worse case you break the bolt and then you dnt even have to cut them out worth a shot 
Spring Shackle Bolts
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,086
Likes: 1
From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
Spring Shackle Bolts
Fellas,
Need to replace the bushings and the front shackle bolts are a pain in the ***. I am either missing something or.....missing something. After torch heat to remove the nut i found that the bolt wont come out at all. Any ideas, i know they are 5/8" bolts so should i just demo the emereffers and replace? Looks to be 5/8" by 6in long. Sound right? The hardware i purchased from energy performance suspension has a metal sleeve and two rubber bushings X two in each box. the metal sleeve will just perfectly fit over a 5/8 bolt. Grade eight recommended here? Is there anything else in there that i may need? the wife is out of town with the other form of transportation so i would have to have this well planned before i start or i will be stranded lol.
Need to replace the bushings and the front shackle bolts are a pain in the ***. I am either missing something or.....missing something. After torch heat to remove the nut i found that the bolt wont come out at all. Any ideas, i know they are 5/8" bolts so should i just demo the emereffers and replace? Looks to be 5/8" by 6in long. Sound right? The hardware i purchased from energy performance suspension has a metal sleeve and two rubber bushings X two in each box. the metal sleeve will just perfectly fit over a 5/8 bolt. Grade eight recommended here? Is there anything else in there that i may need? the wife is out of town with the other form of transportation so i would have to have this well planned before i start or i will be stranded lol.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,086
Likes: 1
From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
so basically destroy more than likely and just replace. roger that!! haha that makes the job easier and man i havent used my air chisel in a long time haha. I do know though that my impact wrench wont even come close to budging it. 280ft/lb and nothing. lol
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,086
Likes: 1
From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
nah from what i have read i am just going to try the air hammer and then if that doesnt work, it will be sawzall time. Gotta get it done in good time so no messing around with breaking a bolt loose that i am going to replace anyway. Wish these things had zerk fittings somewhere to eliminate this problem, ah well.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
Are you replacing the front shackle?
What gave me the most grief was the upper bolt.
And the upper bushing was the one in the worst shape.
Soak it with PB Blaster twice a day for a week will sometimes loosen the bushing from the bolt, once that happens you are home free.
What gave me the most grief was the upper bolt.
And the upper bushing was the one in the worst shape.
Soak it with PB Blaster twice a day for a week will sometimes loosen the bushing from the bolt, once that happens you are home free.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,086
Likes: 1
From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
not the shackle, just the bushings on the leaf springs bolts. i noticed the other day that i have about half an inch of sag in them. Is there a best way to relieve the pressure off of the bolt?
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Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,420
Likes: 1
From: Maryland
I used a breaker bar and brute force to break em loose when i did my bushings u might want a helmet if one of them decides to let loose suddenly i know i wanted one when i hit my head on the bumper
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,234
Likes: 2
From: Upstate NY
lol same thing happened to me recently while breaking loose my rusty tie rod end nut, wreckingball how many miles are on your truck that your replacing these? just out of my curiousity to know when it normally wears out
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
Heat the area with your torch and get it warm, then hose it down with PB Blaster. It should draw the PBB in. Use a breaker bar and give it a go. Repeat if it didn't work. Also heat, spray PBB and hit it with a hammer a few times, respray PBB, breaker bar.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
You have to jack the truck up by the frame.
When you do it, watch the shackle as you take the weight off the springs.
I am going to bet your upper bushings are in worse shape than the bottom bushings.
If the shackle pulls down out of the frame, you might as well do the uppers as well.
If they are bad, you will be taking everything apart again soon.
Can't remember, somewhere around 300K my lower bushings were still like new.
The upper bushings were shot so bad that it had worn 1/2 way through the bolt and also had a big notch in the shackle side plate.
New shackles, new bolts and everythng was back in top notch shape.
You never consider the top bushing, there is no way to see it until it is down and out of the frame.
When you do it, watch the shackle as you take the weight off the springs.
I am going to bet your upper bushings are in worse shape than the bottom bushings.
If the shackle pulls down out of the frame, you might as well do the uppers as well.
If they are bad, you will be taking everything apart again soon.
Can't remember, somewhere around 300K my lower bushings were still like new.
The upper bushings were shot so bad that it had worn 1/2 way through the bolt and also had a big notch in the shackle side plate.
New shackles, new bolts and everythng was back in top notch shape.
You never consider the top bushing, there is no way to see it until it is down and out of the frame.
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