need help with shackles asap

[robtoy_r]

i got my shackles yesterday and i started working on it as soon as i got them, well anyways my stock ones are all rusted. i started with the passenger side because the muffler is on that side and i figured that would be the hardest one to do then the other one would be easier. i got the nut off the top bolt but i can not get the bolt itself out of there, im not sure if it has to be unscrewed out of it? or as everyone says its supposed to just slide out but i tried unscrewing it and pounding it out and it just wont go. i figured id wait on that one and try the bottom bolt, well the nut would not come off so i ended up pounding it out of the leaf spring itself, there is a little metal thing thats around the bolt i belive thats supposed to come out but im not worried about that right now so if anyone could help me or explain to me how the top bolt is supposed to come out i would really appreciate it. its already been 1 day since i started and everyone else says it only takes them a couple hours and ive already used a whole can of liquid wrench.

 

[Charlie]

Try putting a screwdriver on the end of the bolt, then hitting that to pound it out. Because of the bushings in the frame, they stick in there pretty good. It just takes time and pounding.

 

[robtoy_r]

well as long as i know that its supposed to slide out and not screw out of it then i might be able to remove the lower trim on that side so i have more room to pound it out

 

[robtoy_r]

do you know if the metal thing that is around the bolt is supposed to slide out with it or is the bolt supposed to slide out of that?

 

[thunderhorse]

Just the bolt

 

[robtoy_r]

well i dont know why it wont come out of there because i pounded on it

 

[robtoy_r]

so when the nut is off im supposed to just push the bolt through the other end

 

[96eb96]

i got my shackles yesterday and i started working on it as soon as i got them, well anyways my stock ones are all rusted. i started with the passenger side because the muffler is on that side and i figured that would be the hardest one to do then the other one would be easier. i got the nut off the top bolt but i can not get the bolt itself out of there, im not sure if it has to be unscrewed out of it? or as everyone says its supposed to just slide out but i tried unscrewing it and pounding it out and it just wont go. i figured id wait on that one and try the bottom bolt, well the nut would not come off so i ended up pounding it out of the leaf spring itself, there is a little metal thing thats around the bolt i belive thats supposed to come out but im not worried about that right now so if anyone could help me or explain to me how the top bolt is supposed to come out i would really appreciate it. its already been 1 day since i started and everyone else says it only takes them a couple hours and ive already used a whole can of liquid wrench.

They are supposed to slide out but after over a decade in the northeast they are pretty much welded in.

I gave up on that bolt and brought it to a specialty spring shop. He used an impact hammer and an air ratchet, took him around an hour to get that bolt off. That was after I pounded it for hours. He loosened the nut, backed it out and pounded on the head of the nut.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?p=1885762

 

[IZwack]

Bigger hammer

 

[Charlie]

Bigger hammer

You mean he needs a BFH

 

[IZwack]

I uhhhh guess that could work -- Baseband Frequency Hopping, suuure

kidding, yes a big flippin hammer.

 

[robtoy_r]

well i was pounding it out and its got about a half inch to go before its completely out, its taking a while but its going it started to get dark so i called it quits ill see how far i get in the morning