I'm down to the last part to remove from the frame of my 55 restore project - rear leaf springs. Everything else on the truck came off with no problem at all, but this first shackle bolt is being really stubborn. I just want to make sure I'm not missing something - I've removed the retaining bolt and beat on it mercilessly from the inside and it hasn't budged. Currently soaked with PBBlaster for second round of hammer time later today.

Is is there a better way to do this (without a torch, that is)?

 

Mine were a real bear to get out...I used heat, penetrating oil, and a old pneumatic rivet gun with a long piece of round stock. Just kept heating, oiling and beating on it till it came out. I had to continually grind off the end of the rod as it mushroomed out.


The pneumatic rivet gun was a lot easier than beating on it with a BFH!

 

Great idea. I don't have a pneumatic rivet gun, but my brother has an air hammer and portable air tank... think that'll work?

 

Same thing basically...it should work. Just regulate the air pressure down so you don't damage anything

 

Here is a time honored method for spring pin removal that I compiled several years ago;


OK, first things first.....

1. find an old sailor and get a few lessons on cussing. You will need lots of "salty" language. After you get comfy with spitting your new vocabulary in a loud long 3 to 5 minute rant then you are ready for the next step.

2. look around in and under your truck until you find some decent rusty, scaly dust. Gather the dust until you have at least a cup of it. Now, holding first one eye open and then the other get a handful of the scaly dust and rub it into your eyes generously.

3. Once both eyes are stinging and watering without an end in sight. Grab a large wood rasp and drag it across the back of your hand and knuckles

4. Take your large hammer (BFH) hold it tightly, make a fist with your other hand and repeatedly smash the hammer into your fist (prefereably on the knuckle of your index finger that you just pulled the rasp across)

5. just for good measure, while laying under your truck try sitting up several times so as to smash your forehead into a crossmember (preferrably a scaly, rusty, dusty section)

6. Now that your hands are bloody, knuckles are sore, head hurts, eyes are blurry go get yourself a frosty beverage

7. Repeat steps 1-6 (In severe cases you may proceed directly to step 6)


Good luck
Bobby

 

After my first attempt, I'm already good at Step 1!

Scott

 

Make sure that your spring is relaxed. Jack up your axle a bit to relieve the pressure. You may find that your pin has worn considerably so it takes a bit of finesse to remove the pin.


These were the pins from my '50 F2. Different year but the principle should be the same.


-

 

I hammered the %^$ out of mine to get them out just a few weeks ago. A couple came out with little trouble, but the rest were all generally a PITA.

 

I use a different method. Rather than beating them out from the inside, I pull them with a slide hammer using a simple attachment that I made.

The hole for the grease zerk is 1/8" NPT. I got a long grade 8 bolt that had a shank approximately the same diameter as a piece of 1/8" pipe, cut the threaded portion off, and then rethreaded it with an 1/8" NPT pipe die. You cannot just use a piece of pipe because the slide hammer will pull it in two every time. I then welded the head of the bolt to a nut that fit the end of my slide hammer. The whole thing only took 15 minutes to build and it works great!

This method may not work or be ideal if you're diassembling it with the fenders still on the truck, but for the areas where you have the access to use it, it is worthwhile.

 

^You might consider making a couple of those threaded bolts and offering them up for a few bucks to others. That sounds like a great idea but I don't have hardly anything in the way of taps/dies or knowledge on how to use them.

 

For those of us that need pictures somebody here had posted this years ago when I was struggling with mine. Note it uses a tool socket. Sorry. I didn't note who.

 

Pete, I think that was Stu who posted that? More details on how to make the puller (just like BlueOval's):
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...l#post12066882

 

Thanks to all who chimed in on this topic. I think I got incredibly lucky... I just saturated all of the pin contact points with PBBlaster every day for 3 days. On the 4th day, I used a piece of thick-walled steel pipe that had an OD slightly smaller than the shackle pin (had to remove grease fittings) and pounded them from the OUTSIDE until they broke free, then pounded them from the inside... all 6 pretty much came right out. Pins were actually not very worn.

Problem solved... now I'm off to discover the next hurdle!

Scott

 

From all of the ones that I have done, Pete's tip of trying to get things relaxed is key. As you can see, if the pins are extremely worn you'll need to get them in the right position for them to slip out.


Don't forget the careful application of frosty beverages...


Bobby