rear shackles????

[XJ Beater]

wtf do i need to do to get these damn things off?, looks like the upper bolt mounts inside the unibody frame??? i pb blasted the hell out of all the bolts and none of them will move at all, if i can get the bolt off where the leaf spring mounts to the shackle, can i mount extended shackles to that?, i have a set of 2.5" lift shackles but i cant get the damn old ones off, help?!?!?!

 

[wall04]

PB blasting is the right thing to do. Make sure you have the spring in a neutral position. ie. rig on jack stands, wheels off and the axel on two floor jacks. That helped me big time.

Those upper bolts are tough and you are correct in that the nut is welded inside the unibody. I used a 36" cheater and worked those bolts slowley so I wouldn't break off the nut. Try to hit the nut by PB blasting from one of the holes in the unibody if you can.

To make things worse, both the upper and the lower shakle bolts have a sleve around them. The sleve corrodes to the bolt making it almost impossible to get it out. I was able to get both the uppers out but I did not even try the lowers. I left them in and got new bolts from a dealership ($5@)because I was replacing the leafs and the shakles.

If you are leaving the stock springs on get the lower shakle bolt FIRST since the spring will help to hold everything in place.

Good luck!

 

[dan89XJ]

You will need a big long wrench. I dont remember what size the bolt is... but its a bolt, and it goes in a nut that's welded inside the frame. Anyway.. get that wrench on, and break it loose with all your might ! You might try a cheater bar if you cant get it loose, or maybe a hammer to the wrench to move it. If thats a no go.. try some heat on the bolt.

 

[ert01]

It's a 13/16th bolt. I had the same problems today. I was at the wreckers and was trying to get some leaf springs off a Jeep there... definately not an easy chore on a rusty old 89...

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

i had to use a breaker bar with a pipe on the end of it to get mine out, probley spent 4 hrs tryin to get it out asnd had to cut the bolt and pry the shackle out.

 

[Rocketman]

It's a 13/16th bolt. I had the same problems today. I was at the wreckers and was trying to get some leaf springs off a Jeep there... definately not an easy chore on a rusty old 89...

Actually they are M14's not 13/16th's.

There are plenty of threads here discussing their removal, and I don't feel like typing out all your options.

 

[RobertF]

Rocketman is right in that a bolt is called by it's cross section (M14 = metric 14mm) but ert01 is refering to the wrench size (13/16's = 21mm)

 

[xjbambuska]

Yeah I had the same problem too. Breaker bar helped, and I know it sounds crazy but make sure you're loosening the bolt.