a bushing for a lift axle assembly for a heavy vehicle . the lift axle assembly selectively lowers and raises supplemental wheels of the vehicle into and out of engagement with a support surface and forms a part of the support system for the vehicle when the supplemental wheels are lowered . the assembly comprising at least one bushing . the bushing includes a hard polymeric sleeve having a wall thickness of about 0 . 1 ″ to about 0 . 3 ″ and a hardness of greater than shore 65d . an elastomeric polyurethane sleeve surrounds the hard polymeric sleeve and is fixed to it . a metal shaft is rotatably mounted in the hard polymeric sleeve .