Stock Shackle removal? leaf questions

im trying to remove my leafs to build a bastard pack..

First off, is there a nut on the inside of the frame rail for the Top shackle bolt? This SOB bolt is tight and very unforgiving. Im using a 26" breaker bar and i can only move it with my foot. it will "Pop" 1/4 at a time.
I have sprayed atleast 5 times with PB blaster and still no reward..

Second: My goal for the rear is 5" +/- Here is my list of parts
stock leaf packs out of a 01' with 35k'ish miles
stock 89 packs with 200k miles
3" AAL

My plan is to use the 01' packs and cut the eyes (ends) off the top leaf in the old pack to create a "Double AAL" my Guestimation is, this should net me around 4" and then i will use an extended 1.5" shackle

anyone here done the same or similar?

for the bolt issue. WHEN THE BOLT ONLY "POPS" 1/4 TURN AT A TIME STOP! trouble could await if you dont. i had the same issue when i lifted my xj. i ended up breaking off the leaf springs front bolt.

when it gets tough to turn and pops-this is gonna sound crazy but- retighten the bolt. what is happening is that debris (like rust, old paint, road grime, mud etc) is clogging up the threads on the bolt and nut. as you are trying to turn it the debris is wedging itself into the fasteners thread. if you do this too much, the bolt will sieze in place and you may end up over loading the bolt and break it off. when you re-tighten the bolt up some you are giveing the threads a chance to clean out. when its a little easier to turn try lostening it again. as you loosen it and get into the gunked up thread it will dislodge some more debris and then loosen again. repeat the cycle over and over again.

it takes a long time to get the bolt out but may save you the having to deal with a broken bolt and all that goes with it.

the pb blaster may not be getting to the bolt becaus of the leaf spring bushing. if you can, try to move the bushing with a pry bar enough to spray up in there. be sure though to wipe off the exposed portion of the nut/bolt where your socket wrench is gonna go. that stuff "de-wets" bearings. i killed off three socket wrenches with it over the years before i realized this.

hth

I just took my stock shackles off 2 weeks ago from my 95. Drivers side was a piece of cake, but the passenger was a whole different story. We ended up hacking some of my "frame rail" to get to that upper nut since it broke free of its spot weld to the shackle box, but it was all for naught when the nut was a 24mm and impossible to get to with a socket (unless you have a thin wall socket). I ended up sawzalling the shackle bolt at both ends and just pulling everything down. It sucked. A torch would have been a nice asset. Heat that sucker up!!!

stewie said:

when it gets tough to turn and pops-this is gonna sound crazy but- retighten the bolt.

Click to expand...

Ya, what he said.

i had this same problem when lifting my jeep. what happened was the sleeve inside the leaf spring bushing was turning with the bolt! so i backed it out a little bit with a breaker bar and spread the sleeve apart with a screwdriver.

:thumbup:A little heat goes a long ways.

they are out! and that was a BI+@# i seriously would rather deal with the front end anyday!

i just did a shackle swap out today and i used a combination of heat and tighten-loosen, it makes a big difference!!!!!

that it does. i wish i had know this BEFORE i lifted my heep. i didnt find out til much later. the only bolt i have broken since learning this is one that fell victim to electrolysis.