OEM Shackles - 1 pc or 2 pcs?

[BuffaloXplorer]

Are OEM rear shackles 1 or 2 piece? I just called Ford to order a pair to replace my stockers that have rusted through and the guy is telling me that i need (2) for each side, at $15/ea, $60 for the set...is that correct? I don't have the vehicle to look at so let me know.

 

[Blee1099]

My old original ones were one piece.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

i thought mine were as well. The thought of paying $60 for OEM'ers frightened me. That's not to say that's NOT what i just ordered, but that's rediculous. He said that, according to the Ford parts program, you need (2) to do each side. I hope they didn't go to 2-pc design. We'll see tomorrow morning.

 

[Cali' Explorer]

I think he may have been mistaken, maybe the system meant to say you need 2 per vehicle. I just checked FordPartNetwork.com and they don't list 2 seperate pieces, just one part, so that's my guess as to what he meant.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Yeah - FPN is where i initially got my info and was going to buy from, but i need them this week and they screwed up my last order (t-bar adjusters took forever to get to me). I hate overpaying at the dealer, but $10 more for these is ok THIS TIME. But not $20.

 

[rookieshooter]

I just looked at my 97 XLT and it is a stamped one piece unit per side.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Thanks - hopefully Ford isn't charging the purchase until the parts come in.

 

[Cali' Explorer]

Well, I should have mentioned, my '97's are one piece as well. As far as I have ever seen, they are all 1 piece. Like I said, my guess is that he misread or misunderstood what the computer was telling him.

If that's the case, you shouldn't have any problem getting a refund, I mean, if they told you you needed something that you didn't, you should get a full refund on the extra parts, no questions asked.

 

[Hartman]

All years are one piece, the ignorance of another Ford parts counter shines through again.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

I picked up the set from Ford this AM and YES, they still are 1 piece construction - i got the set for just over $33.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

I attempted to get my old ones off and could not. Rust had formed on and around the shackle bolts and made it nearly impossible to remove the bolts without a plasma cutter or other high-power grinding tools (not a rotozip job, that's for sure).

I'm going to succumb to a pro and let them do it - how much, ballpark, should it cost to have this repair done? I've got the shackles, but not the bolts which may need to be replaced.

 

[jimbo74]

go to a hardware store, pickup 8 washers 4 locknuts and 4 bolts.... should be under $15 tops... and thats for the heavy duty stuff....

 

[jimbo74]

oh yeah, the shackles are 1 piece... they are form stamped steel

 

[Cali' Explorer]

Shouldn't even cost you 15 for the hardware. I would say just get a really long "Torque" bar (IE: long piece of pipe) and wrench on those current bolts... they should either break the rust or twist the nut and threading trapped inside off... if not, you don't have a long enough Torque Bar, hehe.

Just make sure you have replacement bolts before hand, I believe that are all 9/16". I would pick up (4) 4 1/2" long bolts, the ones that are non-threaded up until the last 1/2" - 1", then (4) 9/16" Nuts, and if you really want to install washers, I would suggest getting nylon washers. They will never rust and you can torque the bolts down until they squash the washers if you'd like. The Washers aren't even really necessary as the bolt head an nuts don't really take too much force, its all on the bolt shaft.