Shackle problems

I scored a pair of Skyjacker greaseable shackles from a junkyard for 13 bucks. I want to lift the rear higher but I'm running into some issues.
First, the old leaf spring bolts that bolt to the frame will not come out, and I'm afraid of breaking them out. I can't fit an impact in there. Guess I'll need to buy a better breaker bar. Any other suggestions? They're already PB Blasted.
Second, I'm afraid I've reached the lift limit on my Jeep. It is sitting at 4.5" of lift (it's a 3.5" RE kit but the leaf springs sit at 4.5" of lift, I stuck a 1" coil spacer in the front to level it out) and no t-case drop. I was gonna do a trial and error by putting the shackles on and seeing how it rides without the t-case drop and then maybe putting one on if needed, but I don't know if it will screw the driveline up. My angles are pretty much perfect as it sits now. I don't know if lifting the rear 1" and having a t-case drop will do anything to the angle.

to remove the shackle bolt, i removed the bumper so i could get a socket on the welded nut in the framerail. i was able to get a socket on the bolt and used a breaker bar on the bolt.

If you look at the box that the front leaf spring bushing sits in, there is a pocket that sticks out from the frame rail. Inside this pocket, there is a nut welded there from the factory.

What I've found works is that you drill a small hole from the bottom into the pocket, then stick a torch through the hole to heat up the nut. Once the nut get's red hot (time depends on what kind of gas you're using) then you can usually spin the bolt out.

The hard part then becomes hoping the bolt isn't seized to the bushing sleeve. If that happens, you're best bet is either cutting the bolt off or trying to heat the crap out of the bolt/sleeve. At this point you'll need a new bushing anyway.

Good luck!

which end of the spring are we talking about?

he only needs to remove the shackle end if he is installing new shackles.

I'm talking removing the shackle itself, the particular bolt happens to be the upper shackle bolt. I already know the lowers come out because I installed new bolts not too long ago when I put new leaf packs on. I'll try to remove the bumper. It's funny how when I was at the junkyard I took out the shackles with pretty much a tire iron I found on the ground, but that was because the junk Jeep was already lifted and the quarters cut so I could fit the tire iron through.

mine made a hell of a racket when I turned them out even when soaked with blaster, they came out... I am gonna say once you get it turning DONT STOP for a rest until its out.

Mine took alot of force also. I ended using a long cheater bar on my ratchet to get mine off.

I just removed the stock shackles on my 90 XJ on Tuesday and a little PB shot from the hole behind the bumper then a 2' pipe on a 1/2" breaker bar and they came loose and squealed/creaked all the way out! I used some anti seize when i put them back in so it wont be an issue next time.

I have a 3/8 drive, 17" long breaker bar attached to a 13/16 impact socket and the stupid breaker bar keeps getting too much torque and slips on the socket. I've had the thing PB Blasted for about 2 days now, and I'm still not having much luck. Would jacking up the body and putting the rear on jackstands do anything to ease the bolts? Right now all of the weight is on those bolts.

codyyy said:

I have a 3/8 drive, 17" long breaker bar attached to a 13/16 impact socket and the stupid breaker bar keeps getting too much torque and slips on the socket. I've had the thing PB Blasted for about 2 days now, and I'm still not having much luck. Would jacking up the body and putting the rear on jackstands do anything to ease the bolts? Right now all of the weight is on those bolts.

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You could try this but you'd have to find the "sweet spot" where there's the least force being put on the bolt. I think i had to do this but I was installing my springs.

I just figure my Jeep weighs 3400 lbs stock, I'm sure there's a lot of the weight being put on those two upper bolts. These bolts just do not want to move, they are broken loose I know but they just take forever to move, and I can't put an impact in there because the quarter panel gets in the way.

pull the spring bolts out no hanging weight or xj weight in them. I took mine out with a 1/2 craftsman ratchet and a 2ft piece of pipe on the ratchet for a cheater and ya mine cryed the whole way out but went back in just fine

I can't torque them with my 3/8" breaker bar, it just keeps slipping the impact socket. Would getting a 1/2" breaker bar and impact socket work better? I'm about ready to call it quits.

if the socket slips off the bolt you rounded the bolt head if the socket slips off the breaker bar ya have cheep tools

when they are that stuck ur best bet is yo blast em like u did, and then u just have to deal with the fact that it is just a pain in the ass,also as u are turning thew bolt out, say for every 4 turns out or so, run the bolt back in a little. this can sometimes help

I think you will need something more heavy duty than a 3/8" breaker bar. I used a 3 foot long 1/2" breaker bar. I broke 2 cheap impact sockets and had to replace them before I was able to get them to move. Once they did break loose, the bushing sleeves were seized to the bolts. I loosened them off until the thread came out all the way out of the nut. Then I cut the bolts off with a cut off wheel because the bolts + seized on bushing sleeve is too big to get through the hole. I used a pry bar to get the shackles to come out. The bolts have a 1/4" tip to them that isn't threaded and on one side this tip was stuck in the nut on the frame and kept one of the shackles from coming out.

This was on a 1998 with 175 000km (110 000 miles?). But I do live in Ottawa where our vehicles are bathed in salt 5 months of the year.

I couldn't find replacement bolts at any of the specialty fastener stores in my area. I called about 6 places. I had to order them form the factory because the Jeep dealers didn't have them in stock. They were over $9 Canadian each. The bolts are grade 9.8 110mm x 14mm (can't remember the pitch) . None of the fastener places I called carry any high grade metric bolts over 100mm long.


How bad do you want that 1" of lift?

Right now I just said screw it, I obviously don't have the right tools for the job, and I don't feel like buying another breaker bar and impact socket just for two bolts. I'll borrow one from someone if I can.
First I figured my ratchet couldn't take the torque, which I was partially right. Then I figured the 6 pt. socket I was using kept slipping, maybe I cracked it. It isn't cracked but I figured an impact socket would be better. So I bought that breaker bar, and the bar itself gets so much torque inside the socket that it twists until it slips inside the socket. The socket itself doesn't move on the bolt, the head of the bolt is fine.
I'm about ready to go to school and break out the plasma cutter or cutting torches. I have 4 extra bolts that are in way better condition.

Saw zaw, then replace said bolts..

codyyy said:

So I bought that breaker bar, and the bar itself gets so much torque inside the socket that it twists until it slips inside the socket. The socket itself doesn't move on the bolt, the head of the bolt is fine.

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????? The only way I see that possible would be if your using a 1/2" drive socket with a 3/8" drive breaker bar?

I'm using a 3/8 Harbor Frieght breaker bar on a 3/8 impact socket. I know it sounds weird but the socket has a lot of play to begin with sitting on the breaker bar. I think I'll just leave it alone. Because I already know that if I lift the rear up, I'll want to lift the front up more, which will cost a lot more money since I'm pretty maxed out.