Eye bolt shackle help.

[bluecamden85]

I'm putting on new leaf springs in the rear, rough country, I know very stiff rough ride. 2 in lift . My question is should I loosen the shackle bolts to help line up spring eye bolt . It's about 2 in away jacking it up and down changes it but not enough to help. Then jack it up and tighten bolt thinking the shackle will go back to it's original place. I have the u bolts already on to axle on both sides and a bolt through both front hangers. It's my first time doing this didn't know if there's a better way. Btw..rough country gave me no directions. I thought it would. Any advice?

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[Originalthor]

You want all your bolts loose then take out all jacks and get the vehicle wieght on everything then tighten your hanger and shackle bolts.

 

[bluecamden85]

Thank for the help. So loosen hanger until bolt goes in then I can take all jacks off including jacks on frame and the hanger will go back original place? The u bolts are kinda loose just enough to put the nub inside the hole to line up axle and spring to set it in place.

 

[bucket]

Right, get everything bolted up and tight, except for the spring eye and shackle bolts. Those get tightened up with the truck's weight on the springs.

 

[Zelph]

I just did mine. I placed silicone grease between all metal and polyurethane. Even put a bit on the bolts through the sleeves. Once the truck was on its wheels I bounced on the bumper a few times to try and help settle everything before I torqued the bolts.

not saying this is the only way, just how I did it.

 

[CalSgt]

When your dealing with cleveite (or bonded rubber) bushings final torque at ride height with vehicle weight so the bushings are relaxed while the suspension isn't flexing. Otherwise your bushings will be under constant torsional load except when the axle is drooped all the way down which is next to never for most folks.

Most Poly bushings are greased and designed to rotate or slip in the spring eye and are less sensitive to being torqued while the vehicle is on jack stands.

 

[bluecamden85]

Well . I went to try to loosen shackle bolt on passenger side I knew I was doomed when I saw the nut and bolt rusty or welded together with rust. I live in southern Ohio. So they both snapped off. I tried a torch didn't help. tried punching the existing bolt with chesel nope. So then I grabbed a beer from the fridge and started grinding down rivets to take off rear hanger. I got it off. tomorrow I got to punch rivets out in frame. And guys I am no expert for sure I'm learning as I go. So before all the hate this is my first time taking leaf springs all the way off. I Did a hit the frame more than I should have. Got two little cuts on frame about finger nail thick nothing crazy. This is why you should take off the bed but I ain't got that, I'm doing this in my car port. Maybe I'll por 15 them. So I'm going to order hangers from lmc . But just one for now did I mention Im poor it's true. Budget build for budget guy. I got the hanger off probably could use it again (Maybe) but it has marks for sure. She's a little scorched.

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[bucket]

Well . I went to try to loosen shackle bolt on passenger side I knew I was doomed when I saw the nut and bolt rusty or welded together with rust. I live in southern Ohio. So they both snapped off. I tried a torch didn't help. tried punching the existing bolt with chesel nope. So then I grabbed a beer from the fridge and started grinding down rivets to take off rear hanger. I got it off. tomorrow I got to punch rivets out in frame. And guys I am no expert for sure I'm learning as I go. So before all the hate this is my first time taking leaf springs all the way off. I Did a hit the frame more than I should have. Got two little cuts on frame about finger nail thick nothing crazy. This is why you should take off the bed but I ain't got that, I'm doing this in my car port. Maybe I'll por 15 them. So I'm going to order hangers from lmc . But just one for now did I mention Im poor it's true. Budget build for budget guy. I got the hanger off probably could use it again (Maybe) but it has marks for sure. She's a little scorched.

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Nah, you've done fine. Just grind the rivet areas smooth before you knock them through. They will come out easier.

For the other side, you can cut the shackle bolt on both side of the shackle, between the hanger. Use Diablo brand blades of the fine tooth variety, in a Sawzall. They sell long blades too. Each cut normally takes maybe 10 minutes, letting the saw do the work. You'll probably go through two, maybe three blades. Sometimes just one will last long enough for both cuts though.

