Im trying to put on my shackles tonight, I got them unbolted from the top on both sides, But the bottom bolt wont budge, I got the nut off, (its loose) but the bolts just stuck in there.

Here's where Im at. A friend sugested to pull the hitch off, and put a jack on the leafs to frame to lower them, and put impact on the bolt??















This is the other side, never started tackling the bottom yet on it

 

welcome to the wonderful world of suspension work..

living in the rust belt doesn't help either.

good luck.

 

hit it with a hammer. lower the jack holding the axle so you can get a good swing. then crank the bolt out with a ratchet.

 

that is nasty, glad i didn't run into any thing like that when i did my shackle swap.


Def hit it wiht a hammer and a punch or something. Heating it might melt the rubber bushings in the leaf. Maybe an impact to turn it a bunch to clear out the rust holding it in...

 

it is probably siezed into the sleeve int he bushing. spray inbetween the bolt and the sleeve with pb blaster and heat THE END OF THE BOLT ONLY so heat transfers into the sleeve, pb, heat, pb, heat keep repeating. if this doesnt work youll have to replace the bushing

 

WD-40 work the same?

 

no, not really. pb blaster works very well, but like he said, not too much heat at a time. those bushings can be a pain sometimes

 

Oh and We heated( till the bushing started to melt) and pounded the crap out of it, wouldnt budge. and Cant get a socket on the end unless I Put a jack between the top of the leafs and frame and lower them.

 

Is the problem that the bolt is hitting the frame? or is it stuck in the bushing?

I think you just need to get some clearance and pound it out.

 

jack the truck up on the frame rails get all the weight off the rear axle so you can move it down to clear the frame

 

Where can I find a new bushing and stuff for the bottom if i wreak this one?

 

The Axle's All the way down. Jacked by the frame, with the wheels off.

Bushing is stuck, I can get a rench on the bolt, just not enough room for an impact.

If I a jack on the leafs I could prob get them down enough to fit an impact, Maybe?

 

dealership sells em

 

jack the truck up by the frame more and let the suspension droop, that will allow that leaf to pivot down below the hitch so you can get an impact on it like you said.

 

The frame 's on jack stands and the axle's all the way down with the tires off. Still wont come down far enough to get the impact on it.

 

can you get the frame up higher? if the frame goes up higher the leaf will drop down. do you know what i mean?

 

Not really? becuase with the axle fully exstended its not on the ground yet, Tried to remove the shocks to get more drop but after about 10mm with the impact the nut wouldnt go anymore. Everything is seased up!

 

yeah for the south and no rust

 

o ic what you mean, the shocks are holding it up? i got it. if you can get those loose and get the frame up higher the axle should drop down some more

 

Yep, I would pull the shocks and drop the axle further, heat it again and hit it with the impact.

 

I dont know if it's been said already....

BUT....unbolt the top bolt from the hanger. On the backside is a captive nut. Do both sides of the truck, let the axle completely droop down, then do the lower shackle to leaf bolt, put on your new shackles, then bolt everything back up.

 

unbolt the leaf spring from the axle and front hanger to get more room slash get it completely out of the truck for an impact....or get a really long lever/breaker bar.

 

Whats the next smaller size under 3/4 sorry more of a mm guy lol. Or the MM equvilent just under 3/4 so I dont wreak that bolt more than wally did!

My friend helping remove the shock put the impact on one end of that bolt, and a little wrench on the other and goes hold on like a man. You shouldve seen my hand lol.

 

lol, try 11/16 inches
.75inches = 19.05mm

but those bolts should be 21mm

 

Yeah this is just for where the shock connects to axle. The shackle ones are 21