Replacing the shackles is really a pretty easy job, it's more often the frame hangers/pins that cause grief when replacing springs or bushings. You need some jack stands and a small bottle or scissors jack (if not a floor jack). Jack up the end you are working on and support the frame on jack stands, both sides. Use the bottle or scissors (or floor) jack under the axle or spring pack between the U-bolts so that you can move the axle up and down separately from the frame. You need to do this to take the tension (or compression) off the old shackles so you can remove the pins and to line things up when installing the new shackles. I'd suggest soaking the nuts a day before with penetrating oil/Liquid Wrench and busting the nuts loose while she's on the ground instead of up in the air (don't remove them all the way!). You'll probably have to drive out the pins/bolts and if so, use a wood block on the end or a punch/drift so you don't bugger up the threads if you want to reuse the pins/bolts. Now is the time to replace your bushings too with poly/graphite. Before ordering the new bushings, you might want to measure the spring eyes and pins to make sure you get the right diameters. A lot of the oversize shackles take larger than stock bushings (ID). And some of the lift springs do not have the same eye diameters as stock springs do. Other than making sure you have the right size bushings, the job is pretty easy. Grease the pins/bolts with white grease before you install them and don't overtighten the nuts or you'll cause the shackles to bind. |
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