The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Front Shackle Problems

I just recieved new shackle kits for my 53 3100, the threaded pins will not go into the orginal bushing that is in the frame. My question is how do I get them out? My frame is painted and I can't tell if their tack welded in. I hit them with a BFH and nothing happened. I also got spring eye bolts and having problems with them too.

There is a spring bushing puller Tech Tip for removing the bushing from a spring perch. I found the 3/8" bolt to be too small a diameter (I quickly/easily broke two bolts), so I used a 1/2" bolt (after a little grinding of the head, to allow it to fit inside the bushing journal in the perch). Works like a charm - simple design, easy to use, and effective.

I do not know how to get a bushing out of the spring eye. My springs are new, with new bushings. Maybe someone who has done this will offer suggestions.

I recently went through this on the rear of my 1-ton. While some of the details are different the concept is the same.

I made a receiver from a short piece of pipe long enough for the bushing to drop into it. This piece need to have enough inside diameter to take the bushing but small enough outside that it made good contact with the spring. I ended up welding a ring inside my pipe to get it the right size.

Then I made a push tool by turning an inch or so of a round metal bar the right diameter to go into the bushing while leaving a shoulder on the bar the same diameter as as the bushing so when pushed it would push the bushing.

I found the rear of the 1-ton uses two different size bushings so I had to make two different push tools.

I've scrapped a few real rusty trucks over the years and keep metal I can see being useful. I made the push tools using chunks of the big round emergency brake rely bar which was about the right diameter for the biggest shoulder I needed.

I then drilled holes through the whole setup parallel to the pins and bushings and tried to work it with threaded rod and nuts but it did not work that way. I managed to ruin some nuts and threaded rod. I was using pretty stout stuff but it wasn't stout enough. Since I ended up doing it in the vise the holes were not required.

My second attempt was to mount it in my largest vise and that barely did the job. If I had to do this on a regular basis I'd want a press to do the job.

I used scrap metal I had laying around and turned it to fit using a lathe. You may find that some old sockets are close enough to the right size for your truck and not need to do the machine work. I did it my way because I inherited my grandfathers lathe and really enjoy actually using it from time to time. Its sure not the only way to do a job like this.

I used the bolt system also. On one bushing I used a sawzall to carefully cut a split in it because was very tightly seized.But, the bolt system worked very well.

I just finished replaceing shackles on the front and rear of my 1/2 ton. I used a hack saw to cut a slit in any bushing that wasn't already wore all the way thru. Then once I was able to remove one bushing with a punch, I used it, gripped with vice grips, as a punch to remove the other bushings. I then used a large bench vice to press the new bushings into place. It was pretty quick and easy. Take a look at this. http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac112/Twotone_photos/My%20truck/100_2342.jpg ...When I removed the front leaf springs, the rear spring eye fell off of the driver's side spring. The old truck used to handle like a drunk on a unicycle. You would never believe the difference.

Plan C is to use the sawzall as Drew describes (and, I might have to to resort to that - the threads on my bolt have deformed and the bolt is spinning rather than drawing).

Steve's technique for the spring eye sounds good, since the spring can be brought to a press. The sawzall on these would be the final solution.

Thanks for the info. It looks like I'm going to make a slit with my sawzall then try to knock it out. I was pretty agervated when I went to install my new leaf springs and 3" drop axle and nothing would go together as planed. I'm so excited to get this on rims and tires and off of the saw horses that its been sitting on. I have such a love hate relationship with this truck.

We all know the feeling. It comes with the job.

DIY Suspension Bushing Puller Tech Tip

Follow-up on a successful removal of all four spring-pin bushings from shackle-mounts on frame:

1. 3/8" carriage bolts broke too easily, so I went to a 1/2" carriage bolt with the head ground to match the diameter of the bushing to be removed.

2. After easily removing two bushings, even this set-up failed. During the third use, the "torque" of tightening the nut was so great that the threads were distorted to the point of seizing the nut on the threads. I had to cut the bolt to remove the puller.

Before resorting to a swazall to cut the bushing from side-to-side:

3. After considering using a new 1/2" carriage bolt (5" length is all that is needed) and a grade 8 nut (rather than a standard grade nut), I realized that a longer nut would distribute the "torque" over more threads (and perhaps not distort the threads). A 1/75" inch long hex coupling-nut is readily available) from any hardware store. I ran a 1/2"x13 tap through the nut to be sure there was not a "stop" in the middle of the length of the nut.

4. Four, thick 1/2"-holed flat washers were used between the coupling nut and the 1" short nipple "receiver". (Two washers had distorted too easily).

This final design worked great and can be used again (no distorted threads and no broken bolts and no distorted washers).

The Tech-Tip mentions installing the new bushings but offers no suggestions. This was quite simply accomplished by:
- Clean the hole in the frame mount (coat with a penetrating oil - WD-40?).
- Freeze the bushing.
- Place a 3/8" carriage bolt in the bushing; start the bushing into its hole in the frame-mount; and, drive the bushing home by hammering on the carriage bolt's head (easy peasy).

I'll post photos of the driver assembly if anyone is interested.

Who carries new bushings and pins? I'm working on a 1935 1.5 ton and the bushings are virtually non-existent...


Andrew

Try Eaton Detroit Springs

If you can determine the size of the bushings you can google bronze bushings and come up with a number of sources pretty cheap.

Thank you...

I've used the bolt method, 3/8" grade 5 or 8 worked fine and turned some bushings and tubes on the lathe.

I've also used a ball joint press, and this is by far the simplest and fastest method I've seen for both removing and installing them, even the ones in the frame.
Here are a few links to some, but the main part you need is the big C-clamp looking part, it has a round hole in the end that the bushing passes through. You may or may not need to make or find some other adapters or pins to use with it.
http://www.amazon.com/OTC-7249-Ball-Joint-Service/dp/B0002SRGXY
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...1&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
http://www.amazon.com/JOINT-U-JOINT-C-FRAME-Press-Service/dp/B0033XYBC4/ref=pd_sbs_auto_2
Not sure how good the really cheap ones are, but they are cheap enough it my be worth a try. I've used some of the better ones and have no complaints.

These presses are also handy for U-joints and many other task, they are really strong and can push more than you may expect.

Grigg