at the opposite end? Or are they tight enough to need a press?

Thanks, Jeff

Jeff,

I'd say it is as original. They matched very nicely. I had to press out the old part with a hydraulic press; and, rubber-mallet in the new part after freezing it and then lubricating it with WD-40.

I wish I found those when I was doing mine. It would have saved a lot of aggravation.

Dave Evans
52_3100

thanks to everyone for the help but cannot see how the bushing from chevs of the 40 will even come close to fitting. i took the center sleeve and rubber out of the seat. the one you talk about would put metal to metal. still looking, greg

Can you post a picture of the bushing hole in the seat?

let me know if you find the solution, im doing a frame off on a 51 half ton and was just going to resuse that hinge mount, rubber still looks great all cleaned up. but i would of course prefer new....

will try to. its bad enough just to try and run this computer let alone ask me to do something new on it. in the master book there was a picture of the seat #5.403 it is also the same picture in the obsolete chevy book. i just went out to the garage and looked at the seat and i have everything pushed out of it. i will try and send a picture but i cant see the one from chevs of the 40 fitting in. greg

Greg,
The one I posted won't put metal to metal. The bolt that goes through the bracket on the axle housing is cushioned by the rubber which in turn is fitted into the seat.
Samantha

in the chevy truck shop manual 48-53 page 4-61 it shows the rear spring seat and you can see that there is only a rubber bushing and steel sleeve. still i have one coming from obsolete, and if it doesnt work there is a rubber plant here in town and i can have it vulcanized.greg

Greg,

Did you get these seals to go with the bushings?

Do the replacement bushings fit into the 5.403 seats?

thank you for the info on the seals i will get them ordered now, and yes the bushing go inside 5.403 seat

any updated pics on the bushing replacement?

finally got the bushing from obsolete and they work great. they do have metal on the outside of the rubber but it pressed in great. you can also get the seal for the outer edge from chevs of the 40's. obsolete was also allot cheaper than anyone else. greg

Why does it have seals if it doesn't get greased?

Agree Fred why grease it?? Also why are those end seals listed for $15.75 each? They
appear to be simple rubber washers, that you could punch out of sheet stock with a leather
punch by the thousands for a few cents each.

I don’t have an original 3100 rear axle to look at so you’s that do can clue me in. But is it
possible that the original seat had a vulcanized rubber cushion in it with a single metal
sleeve for the bolt. And the after market fix was a metal outside sleeve outside and inside
supported by a thinner than original rubber layer????
I mean, of course you wouldn’t want to do this but for sake of conversation, after the
rubber was cleaned out of the original seat in theory you could put any kind of bushing in
there you wanted , rubber, brass, steel or steel/rubber/steel like the replacement.

DG

As a 12 year old working at Shorty Stevens Esso on State Line Ave. in Texarkana, I always wondered why, when greasing a vehicle I had to squirt some watery lube on the rubber bushings. I figured it wouldn't last overnight, so why do it?

To keep dust, dirt, mud, etc off/out of the bushing/seal. And, for those of us who like to pretend that we are trying to have our trucks look original, they were originally used.

The Chev's of the 40s listing is not clear (not correct?). It states "Seals. Rear end to spring pivot bolt (4 ea)", meaning 4 come at that price (still not cheap at $15.75 for a set of 4). Call to confirm, but that is how many I received late last summer (I will install them in a few weeks).

Steele Rubber also sells those seals: $33/set-of-four.

yes there is 4 in a package and they fit well looks like they will do a good job when all is put back together.

guyyoung,

Did you freeze the replacement bushing before installing it into the seat?

As you and I discussed, it looks like that replacement bushing is not original-style, in that it has two metal inner and outer sleeves. The original rubber bushing was most likely vulcanized right inside the 5.4503 seat.

This style of replacement-part makes this replacement/repair a lot easier and a lot less costlier than having the seat/bushing/sleeve vulcanized together:

Steele Rubber ($96.80 x 2):
Seat, rear spring. Exchange item only. Send in complete casting with metal sleeve bushing. Please allow 3 weeks for service. Replaces #3652182 for all 1/2 ton pickup trucks.
60-0619-35.....$ 96.80/ea.

good to here from you. no i did not freeze the sleeve i just put anti seize on it and used a press to install it and it went in great. good to here from you. greg

That be Ruglyde Jim, it does soak into the rubber surface and stops squeaks for a while. I
still use it and have squirt bottle of it on the shelf with the other grease and oil.

DG

Mystery solved. I knew it was supposed to stop squeaks but always figured a tidbit of cup grease would last a bit longer.

Dont buy those end seals from chevs of the 40's!! i just wasted my money with them, they are thinly cut not anything like the originals. i bought these started to install to find they freely spin around! Will now buy all my rubber from steel rubber now...


cheap knock off ends seals for sale cheap..lol