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Rear leaf spring shackle upper bushing seems loose in frame?!

D

Deleted member 7876

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Hey all, I looked for this and couldn't come up with anything so maybe someone here could help. Here goes, I recently purchased an '06 H3 Adv and had to replace a bunch of suspension parts, OK, almost all suspension parts. But since doing the rear leaf springs, shackles, and the upper bushings I have had a clunking noise/feeling underneath. I attribute this to the bushing in the frame for the upper shackle. I see that, on both sides, they slide back and forth in the frame. Are they suppose to do that? Call it ignorance but since I had a rough time getting the old ones out(using air chisel) and having to press the new ones in I assume they shouldn't be moving at all. Is this correct, or am I completely wrong? I took it to the dealer and they said the passenger side was dry, needed lube and that the bolt wasn't as tight as it should, so they lubed and tightened. Now I know It was torqued to the correct specs when I did them but could have come loose I'm sure. It stopped making the clunking noise/feel turning left but now does it turning right and backing up. Should I lube the driver side and re-tighten the bolt, or maybe do something else? This is my only experience with leaf springs, I've only dealt with coils. Thanks!
 
Happy Hummer

Happy Hummer

Well-Known Member
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1,355
Location
Wisconsin
When you tightened the hardware you made sure to do so with weight of vehicle on it correct?
Also, the bushings should be snug in the frame. The shackles should move.
 
alrock

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
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10,531
Location
Scottsdale
Exactly what HH said. At what point did you tighten them? The truck should have been on the ground with the weight of the vehicle on the suspension before fully tightening. The bushings should not be moving in the frame.
 
D

Deleted member 7876

Guest
Thanks for the responses guys. And yes, I made sure that she was sitting on the floor, full weight, before I tightened anything down. I imagine the dealer would've said something other than we lubed and tightened the bolt. They didn't charge me for the service so maybe they just don't care. First time dealing with them. 20200727_061455.jpg
 
alrock

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
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10,531
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Scottsdale
From that one picture, it looks like the rubber is separated from the outer metal sleeve. It should be an outer metal sleeve that's pressed into the frame, rubber bonded to that outer sleeve, and then an inner metal sleeve again bonded to the rubber. The bolt is the only thing that should have any sliding movement within the bushing.

Here's a picture from today, passenger side like your picture. I swapped these six years ago. The right side of the bushing has a flange, showing this is pressed out from the driver's side, and pressed in from the passenger side. There's no separation of the flange from the rubber, and the flange is tight against the body. Did you use the correct bushings, fully remove the old ones and press in the new metal sleeves all of the way?

The second picture shows the bushing sleeve as seen from the driver's side - it's the 2mm section with increased surface rust.

2020-07-27%2008.47.52-L.jpg


2020-07-27%2008.48.11-L.jpg
 
A

atvspeed4

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,189
Location
massachusetts
Sometimes when you have really rusty bushings when you press them out it oversizes the hole and there is not enough interference to hold the bushing assembly pressed into the frame. The other potential issue is the dorman shackle/ bushing kit was not sized right when they designed it and the bushing shell is slightly too small so it does not press in tight enough. We just bought the same kit to do one of our trucks over but have not had time to install it yet but when we do I will post up feedback. You can take a cold chisel and with the bushing removed push back the lip that the bushing presses against to shrink the hole and then repress the bushing in. We have had to do that to the lower control arm bushing which is the same design.
 
J

JPaul

Well-Known Member
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2,428
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Way up north, UT
It actually looks like a cheap bushing that is probably undersized or someone wallowed out the bushing hole in the frame. Most likely the bushing is undersized. It is supposed to be an interference fit between the bushing and the hole in the frame, and if I recall correctly you should also flare out the smaller end after installing to help ensure it stays in place. It's been a while since I did mine but I am pretty sure I recall that the factory flares the small end of the bushing and I had to hammer it back in to pull it out easily, and then I flared the new ones I installed.

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jphh20

jphh20

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Messages
173
Location
CT
I used the ac delcos ones and they were a tight fit for comparisons purposes. I think you are getting great advise from members here as to a likely place to start. Mine had a fair a bit of rust and the oem bushings still fit fairly tight.

c383733b5ef3153e107854000493c29c.jpg



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D

Deleted member 7876

Guest
Awesome, well, not so awesome as I now have some more work cut out for me. But thanks again for the responses and pics. I'm guessing the bushings are slightly smaller in diameter. I couldn't really compare them to the originals as they pretty much got destroyed in the removal process. I know they weren't of high caliber when I bought them but didn't think they would cause this much grief. I remember the driver side I did have to use the press to get it in (not as much as I expected though) but passenger side just slid right in, figured it would tighten down once I bolted the shackle to it, I was wrong. Guess I'll order some new ones, any suggestions? Moog, ACDelco, Siberian Polyurethane ones I saw on Amazon?
 
D

Deleted member 7876

Guest
And that's what "I think I did." Rockauto has 2 different bushings from ACDelco so I just picked the one with GM's part number, 14027938, for my year.
 
D

Deleted member 7876

Guest
Here's an update for anyone doing the rear frame bushings replacement. Do not get the Dorman ones! I replaced the Dorman ones I had put in with the AcDelco OEM bushings and they are different to say the least. I measured the width on both and the Dorman ones are .1-.2mm thinner. It doesn't seem a lot but apparently it makes a difference. That and the OEM's have a swell on the ends that the Dormans don't. Needless to say, the clunking while turning has ceased. When I took them out I noticed that the dealership greased the bushings which made them slide back and forth even more. Apparently they don't know that they aren't suppose to move, that they are pressed in. Anyway, thanks everyone for your replies!
 
Korby7

Korby7

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Utah
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