Howdy all

Been awhile since I've posted, but I'm hoping you guys can help me out. The other day I "developed" a hole in the brake line that runs along the driver's side frame rail. Not a big deal to fix, but while I was under the rear axle removing the line from the frame, I noticed that my Driver's side rear spring hanger is only holding on by a thread.

If you've never looked at your rear spring hangers, and your truck has ever lived in a northern or coastal (any sometimes-salty) climate, please do yourself a favor and check them out. One of mine is rusted nearly through, and the other is getting pretty bad. Since they sit behind the rear wheels, they catch anything that the road wants to slosh up. If this thing fails, it could be disasterous.

These hangers are J-shaped in profile, with the top of the J riveted to the frame, and the "bowl" of it being the mount for the leaf spring shackle. The shackle is bolted to the hanger with a very heavy-grade steel bolt, but the hanger itself is apparently very susceptible to rust and in my case, has weakened to the point that one half of the mount has broken free. The only thing suspending my 5000+lb truck over the axle is the already-cracked bracket which looks like it really wants to die.

I've found the part for about $50 retail from a dealer, and about $25 + shipping from trucksprings.com although that one would be an aftermarket part... and I will probably buy the Ford part. 'specially since my future step-bro-in-law is a parts manager.

OK, so there's a little PSA and some background on my question: Has anyone ever replaced one of these mounts?

It looks like I have to drop the gas tank, then drill out or torch off the rivets. After that, the new ones should just bolt on. Anyone with experience here please offer some hints . I've also never removed a rivet from a frame before. I'm told a torch is the preferred tool, but I already have a drill and that seems safer and harder to screw up. The process seems very easy even though it will probably take me a few afternoons. I really don't want to pay for help unless I really need to. Lift time and services will cost me at least $100, even from a friend.

Anyway, please let me know if you've replaced one of these before or if you can offer advice on removing the rivets. Thanks in advance!

-JD

 

I hope it turned out OK... formatting is tough in HTML/UBB

 

and a link to the item on truckspring.com. the one for my '93 Bronco is EOTZ5775C

http://www.truckspring.com/automann/...ordhangers.asp

 

/bump

nobody familiar with this part?

 

I just did this last weekend.Pluse ive worked in a couple of spring shop's,and it is a simple replacment.Worse case sanareo is to torch the end's of the bolt that goes threw the rear spring bushing,and shackel,then spread the ear's of the shackel just a liitle bit to clear the end's of the bolt head,and nut end that you just torched off.(A 1/8" of a inch on both side's of the spring eye bolt will still be in the shackel where you can't get close enough with the torch with out cutting into the shackel this is why you just spread the ear's a little to clear the bolt)Then take a air hammer with a flat chissle,and the ribbit's will pop right off with a good sharp flat chissle,and then take a round punch,and try knocking the ribbit's threw the hanger,and frame.If they dont pop right out of the hole's in the hanger take a grinder,and grind the ribbit's flush to the hanger then take a pry bar between the hanger,and frame,and the hanger with the shackel will pop right off with the shackel still bolted to it,and now you can try getting the bolt out of the bottom of the shackel,and hanger from a work bench,what I do is set a socket bigger then the head off the bolt,and after I take the nut off I put the socket on the head side of the bolt,and put it on a hard surface,and pound the bolt threw the shackel/hanger,and if it don't budge take the torch and do the same as with the spring eye bolt.Torch the head's off,and spread the ear facing out just a little to clear the part of the bolt you can't get with a torch,and then pop the shackel out,and replace.The hanger I use 7/16's bolt's 4 of them,and with a small hand from the kid or a peice of tie wire around bolt fish it up and get the 7/16'sX1" bolt's thre the gas tank side of frame,and use a lock washer,and nut with a impact air gun,and tighting up your hanger bolt's.Then reinstall you shakel.If the remaining torched bolt in the eye of the spring won't come out I either heat the rubber on the spring bushing,and then slide the sleeve with the torched bolt in it out,and let cool,and then their will be the remaing rubber that you can pull out with a razor blade or screw driver will work,and then slice the metal that the rubber was in,and pry it out of the spring eye,and then put a poly bushing in or rubber back in the spring,and slap that baby back together.This is if non of the bolt's will come loose for yea.Any?? give me a hollar.

