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Issue with stuck shackle bolts

konaboy

Well-Known Member
Joined
April 26, 2005
Messages
172
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City, State
Ohio
Year, Model & Trim Level
1997 XLT
So like most of you my rear leaf shackles on my '97 Explorer have completely rusted through. I was able to get the upper frame bolts off with no problem and get them removed. I was able to get the nut on the drivers side spring off but I can't for the life of me get the bolt out of the spring. I soaked everything for 36 hours in PB penetrating oil. I've beat the crap out of that bolt for a half hour or more and nothing.

The passenger side the shackle completely disintegrated when I started trying to loosen the lower bolt and I can't for the life of me get the nut off as the bolt just spins with it. I can't get the bolt to stop spinning. Can't get a socket to hold on it, tried vice grips, no luck with that.

Any ideas?


 



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Those are the worst ones to have frozen. You cant beat them with a hammer because of the spring end. Can you spin the one with the nut off? If you can just keep spinning it and soaking it with the blaster. You're going to have to cut the other one off and do the same thing. Once you get them to where they will slide back and forth a little cut the bolt head right off and you'll be able to punch it through easier with the smooth shaft. Don't try and punch the threaded end through. Those threads will hang up on all the rust in there. Your other choice is to torch the whole mess out of there. That spring steel will break fairly easy and you don't want to beat it to much. Don't ask me how I know, lol.
 






I had the same problem... Burn the bushings out with heat and install the new ones, they should be in the kit you got. I spent a total of 20 something hours over a course of a week trying to get them out.

If you don't have torches just use a bernzomatic one from your hardware store heat it as much as you can, soak it in PB blaster and then get yourself a good air hammer and a nice size compressor for constant force. (Using a 5 gallon loses it's punch pretty quick) and just hammer and pull till she comes. The air hammer does come in handy... trust me.
 






Those are the worst ones to have frozen. You cant beat them with a hammer because of the spring end. Can you spin the one with the nut off? If you can just keep spinning it and soaking it with the blaster. You're going to have to cut the other one off and do the same thing. Once you get them to where they will slide back and forth a little cut the bolt head right off and you'll be able to punch it through easier with the smooth shaft. Don't try and punch the threaded end through. Those threads will hang up on all the rust in there. Your other choice is to torch the whole mess out of there. That spring steel will break fairly easy and you don't want to beat it to much. Don't ask me how I know, lol.


The one with the nut on it, the entire thing spins when I try to loosen the nut but will not break free.

One of my buddies said just go to a junk yard get some better looking springs and u-bolts and put a whole new set on with the shackles. That just opens up a whole new can of rusted bolt worms to deal with.

The other one with the nut off, driver side, are you saying to cut the head off the bolt and try and punch it through right to left if you are looking at the back of the car.

This has me super frustrated. I've read and read and read and had everything ready and now I can't get either side done :mad:

One of my buddies said just go to a junk yard get some better looking springs and u-bolts and put a whole new set on with the shackles. That just opens up a whole new can of rusted bolt worms to deal with.
 






The torch works better if you have new bushings, but if not you just have to keep spraying them and working them in circles and back and forth until the crap in there gets loosened up. If you have to do it without heat, don't try knocking the threads through the bushing. The shaft is smooth part of the way down the bolt and the smooth shaft will slide through easier. It's going to take some time.

The one that spins, cut the head off the bolt and try punching it through. If it won't go you'll have to grab the threads with vice grips and keep spinning it. It will come eventually. But whatever you do don't try pounding those threads through there.


The one with the nut on it, the entire thing spins when I try to loosen the nut but will not break free.

One of my buddies said just go to a junk yard get some better looking springs and u-bolts and put a whole new set on with the shackles. That just opens up a whole new can of rusted bolt worms to deal with.

The other one with the nut off, driver side, are you saying to cut the head off the bolt and try and punch it through right to left if you are looking at the back of the car.

