Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hey,

Got some new shackles and was trying to fit them the other day and was having real trouble getting them off. I got the nuts off the bolts and therefore one side of the shackle off easy enough - but i just couldn't get the bolts out from inside the bushes and therefore the other side of the shackle off!

Anyone got any suggestions? I was thinking i would just belt the crap outta the botls till i can get them outta the bushes - but wanted to ask the question before i go belting stuff

Cheers

If you Jack it up so wheels are just off the ground you should be able to pry them out with a pry bar.

Yeh as sanger said, jack up axle, put stands under chassis, then lower axle until shackles are unloaded, then use a prybar to get em out.
You can also use a bottlejack between leaf and chassis, but be careful incase it slips.

Or do what i did the other night and just jacked it up until the wheel was still in contact with the ground...just ....and undid the shackles and lightly tapped the bolts on the open end to push the bolts out of the bushes. Gotta do it evenly although the pry bar sounds like a goer as well.

While on the topic...what's a good way to increase the distance between the top spring hanger bush and the spring bush to fit longer shackles?

Is it a matter of getting a little jack between the spring and chassis or does loosening the spring bolt at the other end let it droop down without force?

I'll try both this week and let ppl know how it goes...

oxytorch

dank wrote:
While on the topic...what's a good way to increase the distance between the top spring hanger bush and the spring bush to fit longer shackles?

Is it a matter of getting a little jack between the spring and chassis or does loosening the spring bolt at the other end let it droop down without force?

I'll try both this week and let ppl know how it goes...

Again use a pry bar bewteen spring and and spring hanger. Have a mate guide you and insert the shackle while you are on the pry bar. Hope this makes sense.

Sounds like your shackle pins are rusted , making them grow bigger , jamming pins , Cheers Paul.

To get the bolts out, unload the weight off the suspension, then hold a piece of wood on the back side and belt the other end with a rubber mallet. If that doesn't work, then squirt some WD40 in there and wait a while and/or get a mate to help.

Use a BIG hammer and a piece of timber to stop it smashing the bolt out of shape while getting a mate to hold another piece of timber against the back of the shackle should make it move.

Dank, you could also just support the chassis at a higher distance from teh ground, then drop the axle more.

Hey PJ

yeah tried this but it just lifted the wheel gotta force it down a bit i think.

Yo
Yeah got them off... just jacked it up to where the wheel was lightly touching the ground, and pryed and smaked the bolts and the gradually slid out. The key i found was to make sure the you jacked to the right height for unloading the springs... made it so much easier.