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more lowering shackle problems

Question 
1K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  dusterbd13 
#1 ·
Today we tried installing lowering shackles for the third time.
No luck.
We finally got the bottom bolt out, and then raised the axle for clearance for the top bolt, and when we tried driving it out, it wouldn't budge.
Everyone says its extremely easy, but we're having a lot of problems.
Any advice for the top bolt?
Or should I just pay someone to do it?
A shop around here quoted me 180, which is bs when I already have the shackles.
 
#2 ·
Mine wasn't too bad, came out easily. If you wanted, you could try to knock it out with a hammer. If that fails, take WD-40 and spray it into the sleeve that the bolt goes through, then wiggle the shackle back and forth to work the bolt loose, and then try the hammer again.
 
#4 ·
It may be easier to just pull the whole leaf spring out with the shackle attached.(I'm assuming your talking about the bolt that connects the leaf to the shackle.) Mine was a PITA. Had to put the leaf spring in a vise, and hammer on it, spin it around as if I was unscrewing out of the leaf, hammer some more. It took me about 15 minutes just to get it out...and the one on the otherside came out fine.
 
#5 ·
welcome to my personal hell about a month ago. If your bolts are like mine, they have somehow seized themselves into the bushing sleeve. get ready to :ninja:

we tried everything to get the bolts out. lube, pry bar, hammer with punch, heat, gear puller that I had rented to change my torsion bar keys. nothing even budged them.

we ended up destroying the stock shackles and cutting both ends of all the bolts flush with the bushings. then we had to press/cut/torch/melt the old leaf spring bushings (with the stock bolt still in it) out. had to get new leaf spring bushings and all new grade 8 hardware. 1 hour job turned into 10....stupid

good luck, I hope it's not as bad as mine, but just want to prepare you just incase.
 
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