Clean the area around the pin and shackle thoroughly (NOT with brake cleaner), clear the area and hit the pin and shackle in the area of the pin with heat. Then cool, then heat, then try whacking again. Try twisting the pin too.

 

Using a ball joint press (if you can get it on) might work also.

 

Worn bushings/pins will allow the truck to wander. Don't forget to do the rear springs as well. Binding spring leafs can also cause wandering. I'd recommend disassembling the springs while you have them off (PLEASE do a search on my posts on disassembling leaf springs, the may look pretty benign, but they can break an ankle or wrist if disassembled unsafely) Clean the leafs (again read up on how to do this properly) leave out every other leaf if you want to soften/lower the ride, put HMW plastic slider strips between the leafs before reassembling with a new center pin and the truck will ride better than a new one. The wedges were installed properly, replace them on top the axle in the same orientation. If the truck still wanders after you are all done, add another shim on both side to tip the axle back some more. A beam axle is pretty easy to measure caster, you will need a short digital level that reads in degrees and the reading can be locked. Place a couple layers of cardboard under the tires so the wheels can be turned easily. Turn the wheels fully to the left. Place the level vertically against the front of the left side king pin bosses on the axle. Lock the reading and read the angle on the level. Turn the wheel to the right and do the same on the other side.

 

Hi,

I'm still have problems removing the front suspension shackle pin that goes through the frame. I was wondering if someone can provide a photo or tell me if the hole in the frame is the diameter of the shackle pin, or the diameter of the shackle pin bushing?

The reason I ask is the shackle pin and bushing are well and truly stuck together. As a result I believe that as I whack the pin from the inside of the frame the pin and bushing are slightly moving together. I was therefore wondering am I trying the force the bushing through a hole in the frame that is designed for the size of the shackle pin? Hopefully the photo below explains this a bit better.


I have also removed the grease zerk and screwed in some 5/16 UNF threaded bar, then with a socket resting against the outer shackle, covering the pin head, I tried tightening the nut down on the threaded bar to pull the pin and I think bushing. The threaded bar smoothed out so the nut just spun. Going to try higher tensile threaded bar.

The other thing I tried was a ball joint separator. This moved it a bit I think, but not much.

Finally should I consider cutting the heads of the rivets on the suspension hanger and removing the hanger? obviously I'd have to cut the shackle pin head off as well to remove the hanger from the inside of the frame. Is it possible to buy replacement of these mounts? I can only ones I can find are for a 53-56, not 48-52 from the major suppliers. Example of the ones I can find are: 1953-1956 Ford Pickup Truck Front Hanger - For Front Spring - F100 & F250 - MAC's Antique Auto Parts

Any help greatly appreciate as the less time I can spend on this would be good as it's below freezing here. Thanks Richard

 

If you can see movement at all in the pin and or bushing you are good in that solvent will find its way into any gap. Try solvent and let it soak a while. Personally I would not cut the spring hanger rivets. You still would have to get the pin and bushing out.
Heat can be your friend.
The hole in the frame is the diameter of the smaller shackle bushing and is a very tight fit.

 

Take both pin nuts off, then take off the side plate where the nuts were. Get all pressure off the shackle.

 

Thanks for the help on this issue, after warming up the shackle pin with a small propane torch the pin moved when hit hard with a large hammer. The bearing did not want to come out, but it was in too bad condition so I left it.

Next stage is to do the other side then change the tires out.

 

If you can not get the bushing to come out, try a hacksaw blade upside down in the saw, installed through the bushing, and saw a slot through the bushing. The bushing will then "peal" right out.

 

I think he may have meant it was NOT in too bad of condition? If it is in bad condition, I'd have the shop that installs new bushings pres out the old ones. You don't want to put any nicks in the spring eye material, they become stress risers.

 

I was guessing that he was talking about the frame bushings. Spring bushings are easy to press out with nothing more than a good vice.

 

F-1's don't have frame bushings, AFAIK. May be a Big Truck thing? The F-1 frame brackets have to be replaced if they get wallered out.

 

Yep, it is a larger truck thing. Both front and rear springs have the frame hanger bushing. It is thinner wall than the shackle bushing and all of mine came out in pieces. The rear has two half length bushings per side. Sorry for leading you F-1 guys astray.

 

Firstly apologies for my typo, I should have said, was NOT in too bad condition.

Raytasch, The hacksaw technique sounds good, I'll give that a go on the other side this weekend if I encounter the same problem.

I'm a little confused because my 1949 F-1 certainly appears to have bushing in the frame mount and the replacement kit comes with replacements, slightly thinner than the spring eye bushing and in two half length pieces? It was these bushing I had trouble with, the spring eye bushes came out by using sockets and threaded bar applying pressure.

 

About all I can think of is that the same pins are used on a wide range of models, and some of those use two half-bushings in the frame. Who did you buy the kit from?

 

The kit came from Dennis Carpenter.
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb.dll?parta~dyndetail~Z5Z5Z50000024c~Z5Z5Z51615~P 60.00~~~~S3QC0RW68F21218304813h~Z5Z5Z5~Z5Z5Z500000 24C
I think you are right as it covers the F-1, F-2 and F-3 trucks. Cheers Richard