Changing shackles was covered by lesson # 2 in the unwriten Jeep upgrade book.
Just before the # 1 torx bolt lesson .... /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

JAF
http://www.monsterslayer.com/jeep

 

Hey what is the #1 Torx bolt lession? I'm working on stripping hinges and seat belts and all that torx bolted in stuff out. And it seems that all the damn bolts break some where some how.What should they be replaced with? Thanks Kyle

If you can't break it, Try Harder/wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif
79 CJ-7/304/T-150 I think/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust/wwwthreads_images/icons/frown.gif
KnightWrestling@aol.com

 

Indeed, very beefy. THe rears on mine took 4 hours of beating! I had every saw, torch, hammer, and wrench busted out and they did not like to move. THe passenger side took 3 hours and the drivers side took one hour as the beating on the passenger side must have loosened up the drivers side. Then I was not even over with the project, as the Jeepster crossmember had to be a bit to close to the shackle hangar requiring the shackle to be ground down about 1/2" on one side so it would not rub the crossmember while articulating. The work great though, something else to grease!

John
I have the SM465! The SM is for Slow Mover, and the 465 is the wieght in pounds.

 

Hell! I was kinda figuring that new, stock front shackles would be a weekend project sometime this winter.

And you guys tell me it's like twelve total hours of hammering on metal, plus probably some hacksaw work, blow torch stuff and approximately two cases of Coors.

Any helpful tips from those of you who've already suffered?

45-auto
Bone stock '81 CJ7.
"You can always see it coming. But you can never stop it."
-- Cowboy Junkies.
http://www.televar.com/~bthomas/index.html

 

Helpful hints for future reference? Yes....
1. Make sure you've got ALL the parts first.
2. Get ALL tools - needle nose pliers, sledgehammer, wrenches, rust-break up stuff, and spray on grease
3. Take your time - I was in a hurricane, so tried to hurry. I had to remove the same shackle 3 times after i installed it b/c i forgot parts, or to try something different. go slow, and get it right the first time.
4. I don't know if there's a special reason to do it the other way, but put the bolts in from the outside, to make future removal easier.
5. measure the underside lip of your front bumper, keeping in mind the dimensions of the new shackles, to make sure they'll have room for flex.
6. Aside from a jack, use jack stands to hold up the vehicle. Then you can use the jack to hold up the wheel hub of the side you're working on so when you take off the shackle the axle doesn't fall on the ground (shouldn't, if jack stands are set high enough).
7. to make life easier, the jack can then be used on the tip of the leave spring to move it up and down to make installation of new shackles easier.
8. Oh, and if you take the wheels off, you won't have to set the jack stands so high.
9. Grease all bushings before installing.


canis
Have you kissed your JEEP lately?

 

You might get lucky on the shackle hangers....but most likely not. My front ones came off with absolutly no problem what so ever. So I was thinking "wow this is going to be easy".
Well I broke all four of the bolts off on the rear hangers. Spent a lot of time drilling and grinding. Had to cut holes in the rear crossmember to put some new nuts in there. Get yourself a set of cobalt drill bits before you start.
And use antiseeze compound on everything!



'79 CJ-7