| |
Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | | Forums66 Topics128,022 Posts1,055,384 Members48,422 | | Most Online14,466
Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
| | THANKS!
For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down
with Ads!  Again, thanks!
| | 
#29194 02/02/2002 12:53 AM | Joined: Nov 2001 Posts: 182 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Nov 2001 Posts: 182 | Before I go out there and tear something up,or have a spring take my face off...how do the rear leaf spring shackels come apart?? I imagine I can support the body by the rear bumper,yes? Mine are starting to seperate to the point that one "pin" is recessed (sp) into the shackel plate. So I'm gonna buy new "kits".
THANK YOU! | | |
#29195 02/02/2002 1:37 AM | Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 1,586 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 1,586 | jack it up,put stands under the frame just in front of the rear springs. Let the jack down,then jack up the rear axle under the center section until the rear is picked up an inch or so.Then remove the bolt securing the shackle halves. Knock them off with bar and be prepared, the spring may rebound slightly, no big danger. The pins are threaded, so if you're lucky they screw out.You have to drive out the threaded steel bush in the spring eye and frame hanger.Do you have a service manual?Do you know how to press out the spring bushings? Wear heavy gloves and glasses | | |
#29196 02/02/2002 2:03 AM | Joined: May 2000 Posts: 234 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2000 Posts: 234 | Check out the tech tips page on pressing out bushings (written by me!). Bought $5 in hardware to get the job done, plus heat and a big hammer.
-Boyo
'48 Willys CJ-2A / '55.1 Chevy 3600 / '66 Austin-Healey 3000 / '04 Volvo wagon (parenthood!?)
| | |
#29197 02/02/2002 3:15 PM | Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 587 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 587 | Pressing out the bushings is very tough to do, but your problem may be beyond changing the bushings, as you may find (as I did) that the pin has worn completely through the bushing and into the spring eye proper. This will result in your purchasing new spring assemblies. | | |
#29198 02/02/2002 6:58 PM | Joined: May 2000 Posts: 234 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2000 Posts: 234 | Pressing the bushing out isn't that tough - I had one which was pretty solidly rusted in, the combination of pulling it using a bolt, heating the shackle mount with a torch, and a couple whacks with a sledge hammer - no trouble!
Actually, I had one that hadn't worn through, but the bushing and the threaded pin had never been greased - and welded themselves together. The bushing was turning in the shackle mount, so it had to be replaced.
Good luck!
-Boyo
'48 Willys CJ-2A / '55.1 Chevy 3600 / '66 Austin-Healey 3000 / '04 Volvo wagon (parenthood!?)
| | |
#29199 02/02/2002 7:07 PM | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 428 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 428 | Don't know if it helped any but I also put my new bushings in the freezer overnight in an attemt to make them a little easier to install. | | |
#29200 02/05/2002 1:28 PM | Joined: Nov 2001 Posts: 182 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Nov 2001 Posts: 182 | Thank you everyone!
BOYO's low budget puller worked great...Except that I had a couple of real tough ones. I broke a 3/8" carrige bolt so I used a grade 5- 1/2"x5 1/2"with the piece of pipe,washers, etc (and some anti-sieze on the threads so it wouldn't gall or bind)soaked the sucker with a baggy tied around it with penentrating oil,then the next day they broke free. I pulled them out the rest of the way with a new 3/8" carrige bolt. (I didn't find a grade-5 bolt that was threaded long enough to pull them ALL the way. :p ( oh yea, the 1/2" grade-5 bolt head was also the correct size) | | |
|
|
| |