 

[CalSgt]

Well . I went to try to loosen shackle bolt on passenger side I knew I was doomed when I saw the nut and bolt rusty or welded together with rust. I live in southern Ohio. So they both snapped off. I tried a torch didn't help. tried punching the existing bolt with chesel nope. So then I grabbed a beer from the fridge and started grinding down rivets to take off rear hanger. I got it off. tomorrow I got to punch rivets out in frame. And guys I am no expert for sure I'm learning as I go. So before all the hate this is my first time taking leaf springs all the way off. I Did a hit the frame more than I should have. Got two little cuts on frame about finger nail thick nothing crazy. This is why you should take off the bed but I ain't got that, I'm doing this in my car port. Maybe I'll por 15 them. So I'm going to order hangers from lmc . But just one for now did I mention Im poor it's true. Budget build for budget guy. I got the hanger off probably could use it again (Maybe) but it has marks for sure. She's a little scorched.

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Looks fine to me, that shackle bolt is a dirty SOB...

I'm in the high desert where rust is almost non existent and I had to cut those bolts out of mine too... Breaker bars and cheater pipes wouldn't break that shackle bolt out of there.

If you haven't cut the other side up yet, I ended up cutting the bolt inside of the hanger on both sides then drilling the rubber bushing out so I could replace them. There's plenty of grinder marks in mine, nothing a little paint won't hide.

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[bluecamden85]

I'll try those blades, so it's easier to cut between shackle hinges and hanger and tap out? I've done the rear front hanger few months ago but still gotta do the support bracket, pain the rear to grind or drill the rivets out on top of part bottom frame. But it's almost like you have to grind down a tiny tiny part of your frame to punch out old rivets with just a hammer and punch. Don't have excess to air hammer.

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[bucket]

It all depends on what you prefer. One benefit of removing the hanger is then you can put it in a press and press the bolt out. For frame rivets, I prefer to blow the heads off with a torch... but that can be nearly impossible to do cleanly without a lot of torch experience.

With no air hammer or press, cutting the bolt is probably the most simple.

 

[bluecamden85]

I gotcha. Yeah there a pain tried punching them out for an hour and got nowhere. I will try to save other side. Hopefully. Lol I told the wife it would only take few hours to put on lift. Several Hours later, She's all like what you gotta buy now. Thanks keep you guys updated.

 

[CalSgt]

I'll try those blades, so it's easier to cut between shackle hinges and hanger and tap out?

Not sure if its easier or not but does save you from cutting the hanger off. It will ruin the bushing though, but if your bolt is rusted solid to the bushing liner its probably ruined already.

I used an angle grinder with a cut off wheel and carefully cut between the hanger and shackle, I had to rotate the shackle one way then the other to get through the bolt without gouging too deep into the hanger. I suppose you could cut the bolt head flush then drill out the bolt just deep enough to get the shackle free.

To get the bushing out I used a drill to hog out the rubber bushing until the center comes out, then cut the outer sleeve with a chisel and drove it out.

 

[bluecamden85]

So I got the rear done, kinda still got shocks to put on but she's on the ground. Right before this snow storm came. I still used the old hangers probably still good but gotta few deepish cuts but I ordered some from lmc. I'll do the front eventually I need a garage in my life. With the hanger rivets gone with new shackles and new bolts I might see how rough country rear springs are if too bad I'll go back to Original leafs with 2 in spacers. Thanks to all that help. And have a Merry Christmas

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[bluecamden85]

So I got the rear done, kinda still got shocks to put on but she's on the ground. Right before this snow storm came. I still used the old hangers probably still good but gotta few deepish cuts but I ordered some from lmc. I'll do the front eventually I need a garage in my life. With the hanger rivets gone with new shackles and new bolts I might see how rough country rear springs are if too bad I'll go back to Original leafs with 2 in spacers. Thanks to all that help. And have a Merry Christmas

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