Leafspring Bushing slop

[Chris_B]

Hello,
I have a Samurai build I'm working on and I just recently got the lift kit I ordered from Rocky Road Outfitters in Utah. I got new springs and bushings and shackles and everything, but when I started putting everything together I noticed that the bushings they sent me for the big eye of the spring are a little too small, they have a diameter of 1 5/8" when the eye of the spring is about 1 11/16" to 1 3/4". I'm no expert but it seems to me they should fit tight, they are telling me it doesn't matter, just throw a bunch of grease in there. Is this safe? This board is very knowledgeable and your opinion would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[corax]

They shouldn't fit tight, especially if they're polyurethane, but there shouldn't be a bunch of slop either. I might call 1/16" acceptable, but not much more than that - they should slide in easily, but not wiggle around much

 

[bob91yj]

They don't sound correct to me. I've only had experience with Jeep leaf springs, but my bushing have always been a snug fit. Snug enough that they need a coating of grease to make them fit into the spring eye easier, but certainly not enough grease to HOLD them in!

 

[Chris_B]

Thanks guys that's what I figured, looks like it might be easier to try and source some bushings locally rather than deal with these fools. Wish me luck.

 

[Scoutn79]

Your right, the bushings are the wrong size. Poly bushings need some silicone grease and should be a snug fit. NO slop at all.
Darrell

 

[Chris_B]

Having no slop seems right but I went to the local spring shop and the guy there told me the bushings I had were alright, because they are a two piece design and because they dont go in the shackle end. So I thought I would put it all together and see how it handled, if there are problems I can always get something better fitting down the road.
But then, I encountered another problem related to the springs, there too short!
I think.
See, I started with the back because I don't have the shims for the front yet to fix the camber due to longer shackles/arched springs. I started at the back, bolted up the shackle to the frame, spring to the shackle, then I went to bolt to front of the spring to the frame and it wouldnt reach. The shackle hits a bracket thats there I'm assuming for that purpose, is this bracket neccassary? do you need to limit the shackle movement on the rear? the front doesn't have any of these stops in place.
I measured the springs eye to eye and the mounting points on the frame eye to eye, the springs are 5 cm short in the front and 6 cm short in the back. I don't have the stock springs anymore to compare, doh! From reading on the net it seems a rule of thumb is for the mounting locations to be the same distance apart as the springs so that under no load the shackle hangs vertically, and with some weight on the truck they are pushed out a few degrees away from the springs. At this point my shackles are angled heavily toward the springs, but then the stock springs are flat, these are 3" lift springs and have some arch to them, is that enough to straighten out the shackles when I get some weight on the thing?
Sorry for the long post, if you can help it make sense to me I'd appreciate it!

 

[Bigfoot1963]

Sounds like your springs are too short. You might go here, http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/ with your question. Those guys really know thier Zuks.

Edited to add;
I'm wondering if the original owner had modified your zuk for Jeep CJ springs???