This has me super frustrated. I've read and read and read and had everything ready and now I can't get either side done :mad:

One of my buddies said just go to a junk yard get some better looking springs and u-bolts and put a whole new set on with the shackles. That just opens up a whole new can of rusted bolt worms to deal with.
 






You already mushroomed the one in the first photo-cut the end off and use an air hammer to drive it through while trying to turn the bolt head end. Might have to do the same with the other side. (drop the spare, it gives you more room to work).

Bill
 






what you can also try is a ball joint c clamp removal tool. if you are going to replace the bushing cut the head off the bolt, and put a large socket on one end that is bigger then the bushing so it will slid into it. then crank it like crazy. i had to do that with one set i did for both the spring bushing, and also had to do that for the bolt and sleeve in the frame bushing.
 






Those springs look like they are probably the originals, judging by the rust. Its probably time to just put new ones in anyway, and get rid of the "gangster lean" that many Explorers exhibit. It will save you a whole lot of time and frustration, trying to salvage your tired, rusty old parts. The new springs will also come with new bushings already installed.

While you're under there, get some POR15 and undercoating on that frame, before it rots away to nothing.
 






burn the old bushings out (MAP gas and a hand-held torch) and replace them with new hardware. sometimes you gotta cut your loses and go Rambo on it.
 






Yep torch it. But the outer metal sleeve of the bushing is going to be rusted into the spring- that's where the air hammer with a chisel attachment comes in handy. I think I have pics of my shackle work in my registry.
 






At some point rust will have the final say. Look above those points - how much metal is left to support those shackles? They hold, each, 1/2 of rear weight of the car.
 






Those springs look like they are probably the originals, judging by the rust. Its probably time to just put new ones in anyway, and get rid of the "gangster lean" that many Explorers exhibit. It will save you a whole lot of time and frustration, trying to salvage your tired, rusty old parts. The new springs will also come with new bushings already installed.

While you're under there, get some POR15 and undercoating on that frame, before it rots away to nothing.

yeah those are the original springs, I'm thinking that may be the better route to go.

So is it worth maybe going to a salvage yard to get some replacements or buy new? I'm figuring at this point I'll probably only have this car another year or two. Body is getting rust on the rear fenders and passenger side rocker panel. It's not my daily driver thankfully but a backup car in case one goes down and one to haul stuff in.

I can just cut the u-bolts off as I'll need new ones, so the only bolt I'll have to fight is the front one that holds the front of the leaf spring on.
 






If you're only driving it another year I wouldn't spend that kind of money on new ones. And you'll get the same thing from a junkyard. Do what Koda said and go Rambo on them, get them off and put on new shackles and a set of Monroe load adjuster shocks.
 






If you're only driving it another year I wouldn't spend that kind of money on new ones. And you'll get the same thing from a junkyard. Do what Koda said and go Rambo on them, get them off and put on new shackles and a set of Monroe load adjuster shocks.

gotta agree, i wouldn't spend any more than necessary on a rusty-ass '97. be safe, but don't throw any more money at it than you have to.
 






I will also stress how important an air hammer is for this kind of thing. An air hammer will impact that thing with 100 blows faster than you can swing once with a hand sledge.
 






I will also stress how important an air hammer is for this kind of thing. An air hammer will impact that thing with 100 blows faster than you can swing once with a hand sledge.

yes. i was thinking maybe you could use a 2-jaw puller to try to push the bolt out. hitting it with a hammer doesn't work too well as the spring moves around and the movement absorbs the impact of the blow, rather than transferring to the bolt. but burning them out is still easier/quicker. i have found that penetrating oil (regardless of brand) really doesn't penetrate to where its needed. not when you're dealing with that much rust.
 






Thin about how much time and effort you'll have to put into getting these things apart. Then you will still have to fight to get the new bushings in. In the end, you'll still be stuck w/ used worn out old springs.

Rock Auto doesn't even list spring bushings separately, for your Explorer, but the ones for my '93 Ranger are about $15 per spring (one front and one rear bushing for each spring). New springs, for the Explorer are about $130/each, when you subtract the $15 you would spend on just bushings, you're spending $115 per side.
Rock also doesn't show a listing for new front hangers, for the Explorer, but again, the Ranger ones are about $20 each.

