Check out these rusted Rear Shackles. <pics>

[Guido0136]

So I heard a cluck while going over a small speed bump. When I got home look what I found...

Here is the other side......

Guess it's time to change these. Have to wait for the parts. Sure hope that shackle holds up till that time. I'm driving like a granny right now.... slow and sure wins the race.....

 

[MrQ]

Yikes! I actually would stop driving that ex. If those shackles give (and apparently one did over a small speed bump) your whole rear body will only be supported by the shocks.

Be very careful here man...

 

[Foxracin]

I would definitely park it.

 

[Guido0136]

If I had a choice I would. It's my DD and i'm crossing my fingers. Can you all prey for me until I swap the new ones in?

I sure hope the bolts are not rusted in.

 

[Foxracin]

Start spraying them everyday until you change them with some PB Blaster.

 

[techieman33]

As scary as those are they're not the worst I've seen. One member posted up and both shackles were gone, and the spring was sitting on the frame. The worst part is him mom had been driving around like that for a while.

 

[deamon3]

All I'll say Is I've driven rustier. Although if your shackles are that rusty I can't imagine what the body looks like.

 

[Slowlyvverot]

woooooo yeah i love rusty trucks. My 93 looks pretty similar. I can't wait to start swapping out old rusty metal for new parts.

 

[Guido0136]

Start spraying them everyday until you change them with some PB Blaster.

I'm in Canada and have never heard of PB Blaster, is their a Canadian version under a different name?

 

[Guido0136]

All I'll say Is I've driven rustier. Although if your shackles are that rusty I can't imagine what the body looks like.

The Body is actually fairly good. Only a few light spots in the usualy spaces. Pic below. I had it sprayed for the past few years. I was actually shocked that my mother-in-law 1991 truck's shackles are in better shape. And her truck's body is a true rust bucket. Makes you wonder.

 

[dkchrist]

Talk to Turdle, He may have a powder coated set around that he would sell. That way no more rust. :biggthump

 

[Willard]

That's similar to what mine looked like when I changed them. One side was completely gone out of one, they fell apart in my hands once I had them off. Thing is they were still holding acceptably and I wasn't easy on it before I changed them.

PB Blaster is a penetrating oil for breaking free rusted parts. Perhaps you guys have Liquid Wrench in Canada? It's similar stuff.

And the other scary thing is these parts were powder coated from the factory. But after one little bit of them gets chipped it starts rusting behind the coating. So even powder coating on something like this won't hold forever.

 

[Guido0136]

So now all fixed.... Check out the new and old shackles...

Old Shackle removed.

Both Shackles removed. not much left after removeal.

And now the new shackle.

It took over two hours to remove the bolts, we used a very handy air hammer with a blow torch as well. Luckily we are able to re-use the busings...

Hope I never do that again!

 

[davesexplorer]

wow dats rusty!

 

[Slowlyvverot]

bahahaha the picture of the two old shackles is hilarious. Good job on the swap

 

[deamon3]

I just think it's weird that it's that rusty , I mean it's literally thicker steel then the body so you would imagine it wouldn't get that bad before the body would.

 

[junkYARDbuilt]

It's funny how quickly they rot away, even on a virtually rust free body. I drove mine to dealership to buy the shackles with both leafs on the floor boards of the truck.
Not a parts store in New England stocked them, the dealer banged me almost $100, and in just a few weeks, i got a parts truck with brand new shackles

 

[Guido0136]

I was lucky they didn't fully collaps as this is my DD. Any yes the pile of rust is funny, but only funny after the new ones were installed....

 

[dearden05]

I am doing some light duty wheeling tomorrow and just noticed that the inside shackle on each side of my xlt is rusted more than halfway through! Ugh, I might be driving home REALLY SLOWLY!