Front and rear Spring Bushings 5781 or CO1T-5781-A and 5781 or CO1T-5781-A

[Grant Bowker]

Are original Ford parts critical to you?
I was able to get a pair of F15A rear springs rebushed at my local heavy duty truck shop this past summer. Cheap, fast and fit well.

[Tony Smith]

New Old Stock rears available from Mac's:

https://www.macsautoparts.com/early_...ton-truck.html

Buy 4 and shorten them for the front?

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Ian

To echo Grant look for the longest standing truck spring shop in your area. How I have done it in the past, successful each time, was make up a simple drawing of the bushings and pins with lenght, I'D and OD. Then take it by their parts department or talk to them, or talk to them on the phone and email them the drawing. This process has worked for me every time.

Only problem on my HUP was getting new pins with correct locking notch but that was easy to cut the cross notch in.

Cheers Phil

[sth65pac]

Ahh now I see. It appears that the steel bush has a bronze inner sleeve, The pins are fine.
I'm thinking that the early bushes wore out fairly fast replaced by a steel one?

Ford ones are not critical, and I do have a press, so does every truck bush have the steel bush with bronze sleeve in them or doI just opt out of the bronze inner type bush????

Cheers,

Ian

[Lynn Eades]

Ian, Bedfords for instance just used a steel bush with (I believe) a centreless ground pin. So yes steel on steel, which may require a (slightly more) regular greasing.
You local spring maker will be able to advise.

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Ian,

I bought similar front pins from Dennis Carpenter however they were Chinese repros. They were such a tight fit on the pins that I didn't use them and waited until some NOS came along.

The Dennis Carpenter ones could have been used with a bit of careful reaming. As most of these parts come out of the same factory in China it is something to be aware of if you use a repro bushing.

The rear bushings of course are much larger diameter and seem to be harder to find.

The originals are of interesting construction. I don't think the bronze liner is pressed into the steel sleeve because it is of extremely thin wall thickness, Unlikely to press in without crushing. I believe the bronze is pressure bonded to the steel similar to Raco Ware in Australia, or Revere Ware in the US. I cannot detect even the smallest gaps between the steel and bronze even at the lengthwise split. I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time, and happy to be corrected if so.

Bronze bushings on steel pins is preferable but as Lynn says others have used steel bushings on steel pins. You would however want the best surface finish possible on the inside of the bushing to prevent chewing up the pins.

Cheers,

[Lynn Eades]

just to add to Jacques's post. Matching dis-similar metals is best. With a hard surfaced pin (eg. a chromed and ground surface) a softer steel bush is best.
You don't want too much side clearance.

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Hi Ian,

I bought similar front pins from Dennis Carpenter however they were Chinese repros. They were such a tight fit on the pins that I didn't use them and waited until some NOS came along.

The Dennis Carpenter ones could have been used with a bit of careful reaming. As most of these parts come out of the same factory in China it is something to be aware of if you use a repro bushing.

The rear bushings of course are much larger diameter and seem to be harder to find.

The originals are of interesting construction. I don't think the bronze liner is pressed into the steel sleeve because it is of extremely thin wall thickness, Unlikely to press in without crushing. I believe the bronze is pressure bonded to the steel similar to Raco Ware in Australia, or Revere Ware in the US. I cannot detect even the smallest gaps between the steel and bronze even at the lengthwise split. I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time, and happy to be corrected if so.

Bronze bushings on steel pins is preferable but as Lynn says others have used steel bushings on steel pins. You would however want the best surface finish possible on the inside of the bushing to prevent chewing up the pins.

Cheers,

Yes Jaques,

It appears that the bronze insert is two pieces on some....but not all.

Steel pin bushes might be easier to obtain. I don't think i want to wait to find NOS ones.

the pins appear to be ok; Very little wear, so I am guessing that the bronze took the wear out.

A tight fitting pin on the bush would be ok, I could probably ream it out a little. A shame they are not the same size as Land Rover ones

Cheers,

Ian

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by sth65pac

Ahh now I see. It appears that the steel bush has a bronze inner sleeve, The pins are fine.
I'm thinking that the early bushes wore out fairly fast replaced by a steel one?

Ford ones are not critical, and I do have a press, so does every truck bush have the steel bush with bronze sleeve in them or doI just opt out of the bronze inner type bush????

Cheers,

Ian

Hi Ian,

I dug out the front spring repros I bought all those years ago. See attached.

The paperwork listed them as early F100 bushings.

PM me if you would be interested in them. Happy to pass them on for a lot less than what I paid for them if it helps someone out. They are just sitting on the shelf doing no one any good.

You would need to drill the grease access hole to the grease groove and ream the liner a slight amount for just a small clearance fit as Lynn mentioned. Didn't try it myself but perhaps a wheel cylinder hone would be enough to take out a few thou to make a good fit in lieu of an adjustable reamer.
Dimensions are:
ID: 0.740" OD: 0.998" and length 1.970" Slight size variations between all.

Hope this may be of some help.

Cheers,

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Hi Ian,

I dug out the front spring repros I bought all those years ago. See attached.

The paperwork listed them as early F100 bushings.

PM me if you would be interested in them. Happy to pass them on for a lot less than what I paid for them if it helps someone out. They are just sitting on the shelf doing no one any good.

You would need to drill the grease access hole to the grease groove and ream the liner a slight amount for just a small clearance fit as Lynn mentioned. Didn't try it myself but perhaps a wheel cylinder hone would be enough to take out a few thou to make a good fit in lieu of an adjustable reamer.
Dimensions are:
ID: 0.740" OD: 0.998" and length 1.970" Slight size variations between all.

Hope this may be of some help.

Cheers,

These are the front spring bushes - For people just reading the thread. Yes Jacques, they are close to my measurements. the originals have no split to slide into the spring eye.

Traditionally I have used a large pry bar and spread the 'eye' slightly to allow the bush to be pressed in nice and gently. Otherwise too much pressure will squash the end and you cant get the bush centred. I did that the first time I ever pressed in a bush into a spring.

Oh and Yes the best way to 'ream' the eyes is with a brake hone. You will do about 6 eyes and then its time to buy another hone but way cheaper than a reamer!

The one I have pictured I just wiggled it out of the spring eye. It wasnt that clean though!!

Cheers Ian, Pm Sent Jacques.

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by sth65pac

These are the front spring bushes - For people just reading the thread. Yes Jacques, they are close to my measurements. the originals have no split to slide into the spring eye.
Cheers Ian, Pm Sent Jacques.

Hi Ian,

Here's an original Ford stamped bushing with a split. I saved one as a sample after renewing mine. From memory all four had the split in them. I have also seen the ones without a split like yours.

Any reason for the split? Perhaps if the bushing is made with a slightly larger OD than the spring eye this ensures an easier fitting, but still a tight fit in the spring eye? Perhaps it is a later change to make assembly or repair easier?
Any suspension experts here that can answer that question.

I did mine so long ago I cannot remember exactly how it did them but I think I used a bit of threaded rod and washers and a socket to pull them into the spring eye. I have used that method on a few occasions as a puller. Don't remember any great issues doing it. Spring eyes were free of all rust and I would have greased them. Only need a bit of rust to lose a few thou clearance and cause problems with tight fits.

Cheers,

Cheers,