Assuming you can find the Explorer equivalent for about the same price, you'll spend about $275 total, for new hangars and springs (w/ new bushings installed). Considering how much less effort it will be, instead of fighting with the old parts, its really the way to go. Even if you only keep it another 2 years, its worth it. It will either increase the value/sale-ability if you sell it, or if you junk it, you can remove those parts and re-sell them to recoup some of your cost. Just use plenty of copper anti-seize on the new bolts, so everything will easily come apart later. I only like to "fight" a particular part one time; the first time I work on it/fix it. Then, I do it right, with the assumption I'll be the one who has to remove it again next time, so I go through plenty of anti-seize.

I totally understand trying to do things as inexpensively as possible. On the other hand, some problems are better solved with a checkbook, instead of a hammer or wrench. I think this is one of those times.......
 






Thin about how much time and effort you'll have to put into getting these things apart. Then you will still have to fight to get the new bushings in. In the end, you'll still be stuck w/ used worn out old springs.

Rock Auto doesn't even list spring bushings separately, for your Explorer, but the ones for my '93 Ranger are about $15 per spring (one front and one rear bushing for each spring). New springs, for the Explorer are about $130/each, when you subtract the $15 you would spend on just bushings, you're spending $115 per side.
Rock also doesn't show a listing for new front hangers, for the Explorer, but again, the Ranger ones are about $20 each.

Assuming you can find the Explorer equivalent for about the same price, you'll spend about $275 total, for new hangars and springs (w/ new bushings installed). Considering how much less effort it will be, instead of fighting with the old parts, its really the way to go. Even if you only keep it another 2 years, its worth it. It will either increase the value/sale-ability if you sell it, or if you junk it, you can remove those parts and re-sell them to recoup some of your cost. Just use plenty of copper anti-seize on the new bolts, so everything will easily come apart later. I only like to "fight" a particular part one time; the first time I work on it/fix it. Then, I do it right, with the assumption I'll be the one who has to remove it again next time, so I go through plenty of anti-seize.

I totally understand trying to do things as inexpensively as possible. On the other hand, some problems are better solved with a checkbook, instead of a hammer or wrench. I think this is one of those times.......

totally get what you are saying there. I don't need new front hangers, those actually look good, the U-Bolts I'm sure should be replaced just because.
 






yes. i was thinking maybe you could use a 2-jaw puller to try to push the bolt out. hitting it with a hammer doesn't work too well as the spring moves around and the movement absorbs the impact of the blow, rather than transferring to the bolt. but burning them out is still easier/quicker. i have found that penetrating oil (regardless of brand) really doesn't penetrate to where its needed. not when you're dealing with that much rust.

So here's my question about burning them out. Started to apply a little heat from a propane torch yesterday and saw smoke, sparks and such from the penetrating oil burning. Seeing how close the fuel tank is my concern is actually starting a real fire. Also isn't there a risk of breaking or cracking the spring since it's tempered?
 



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So here's my question about burning them out. Started to apply a little heat from a propane torch yesterday and saw smoke, sparks and such from the penetrating oil burning. Seeing how close the fuel tank is my concern is actually starting a real fire. Also isn't there a risk of breaking or cracking the spring since it's tempered?

If you insist on trying to save these, then I would hold off on any torching,etc.. until you have the springs themselves on the ground and away from the vehicle. If the spring bolts aren't cooperating anyway, then you might as well just cut/grind the heads and the nuts off, so you can remove the spring from the shackle/hanger and off the vehicle. That will give you more room to work, and not risk torching the truck.

As far as the spring "temper", I don't think a propane "plumbing" torch will get them hot enough to damage the steel. If you haven't burned out the rubber yet, then its unlikely the steel got too hot. On that note, be careful not to breathe any of those very nasty burning rubber fumes. That can be toxic.
 






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