John&Joey
Some Location
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Joined: 05/20/2007
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Sorry guys, can't sleep. Had the all you can eat buffet tonight, and well...I had all I could eat, and am paying for it now. Hopefully the antacid will kick in soon.
Since it's the middle of the night and I can't look at the shackle the best I can do is envision it. Well when I do that, then I come to the conclusion that it isn't the bushings at all, but the shackle bolts.
If what FIRE UP said is true then that shackle must have two pivot points to swing backwards on. Now when I lubed that area I bet I also sprayed those pivot points. So if that's true then it is very possible that it's the pivot points and not the bushings that are making the difference.
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1fastdad
mo.
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Joined: 08/27/2007
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If you have a rubber pivot point in your suspention that you beleive needs to be lubed it needs to be replaced. The rubber is attached to the inside and out side of the bushing and doen't require any lube. In time the rubber does harden and brake and the bushing needs to be replaced. Back to the original subject I would suspect the shocks.
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SRT
Head of the Lakes, MN
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Joined: 02/18/2001
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I think I'll try the silicon spray on mine when it gets warm again. Gotta do something to lessen the front end "pounding" on some of our wonderful roads. The Monroe shocks seem to be still working.
SRT
2000 32' HR Vacationer with Banks
1998 Subaru Outback Ltd. 5 spd
Brake Buddy & Blue Ox Aventa II tow bar
FMCA #266040 HRRVC #84109
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Scottwig
Belvidere, IL
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Joined: 12/15/2007
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I'm going to try Ru-Glide. NAPA sells it by the gallon and it's specially formulated for rubber suspension parts. We used to have it at the gas station I worked in as a kid back in the '60s and it's still available. Thanks John & Joey for the heads up.
Scott and Janet Hartwig
Rocky and Moose, long-haired mini dachshunds
2006 Damon Daybreak 3270F (F53 V-10)
Tandem Tow Dolly with Honda 750s, Aero and Spirit C2, and Ford Focus
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John&Joey
Some Location
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1fastdad wrote:If you have a rubber pivot point in your suspention that you beleive needs to be lubed it needs to be replaced. The rubber is attached to the inside and out side of the bushing and doen't require any lube. In time the rubber does harden and brake and the bushing needs to be replaced. Back to the original subject I would suspect the shocks.
Just so this doesn't get off topic, the original subject was NOT shocks (I'm the OP.) It's the topic of losing some of the suspension due to corrosion. If it's possible.
Trust me, I put off spending big $$$ on shocks because I could not imagine they would cure the "pounding." With what I have now going on, I would. It's even funny, since I was thinking about shocks half way thru yesterdays drive.
As far as the bushings being bad are concern. Now tell me this, how would a cheap trick like penetrating oil fix something designed to carry such a load. Doesn't add up in my mind. Of course if you replace them, guess what, you just made them pivot also by the act of taking it all apart.
Remember, some of us live up here where there is salt on the roads. Does a lot of damage to stuff that wouldn't happen to a rig further south. The prior owner would take my rig south for a few weeks each winter. I'm sure it got a dose of salt.
Again, I'm not saying day and night here. I don't have a super ride after this, but both DW and I did notice a difference.
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topflite51
In The Desert of Nevada
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Joined: 05/13/2004
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John, you do have a point, the salt could have and probably has caused the metal sleeve of the bushing to corrode enough to be siezed on the shackle bolt. Maybe in that regard, PO would be better, or loosening the bolt up and moving it a bit then giving it a squirt. then retightening the nut. It would be funny, if all this pounding we F53 'nutz' have, if it were a solution.
By the way urethane bushings by Prothane are available, I believe. I will have to look to verify.
 David
Just rolling along enjoying life
w/F53 Southwind towing 87 Samurai looking to golf or fish
Simply Despicable 
Any errors are a result of CRS.
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topflite51
In The Desert of Nevada
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John&Joey wrote:
On the topic of "service stations" tell me more Pops , was it true that they would even check the air in your tires for free? Just kidding , I spun a wrench at one also. We even washed windows, too.
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angelino
Yucca Valley,Ca
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Back in the fifties there was a lubricant called "Rueglide" it was sprayed on the springs (leaf springs) when you brought your car in for a lube job.
It was used in the richfield stations and i believe in most other stations like Sunoco and Mobil.
This was back east on Long Island.
I just went on the web and found you can buy Rueglide at NAPA it is now used to hand mount motorcycle tires on the bead area.
* This post was
edited 10/25/09 04:27pm by angelino *
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427435
Rochester, Mn
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Joined: 11/12/2005
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It's been a few years since I worked on leaf spring shackles, but there shouldn't be any metal on metal movement. The bolt should clamp the bushing tight against the shackle. The only movement should be "twisting" of the rubber part that's bonded to the bushing.
Some penitent might reduce the friction between the leafs of a multiple leaf spring, but shouldn't do anything for rubber bushings that are intact and properly clamped.
Yes, it's hard to believe that shocks will reduce the jarring, harsh ride of a leaf spring suspension, but that is what the Koni FSD's do.
Mark
2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U on a Ford chassis, 65,000 miles
2003 Ford Explorer toad with US Gear brakes,
Ready Brute tow bar, and Demco base plate.
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John&Joey
Some Location
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Let's not get stuck on Koni FSD's for the time being. That one has been beaten to death on the forum and everyone has had a different opinion on them (admittedly mostly good.)
Simple true or false:
Does the rear shackle on the F53 pivot back and forth? True or False?
Another more in depth question/answer would be what purpose does a shackle on the back of a leaf spring serve? Whey did the Ford engineers put it there?
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