 

supercab, any advice on getting the bolt out of the hanger? I've soaked it with penetrant and been hacking at it with a steel cutter and an air chisel... no dice. I'm desperate! please help

 

If you can get the hanger off by cutting/chissling the 4 ribot's off,and then once you have the hanger off with the shackle still in it take a big socket and place the socket over the head of the bolt,and then flip the hanger over on to a real HARD surface with the ratchet part of the socket facing down,and that will be what you want on the hard surface,and then pound out with a round chissle on the thread side of the bolt.Sometime's ive had to use a BIG round punch,and hold it on the thread part while a helper smack's that baby with a sledg hammer.This will free the bolt in the shackle.It might take a hit or two with the sledg but then you should be able to pound it the rest of the way out with a 4.5 pound hammer.If you don't want to pull the hanger that the shackel flip's in take a saw's all,and cut the bolt on both side's of the shackel,and cut them close to the shakle so the head will fall right out,and so will the nut end,and then use the big socket upside down trick with the round punch to drive the remaining part of bolt out of shackel.Be carfull not to mushroom the shank of the bolt or it will be to big to go threw the sleeve of the shackle.Just as the shank of the bolt start's to go threw the sleeve of the shackle take your grinder and clean up the mushroom.I hope this help's,and you can make sence of it but it work's for me everytime,and I do alot of leaf spring's.

 

sounds like great advice... I guess I need to find a way to cut that bracket. I tried my steel cutter, but I think the disc was wrong for the job or something. it wouldn't make enough of a dent. or maybe I just didn't give it enough time

 

The easy way is to just pop the hanger off so you can work with it on the hard surface.I have a section of rail road track that I use to do all my beating's.Spring's/U-joint's,and balljoint's.with the right cutting wheel you will slice right threw the bolt,bot the back side of the shackle is the tricky one couse your wheel wont fit in the hanger deep enough to cut all the way threw the bolt.that's why a saw's all work's awsome.

 

I guess I need a saws all thanks for the advice. I'll be hitting Harbor Freight tomorrow afternoon. I gotta take an impact wrench back there anyway.

 

Need ANY ANY at all advice just let me know.It seem's like a pain in the behind job but it's actually easy with the hanger in your hand rather then up in a fender well.But cutting the bolt off on both side's will allow you to work with the shackle in your hand as well.Make sure you use some never seiz,or burn out the old rubber bushing,and pop some poly bushing's in their.I just redone every bushing in my 79 Bronco,and added 4" of lift while I had it apart.WoW what a differance.

 

I've thought about doing the lift while I've got it apart. I really can't afford it right now though. I've spent about $500 on tools in the past couple days . When I do get around to doing the lift, the poly bushings will be part of the project.

Where did you get your bushings? Ford doesn't have them. 4wheelparts? Any bushings I have to replace before the lift will be poly too.

 

also, the bolt isn't seized in the bushings. it'll move inside of there. the problem seems to be that the nut is forzen to the bolt. not sure if this is what you were referring to, but just FYI. Also, I do appreciate the advice. experience is worth a thousand tools

 

Can you get a torch on the nut,and heat it up,and take the nut off,and then pull the bolt out??I got ALL my bushing's threw Jeff's Bronco Graveyard.com.Owsome dealer to deal with!!!!!!!!Quick,and on the ball with any info needed on what you might think you might want,and they will see to it that you get what your really after.From my own exsperiance though.

 

4wheelparts will have the poly bushings, but I also like JBG. Sence you have the shackles off you should do a shackle flip for some lift. BTW nice diagram.