Leaf Spring Replacement
Again, more parts older than me. Time to update. Also, goodbye to those traction bars that are just out of place on my car (installed by some previous owner).
Yuck. The shocks will be replaced too, and sometime I'll pressure wash the dirt off that "pumpkin".
Here they are removed. Goodbye!
The old shackles are a little bit of a pain to get off due to tight quarters.
Forward bolts are notorious for being difficult to remove. My passenger side was easy, but not the driver side.
Luckily I learned from others and spent $3.15 on a 3 1/2X1" bolt and long nut, and made a poor man's mechanical press. (Gee, why does it look all wet around that bolt? Answer: half a can of WD-40, maybe a few tears, too.)
There is a metal sleeve within the bushing that the bolt passes through. The bolt can rust and then it takes either heat, cutting, penetrating fluid, blood, sweat and tears, or any combination of the above, to remove this bolt. I've also heard that a bolt may get a groove worn in it near the bolt head where it wears on the frame rail, which will make it catch on the frame rail and be hard to remove. So if rust isn't the issue, that may be the problem.
Done:
