96 explorer tt and shackles/aal

[wsgrubbs]

i got a 96 4 door explorer. im getting the shackle kit. and add a leaf. i know how to do the tt and aal. but how do you do the shackles. do you do it on just the back part of the leaf spring or the front and rear shackles on both side. never done a shackle kit

 

[01STrunner]

You only need a pair of warrior products 153 shackles. Then you unbolt the back side of the leaf spring and stock shackle from the frame and replace the stock shackle with the warriors. Ill try to find a really helpful thread for you that I used when I did my TT/Shackles

 

[01STrunner]

Here ya go. This thread is awesome. Lots of pics and a good description on how to do it. This is a Sport Trac but has the same suspension as your ex. Good Luck!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329062&highlight=shackles

 

[AlexSport'00]

It's easier than the AAL.

 

[echoagain]

Just a cautionary note, particularly to those of us in the rust belt.....Installing the shackles should be an easy job, but it can turn into a real challenge. On my 01 sport, the bolts that connected the upper end of the factory shackles to the frame bushings had become fused with the steel sleeves in the frame bushings. I had to cut away the factory shackles in order to remove them, and I destroyed the frame bushings when I forced the bolts out. Removing the remnants of the old frame bushings (hammer and chisel) and pressing in new bushings (about $100 from the Ford dealer for a new pair) was not a fun weekend. You might want to try to make sure that your bolts are free before tackling, or be prepared for a bit of a battle.

 

[2TimingTom]

It's easier than the AAL.

Eh- it depends. I was able to install my AAL all in one shot, in one day in a couple hours. My shackle install involved using a sawzall, a torch, a BFH, a trip to the local leaf spring shop for a new bushing, and a trip to the hardware store for a bunch of bolts and washers to act as a press to draw the new bushing into the leaf pack which took a couple days.