I'm told my rear spring shackles are worn and should be replaced. (I have a 55.1 model 3100.)

This seems like a reasonable do-it-yourself project, but I can't seem to find all of the job details. The shop manual and the tips here all focus on pulling the old bushings, but what about the threaded pins? If the old shackles were short on grease, will the pins be hard to remove as well as the bushings? If so, how do you get them out?

Do you clean out or polish the inside of the sockets after the bushings are out? How? With what?

Also, does it make sense to grease everything before you reassemble? Or just pump grease into the Zerk's when you're done?

Finally, can you re-use Zerk fittings, or are they cheap enough that you should just go ahead and replace them?

Thanks!


Trooper Jeff
If I can't drive my truck, fetch my horse
"Courage is saddling up even though you are scared to death" - John Wayne