SUPERPRO Leaf Spring Bushes for DAIHATSU FOURTRAK

Leaf spring bushes are the small parts that let a leaf spring do a big job. They sit in the eyes at each end of the spring and in the shackle, and every movement of the axle passes through them. On a leaf sprung bakkie or 4WD, they also help hold the axle in place, because the spring locates the axle as well as carrying it. When the bushes wear, the axle starts to shift on the springs, the rear end feels loose and the squeaks and clunks begin. On a working bakkie that carries a tray load, tows and covers rough roads, the spring bushes are among the first suspension parts to go. Use the vehicle search to find leaf spring bushes to suit your DAIHATSU FOURTRAK.

Where Do DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Leaf Spring Bushes Sit?

Front Eye

The front eye of the spring bolts to a fixed hanger on the chassis. Its bush is the main locating pivot for the axle. It carries the braking and acceleration forces and the pull from a trailer, so it often works harder than the other bushes.

Rear Eye

The rear eye connects to the shackle. Its bush lets the spring eye rotate as the shackle swings.

Shackle Upper

The top of the shackle bolts to a chassis hanger, with its own bush or bushes. This pivot lets the shackle swing as the spring lengthens and shortens under compression.

Other Positions

Some vehicles also use bushes at spring saddles, helper springs or other spring mounts. Bush kits are often sold by position, so knowing which pivot is worn helps narrow down the right kit.

Why Leaf Spring Bushes Matter on Your DAIHATSU FOURTRAK

A leaf spring compresses and flattens as the load goes on, and its length changes. The eye bushes rotate and the shackle swings to allow it. That happens on every bump, every time the tray is loaded and every time the vehicle brakes or accelerates.

A loaded bakkie puts heavy, steady weight through those pivots. Towing adds strong fore and aft pull at the front eye. Corrugations add thousands of small cycles in a short distance. Dust, mud and water work into the pivots. That combination is why spring bushes on a working vehicle wear far faster than on one that stays on the bitumen.

When the front eye bush wears, the axle can move slightly fore and aft and rotate under load. That can cause clunks on take-off and braking, a vague rear end, and in bad cases a feeling that the rear is steering the vehicle.

DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Standard and Heavy-Duty Leaf Spring Bushes

Standard Bushes

Standard bushes suit vehicles used mostly on the road with moderate loads. They aim to restore the factory feel and location, with a balance of comfort and control.

Heavy-Duty Bushes

Heavy-duty bushes are generally made firmer, or with a different construction, to cope with constant heavy loads and towing. They tend to hold the spring eye more firmly under load and resist squashing out over time. The trade-off can be a firmer feel and a little more vibration through the chassis.

For a bakkie carrying a tray, canopy or service body, towing regularly or running with an upgraded GVM, heavy-duty bushes are often the better fit.

Rubber and Polyurethane

Many factory spring bushes are rubber, which is quiet and absorbs vibration but can crack, perish and squash out with load, heat and age. Polyurethane bushes are generally firmer and more resistant to oil and wear, and they keep the spring more precisely located. Some polyurethane designs need lubrication to stay quiet.

Getting the Right Size for Your DAIHATSU FOURTRAK

Leaf spring bushes have to match the inside diameter of the spring eye or shackle hanger and the diameter of the pin or bolt. Some vehicles have more than one size across their production run, and some aftermarket springs use different eye sizes from factory springs. A bush that is slightly too small can move in the eye. One that is too big will not fit without damage.

If your vehicle has aftermarket leaf springs, check whether the springs need a specific bush kit. Some kits are made only for a particular spring design. Measure or confirm the eye size before ordering if there is any doubt.

How Do You Know DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Leaf Spring Bushes Are Worn?

Squeaking or creaking from the rear over bumps, or when the vehicle is rocked, is often the first sign. It usually points to a dry or worn pivot.

Clunking when taking off, braking or towing points to the spring eye moving on a worn bush. That movement can also be felt as a shunt through the vehicle.

The rear can feel loose or vague, particularly on uneven roads or with a trailer behind. In some cases the vehicle tracks slightly off line because the axle has shifted on the springs.

On inspection, worn bushes are usually visible. Look for cracked, split or perished rubber, bushes squashed out of the eye, a pin sitting off centre in the eye, or rust streaks around the pivot. Levering the spring eye against the hanger can show how much it moves.

Worn shackle pins, loose U-bolts and a shifted centre bolt can cause similar symptoms, so check those at the same time.

DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Lifted, Loaded and Towing Considerations

Lifted DAIHATSU FOURTRAK

A lift on a leaf sprung bakkie changes the shackle angle and the loads through the spring eyes. Raised springs, new shackles or both may be part of the lift, and new bushes are generally fitted at the same time. Bushes should be tightened with the vehicle at ride height so they are not preloaded in a twisted position.

DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Heavy Loads and GVM Upgrades

A bakkie with an upgraded GVM, a heavy tray or a service body carries more weight through the spring bushes every day. Heavy-duty bushes are often fitted as part of a GVM upgrade for that reason. Regular inspection is worth building into the service routine.

Towing With Your DAIHATSU FOURTRAK

Towing loads the front eye bushes hard. Every take-off and every brake application pulls or pushes the axle through them. A bakkie that tows regularly can wear the front eye bushes faster than the others.

What Comes With a DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Leaf Spring Bush Kit?

Kits vary. Some cover one position, such as the front eye only. Others cover all the bushes for one spring, or both springs. Sleeves and lubricant may or may not be included, and pins and bolts are often sold separately. Check the product details for the positions covered, the eye size and what is included.

Should You Replace the DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Bushes, Shackles or Springs?

New bushes are usually enough when the springs are in good shape and the pins, shackles and hangers are sound.

Shackles and pins should be replaced at the same time when the pins are worn or grooved, or the shackle plates have worn at their holes. Converting to greasable pins is worth considering for vehicles that see water, mud or dust.

The springs themselves need replacing when they have sagged, cracked or lost their arch. New bushes in a tired spring will not restore ride height or load capacity. When springs are replaced, fitting new bushes with them makes sense.

What Affects the Cost of Replacing DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Leaf Spring Bushes?

The bushes themselves are generally a modest part of the cost. Labour usually makes up most of it, and that depends on how many positions are being done, whether the springs need to be removed, and how much the hardware has seized. On older or corroded vehicles, pins and bolts can be difficult to remove, which adds time. Replacing pins, shackles or springs at the same time adds parts cost but can save repeat labour later.

Fitting DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Leaf Spring Bushes

Replacing spring bushes means taking the load off the springs, so it is a job for a qualified technician. The vehicle is supported on rated stands at the chassis, and the axle is supported separately so the spring can be unloaded. Pins and shackle bolts are removed, the old bushes are pressed or driven out, and the eyes are cleaned and checked for wear.

The new bushes are fitted with any lubricant supplied. Pins and bolts are tightened with the vehicle at ride height and torqued to specification. A road test confirms the result, and it is worth rechecking the fasteners after the first few hundred kilometres.

Find the Right DAIHATSU FOURTRAK Leaf Spring Bushes with Formula 4x4

Use the vehicle search, then identify which positions need bushes. Confirm the eye size and whether the springs are factory or aftermarket. Choose standard or heavy duty based on load, towing and any GVM upgrade, and check the product details for what is included.

If you are unsure what your DAIHATSU FOURTRAK needs, contact the Formula 4x4 team.