Warrior 153 shackles install with pics | Page 8 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Warrior 153 shackles install with pics

So going offroad is not going to hurt the stock shocks? I'm not yet a hardcore offroader, but do go onto dirt roads at times where its really bumpy.
 



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Your fine with stock shocks and the shackles. If you go any higher than the lift given by shackles, then you would want longer shocks. This is so they don't go beyond the max extension and eventually break.

It wouldn't hurt to go a couple inches longer, as long as you keep your collapsed rate around the same. Going longer will give your axle more flex and less chance of using them to stop your axle from flexing. Without limit straps, your shocks and your leaf springs are the only thing that stop your droop from one side to the next. I have much longer shocks than stock, and I still flex them to their max extension. It all depends on what your going to use it for, when deciding on shocks.

Keep the stockers on for now in the stock mounting locations, until you think you want to get more flex out of it. For now, your safe to use the stock shocks. :)
 






Yep, stock shocks work. I swapped to a 4 door leaf pack, added a leaf, and put on lift shackles gaining me 3 inches over start (2 inches over what would have been level). Took it out in the woods today and it flexed just fine. Have a new set of ranchos(stock sized) ready to put on.
 






Ok great! I just think i should get new shocks now that ill b messing with the suspension might as well replace the shocks.
 






WELL, I got my shackles today, pretty lol.

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Now I just have to wait for my wrenches to come in, and I can start doing the lift.
 






What is the power tool called that can use sockets with power to get nuts off that are stubborn? is that an impact wrench? If so, does anyone know if HF carries them? Sears wants waayyyy too much. I attempted to get the left shackle off last night, and boy those nuts are not budging with my current regular socket set. Would a breaker bar help? I'm just tossing out ideas....not really sure what to do now. Should I spray the crap outta them for weeks with PB Blaster or what?
 






What is the power tool called that can use sockets with power to get nuts off that are stubborn? is that an impact wrench? If so, does anyone know if HF carries them? Sears wants waayyyy too much. I attempted to get the left shackle off last night, and boy those nuts are not budging with my current regular socket set. Would a breaker bar help? I'm just tossing out ideas....not really sure what to do now. Should I spray the crap outta them for weeks with PB Blaster or what?

Spray with PB blaster and let soak for a day. My impact wrench was too weak to bust them off. I used a breaker bar(18 to 20 inches long if I had to guess) on my 3/8 socket wrench and they came right off no problem.
 






Yeah a breaker bar after there soaked down real good helps. Impact are great for removing them after the nuts are off. Spin em and tap the ends of the bolts. Thread the nut back on about half way and tap the nut so you don't thrash the threads on the bolts.

I use a pin bar to remove them the rest of the way as I operate the floor jack. You can get the jack just right to relieve the pressure off the bolts as you tap them out.

Just remember not to tighten them to much when you install the new shackles. They will bend inward if you go gonzo on the wrench. ;)
 






Yeah a breaker bar after there soaked down real good helps. Impact are great for removing them after the nuts are off. Spin em and tap the ends of the bolts. Thread the nut back on about half way and tap the nut so you don't thrash the threads on the bolts.

I use a pin bar to remove them the rest of the way as I operate the floor jack. You can get the jack just right to relieve the pressure off the bolts as you tap them out.

Just remember not to tighten them to much when you install the new shackles. They will bend inward if you go gonzo on the wrench. ;)

Agreed. I had the torque specs somewhere, ill see if I can find them...

edit: "Tighten the rear spring shackle lower bolt and nut to 83-112 Lb/Ft"
-this is what i followed for the upper and lower shackle bolts..pulled from a "how to" on a leaf pack swap.
 






I soaked the nuts for 24 hours, and still the right side will not budge. I got a 17" breaker bar 3/8" drive and was able to loosen the entire left side, but the right side is going nowhere. Guess I'm gonna have to have the husband break them loose for me.

BTW, what's a pin bar? I was able to get the top bolt of the left shackle, but the bottom one isn't budging.


OOPS my fault, it was a 17" breaker bar, NOT a 7".
 






Use a 2 foot 1/2" breaker bar. Yours is too small. Bigger is better in this case. If they wont budge with that, there most likely froze to the bushings.

A pin bar is just a tool that has a pointed blunt end to center holes with or to drive things out of a hole.
 






Wow thats a LONG breaker bar lol. Dunno if I can find one that big. Ok got it with the pin bar. Guess I get another trip to HF tomorrow. OR, if worse comes to worse, Sears.

Which bolt needs to come off first, the bottom or top? If i get the top one out, will that make a mess for me to take care of?

Doesn't help that the old shackles and bolts are completely rusted.
 






WELL, I ended up taking the ex to a spring shop. They charged me $70 to put both shackles on. PIX:


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Not sure if the lift is that noticeable....hard to tell from my angles.
 






nice! definitely will give it a try
 






WELL, I ended up taking the ex to a spring shop. They charged me $70 to put both shackles on.


Congrats on getting them installed. :chug:

So, did the bushings survive or did they have to install new ones?
 






Bushings survived :) Looks good I think :) The spring shop couldn't get one of the nuts on one of the coil springs to break loose, so they sprayed the crap outta it, and hopefully next week they will be able to put on the coil seats. I can't wait to be able to afford new tires!
 






About to get a set, cant wait to see the outcome on my st. Doesn't look too bad to install.
 






Not hard to install if you have the right set of tools and bolts that aren't rusted!!! LOL!!
 






On the warrior kit ?
as I am making my own shackles can anyone tell me

what size are the bolts ? I would like to get new ones before I start the job
and do they need to be High Tensile steel bolts ?

mines a pain as there is a towbar fitted obscuring the top bolt and stopping it sliding all the way out, if I am fittin new bolts it will be easier to cut the top bolt heads off so they will come out, when I refit I will put the bolts back withe heads on the opposite side incase I need access again
thanks
 



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take your shackle to your local bolt bin.

the bolts have to be the width of the shackle + the width of the nut and associated washers... I think mine were 4.250 or 4.500"
 






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