rear shackle hanger looks like it needs replaced... ?

[topdown99]

Hey everyone,

this weekend I finally got an hour or so to spend on the 57, which was great. got the passenger side rear spring off, bushings out, cleaned up, painted, etc... going to need new shackle set, but thats to be expected I suppose.

Then I have some time to work on the driver side... which is where the problems start. When taking off the rear shackles, the bolt that goes through the spring eye is in good shape. The bolt that goes through the shackle hanger, not so good. it looks like at some point someone backed it out a ways, couldnt get it out, then just bolted the shackles back on. the bolt its self is now broken, the shackle arm is destroyed AND has the broken piece of the bolt effectively welded to the inside of the shackle. the biggest issue is that I dont believe I am ever going to be able to get the bolt/pin back out.

Does anyone sell a replacement drivers side rear shackle hanger? Other than grinding off the rivets and replacing the hanger, anyone have another suggestion to get that bolt out?

here is the bolt now:


I put the nut back on the outside of the bolt and have been hitting the bolt with penetrating oil for about 12 hours - will spray it again at lunch and dinner tonight... then I will clean it up some, tack weld the nut to the bolt and try and back the whole thing out without destroying the hanger... but since the threads on that pin/bolt are not in good shape underneath and there is no way I can repair them, I am 90% sure I am going to need a new hanger.

on a side note - I cant seem to find that shackle mount for sale anywhere, so maybe its called something different?

Thanks for the help/thoughts

[dubie]

your new shackles will come with new bushings as well. I say heat that mother up with a torch and use a punch to drive the bolt and bushing out all in 1 piece

[topdown99]

Is there a bushing inside the hanger? I know there is one in the spring, but I thought that the hanger was just threaded for the bolt...

If there is a bushing in there, even if I have to cut the hanger off, I can just press or pound it out! (hello excuse to buy an air hammer!)

[dubie]

yup. there is a press fit bushing in that housing that has female threads on the inside of it for your shackle to hang off of. I had one break on me to so all I did was heat it up with a torch and used a punch to drive the pin and bushing out, then used all the new hardware in the shackle kit, including a new bushing

[topdown99]

You have seriously made my day... Thank you SO much for the info!

[tinyjaime]

I used this guys idea to remove my bushings in the front and leaf end of the shackles. However that one in the rear hanger mount is a tough one but maybe you can modify a tool like this to get it out. Just a thought.

http://chev235guy.blogspot.com/searc...ring%20Shackle

[topdown99]

thats a good resource... thanks for the link