Shackle Removal question

[96eb96]

I did some searching but I want to make sure. My shakles are rusted to swiss cheese and I want to change them. One is worse than the other. The top bolts will come out easily, but the bottom spring bolt is rusted into to the inner bushing. Heat isn't an option because I'll ruin the rubber bushing and no one carries them (I tried everywhere locally). I don't appreciate the smell of burnt rubber either. Also, I don't want to put the truck out of service if I destroy the shackle and have a frozen bolt in the spring. I also bombed it with pb blaster.

One shackle looks like its going to turn to dust if its pounded, then I'll have a floating leaf spring and a siezed up bolt and bushing.

I tried pounding the other side with a breaker bar/socket sledge combo, but it merely pushes the inner bushing against the other side of the shackle.


My next thought is a C ball joint clamp, hopefully the tailpipe will clear and the shackle wont crumble. The rust under this poor truck makes me think about getting rid of it .

Any advice here? Thanks in advance

 

[puzzell]

cut it off with an angle grinder with a cutting disk that what i did

 

[96eb96]

cut it off with an angle grinder with a cutting disk that what i did

I would feel comfortable doing that if I had a new bushing in my hand. I can't seem to find any for a second gen on the web or locally.

 

[Rusty]

Same thing happened to me.. i did not have an extra bushing laying around although i think it could be found somewhere since these are common but..
Don't try a clamp i tried 2 and bent them both.. you could try a a butane torch to see if you can heat it enough to do something or....
It may sound weird but it worked for me.... I took the entire leaf spring off.... boiled a large pot of water ... stuck the stuck leaf spring/shackle in the pot and held it there for 30 minutes... then i went out and sprayed with pb and beat it until it came out.. within 10 minutes it came out!

Sounds weird but it worked.. if only i had got pictures... but i was a little busy..... o and don't use one of your wifes .. nice new nonstick pots... just use a junker! Trust me!
Good luck!

 

[gijoecam]

A ball joint press *should* work, if you can find the right sized adapter to hold the sleeve in place while you push on the bolt, but that's gonna be tough to find... You may have to sacrafice a socket or something similar to get the right size on there. Wrench it as tight as you can make it, then whack the bolt (or the head of the screw on the press) to shock it loose. It might move a little at a time.

Another option would be to remove the entire leaf and take it to a machine shop with a press. In a couple minutes, they'll have it pressed apart. I'd offer my services, but Albany's a bit far for me to drive...

-Joe

 

[96eb96]

A ball joint press *should* work, if you can find the right sized adapter to hold the sleeve in place while you push on the bolt, but that's gonna be tough to find... You may have to sacrafice a socket or something similar to get the right size on there. Wrench it as tight as you can make it, then whack the bolt (or the head of the screw on the press) to shock it loose. It might move a little at a time.

Another option would be to remove the entire leaf and take it to a machine shop with a press. In a couple minutes, they'll have it pressed apart. I'd offer my services, but Albany's a bit far for me to drive...

-Joe

Thanks so much for all your offers! If I hammer any more the entire truck is probably going to shed

If I bring the spring in the kitchen and put it in a pot I'll probably be looking for a new home for myself and the explorer.

I even got a socket on the other side of the bolt, turned it but it still moved with the bushing.

The other problem is the exhaust is in the way so a press is probably out of the question. Taking the entire leaf spring off is to much of a hassle. Lazy me. Also a machine shop is going to charge for the service anyway.

We have a place here called Watkins spring and they do it for $60/hr straight time, they said it will probably be quick if I already broke the bolts- they do it all the time. Shakles are $17 each (dealer cost). I will try a few more things but if it don't work its going there tomorrow morning.

 

[96eb96]

Just FYI for others..

I found out that the dealer has the spring bushings for ~$16 a side and bolts for $5 and nuts for $6. Knowing this you can take out the angle grinder, cut off the bolt, and press in a new bushing if necessary. This is almost what the labor to remove the bolt from the bushing will cost ..

 

[Rusty]

pot o boiling water is free... worked for me.. just do it when she aint home!!

 

[96eb96]

pot o boiling water is free... worked for me.. just do it when she aint home!!

Well I brought it in and it took a spring pro 1hr of air pounding and air wrenching.

Well, I'm on probation for a differential cover in the dishwasher. I forgot to take it out.

I would probably boil up 4 teakettles of water and pour it on the joint before I pulled the leaf.

 

[Rusty]

hahahah thats great!!!

hmm... tea kettle idea might work?!

 

[Glen4X4]

So how'd it go, which route did you go to take the bolt out? My pap and I are having a hell of a time trying to get the bolt out of my leaf on the driver side, I too have tried drenching it in PB Blaster, bout to take a butane type torch to see if it softens the bushings without ruining the bushings.

 

[JDraper]

Bushings are cheap...burn it out or grind the bolt heads off and get new ones...I've done several trucks that way. Less hassle and grief.

 

[96eb96]

So how'd it go, which route did you go to take the bolt out? My pap and I are having a hell of a time trying to get the bolt out of my leaf on the driver side, I too have tried drenching it in PB Blaster, bout to take a butane type torch to see if it softens the bushings without ruining the bushings.

I figured it was worth my while to bring it in. If I used a torch and destroyed the bushings, they are $17/side at Ford, bolts and nuts $11/side. The labor was around that and included parts. Also, I was getting sick of all the damn rust flaking off the vehicle.

The guy pounded for 45 min with a sledge and air hammer. He said any heat will ruin the bushings and squeak. This is after I used a can of blaster the day before and knocked them up pretty hard. The bolts were so rusted that they barely went in one way and one position after they came out.

If I had it to do over I would probably try a ball joint press, but the guy felt in this case only an air hammer would cut it.

 

[Glen4X4]

We cut one end of the bolt with a SAWZAW, figured that'd help and didn't so guess might as well just do it the burn out way. Its tickin me off too much to try and pound it out anymore. I don't have a ball joint press or anything so might as well try just burn the suckers out.