bushings?

[Rzeppa]

no welder or torch for me. (YET...)

Would a combo of my bench vise and a propane torch do any good? Any chance all that heat would damage the leafs themselves? I still have not received the slip plate, so no hurry yet. No engine anyway. But the mouse pooooop is gone!!

Yes, although if you have a propane torch put a bottle of MAPP gas on it instead, it'll make a hotter flame. No you can't damage the temper in the springs if you're just aiming at the wraps, just try to get the right-angle part as red hot as you can then bend with vice grips.

I wouldn't worry too much about slip plate between the leaves, plain old dino grease seems to work too. Either will wear through fairly quick anyway in my observation and grease is a lot cheaper. It's only the interface between the upper tip of the leaf below and where the tip slides on the upper leaf it mates to that sees any wear anyway, the rest of the interface area in the pack doesn't see much at all.