M300 forward spring bushing replacement.

[Clyde9]

From: Coachmen1972  (Original Message)
Sent: 8/7/2006 12:26 AM

By request.....here's what I did.

PB blasted the 12 nuts and bolts for a few days.

As per someone's advice in the archives I chocked the wheels. Turn the wheel slightly left or right so the pittman arm is not in the way of the port forward bolt.

Loosened the four bushing nuts, but left the bolts in. Got the 2.5 ton jack out and jacked up the chassis dead center at the forward cross member untill there was about 1 inch of space under the wheels. (WATCH THE BRAKE FLEX HOSES) Then put stands under the chassis behind the axle. Let the jack down until there was JUST light under the wheels. This spreads the load. Tightened the chocks.

Loosened the u-bolt nuts. (Use a 1/2 inch breaker bar. Don't even torture yourself with 3/8" tools here.) When the threads were just inside the nuts I whacked the U bolts loose and up. They were cooperative. There is a shim under the spring with a hole in the center where the bolt in the spring sits. The shim is located by four cutouts where the U-bolts go. You can't mess this up. The mounting plate for the shock just dangles, no need to remove the shock first.

After the springs were off the axle I whacked out the bolts. (Same way, nut JUST off the bolt, whack the nut. Two bolts had a hex head at the other end, turning them helped them out. The back two had round heads, and a jam fit into the shackles....(little splines) they needed some SERIOUS whacking. The starboard side was partially obstructed by the exhaust pipe. I nuzzled it out of the way with a small floor jack.

With all the bolts removed I wiggled the springs out and took them to a long time local suspension/front end specialist. They put in four new bushings in a half hour, for $37.00 including four new bolts. ( I reused the U bolts.)

Installation was the same in reverse with the following notes: I put never seize on everything. (I use the stuff everywhere.) The U bolts had spread about 1/4 inch upon exiting. I used a steel C-clamp to squeeze them together and tap them in. Don't forget the mounting plates for the shock, and put them on as soon as the bolts protrude past the top of the I shaped axle, if you go past the bottom of the I they won't go on. You need the space of the narrow part of the "I".

Tighten everything down and voila.