kgibson4 Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 This week I changed out the bushings on our '87 Odyssey. Fancy, new, red polyurethane!! It was a chore but needed since the old rubber ones were worn to the point that the through-bolts were touching the spring eyes on most. After reading the experiences of others here and taking some measurements of the spring eyes, I did not order the 18-1002 kit specified on the Prothane site. Instead I ordered the 18-1001 kit in which all the bushings were the same size. Everything fit perfectly. Can't wait to try them out on the road! Tried to get pictures but the light had faded, so maybe tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Changing the spring bushings on by Escaper is on my short lost of projects. I hopefully will get to it this summer. My RV only has 41,000 miles but the bushings make really strange groaning noises when I put air in the airbags. I think it would help the ride quality to get off my backside and finally do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgibson4 Posted April 26, 2015 Author Share Posted April 26, 2015 I think our issues with spring bushings are due to age rather than mileage. Like our tires, the rubber dries out and then deteriorates and then it wears. Our Odyssey has about 51k miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I think our issues with spring bushings are due to age rather than mileage. Like our tires, the rubber dries out and then deteriorates and then it wears. Our Odyssey has about 51k miles. Age and also a lot more weight on those bushings full-time then Toyota ever planned on. Thus the advantage of the air-bag suspension between the frame-rails and axle-tubes.. They give additional support without relying on the spring shackles, pins, or bushings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgibson4 Posted April 26, 2015 Author Share Posted April 26, 2015 Age and also a lot more weight on those bushings full-time then Toyota ever planned on. Thus the advantage of the air-bag suspension between the frame-rails and axle-tubes.. They give additional support without relying on the spring shackles, pins, or bushings. I'm sure you are right. We don't have air springs but we do have extra leaves in the springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I used the red ones also. If I am going to do something I want it to show! But 2 of mine did not fit and due to time constraints I had 2 buy a couple regular ones from NAPA, they are black and just not as pretty! Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Did you have a hard time getting the old bushings out? Was there a metal sleeve inside of the bushings? I had a shop change the spring hangers on my Ford Ranger and they had to use a heavy press to punch out the old bushings. Just wondering what I will be getting into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgibson4 Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 Getting the old bushings out was no problem. They push or pry out easily. The new bushings slide in easily also when lubed with the sticky grease that came with the set. No sleeves, only the shackle on the rear and a very specialized bolt on the front. I think I made more work for myself by doing one side at a time. Alignment of the bolt and shackle took some "gentle persuasion" with a come-along and jack. I also did not take the axle loose from the springs. On the front I found it easiest to put the inside half of the bushing in the spring, align with the spring mount. Put the outside half on the bolt and install the bolt. I'm sure this will all make more sense when you have yours apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctgriffi Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Don't mean to hijack this thread, but if anybody knows (with confidence) the Prothane PN's for spring/shackle bushings on a 91 Warrior (90 chassis), I'd love to hear about it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgibson4 Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 Not a problem. I started this thread because I wanted to help people get the right parts for their vehicle. If someone knows the proper bushings for the newer units, I hope they will post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydancer2992 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I have a 91 Warrior (90 Toyota Chassis). My bushings were all the same size but the set recommended by Prothane web site came with two larger bushings. I called Prothane and they immediately sent two more of the smaller bushings, no charge, to complete my job. I believe the set recommended by Kgibson4 will work for the newer Toyhomes as well. If not, Prothane will stand behind their product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctgriffi Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 I have a 91 Warrior (90 Toyota Chassis). My bushings were all the same size but the set recommended by Prothane web site came with two larger bushings. I called Prothane and they immediately sent two more of the smaller bushings, no charge, to complete my job. I believe the set recommended by Kgibson4 will work for the newer Toyhomes as well. If not, Prothane will stand behind their product. Thanks for chiming in, Skydancer. I ordered the recommended set with all the same size bushings, 18-1001, and hope to install in a few days, along with a new set of KYB Gas-a-Just shocks. (Hope this all goes smoothly; heading out of town in the Warrior next weekend...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctgriffi Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Anybody out there tonight?! Trying to swap out these bushings and I can't seem to figure out how to get the tension off the leafs, in order to remove the pins. What am I missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Last time I did this was with my 79 landcruiser when I changed the springs. I really don't remember much about it as it was so long ago but I'd suggest a quick search on youtube. I searched "replacing leaf spring shackles" and plenty of videos came up. I know, not a ton of help. Sorry in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctgriffi Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 No problem, thanks for posting. I feel like maybe there's some magic position that will free the pins up, so I can beat em out of there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydancer2992 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I had a jack stand under the frame so that the axle was hanging down, supported by the springs. Then I used the Toyota bottle jack under the axle to reduce tension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgibson4 Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 You need to raise the back end of the Toy high enough that when you put jack stands under the frame, you can take the rear wheels off and let the axle hang down. You will then have to raise the axle just enough so that it is not hanging on the shackles. I also had to take the emergency brake cable loose at the front (near the back of the transmission). Oops, Skydancer beat me to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydancer2992 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Uncanny coincidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctgriffi Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Thanks for the help, people. I did have the frame up high enough to let everything hang down, and I had a jack under the axle, which I adjusted up and down to try and find the sweet spot to free up the leaf springs. However, this did not seem to help. (Maybe because I only had one side of the RV jacked up... the chunk of driveway that's available for this project isn't wide enough to work on both sides simultaneously.) Anyway, after about 2 hours with a hammer, C-clamp, and pry bar, I got this one rear shackle free. The (not very) funny thing is that the bushings don't look that bad (maybe they're not original?). One of 'em is torn a little, but I think that's probably due to abuse from the pry bar. I also removed one of the skinny, little shocks back there, and it feels surprisingly weak/flimsy; my new KYB Gas-a-Just shocks look like a million bucks next to the old ones! Anyway, I'm very short on time to get this all finished, so I'm considering just slapping new bushings on this one shackle, bolting up the new shocks, and calling it done... for now. How does that sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydancer2992 Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 If you are short on time, change the shock only. Maybe your bushings were changed not long ago by the previous owner. Mine looked like Kgibson's pictures, completely worn through the rubber so that metal was contacting metal. Before the replacement, the rubber looked like toothpaste being squeezed out of the shackle bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgibson4 Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 I agree with Skydancer, those bushings look good. Plus, if you replace the bushings on just one shackle and they are a different color, you'll leave a real head scratcher for the next person that changes the bushings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctgriffi Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 I did end up replacing just the bushings on that one shackle (big pita, 3-4 hrs) and then swapped in my KYB shocks (30min for both!). Truck drives WAY better over bumps now. Shocks I removed were about 1.5" in diameter and so weak I could play em like an accordion. New shocks are double the size and look like they belong on a Humvee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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