My passenger side shackle bolt was seized to the metal sleeve inside the bushing. Since I was installing new leafs I was not worried about destroying the old and was able to back the bolt out all the way from the nut in the frame rail. From there I was able to cut the leave as flush as I could with the frame. I then rotated that whole leaf eye section and cut horizontally across in two places on either side until it was halved and fell apart. From there two more horizontal cuts had to be made into the rubber bushing until it fell off. Finally finishing up with two more cuts into the metal sleeve until it fell off the bolt. I hope this makes sense and can help someone as well.
I have a 2000, but it has a hitch setup there. I can’t feel the inside nut. I bet it’s gonna suck changing the shackle, which is rusted in two. On another jeep, getting out the front bolt, I ended up cutting the bolt head off, cutting the spring off, and cutting the bushing and bolt in half, so I’d have a knob to grab on with a channel lock. Nut didn’t break loose on the chassis. Thank God.
This is definitely not the best way to go about this. I dealt with this problem installing my lift. What I did was cut the bolt with a Sawzall on the inner side of the leaf spring so I could pull the bolt and get the spring out. Then used a wiz wheel and cut a trapezoid shape out of the pocket where the broken weld nut sits, and just pried the nut out of that hole. Then you can just use a new nut and bolt and you have access to the nut with a wrench because of that hole. Plus it doesn't compromise any of the frame's strength.
mine came out so i still have the original nut haha i had to cut the bolt anyway thugh to get the spring out. i just used the nut and a junkyard shackle bolt for now.
2000 Jeep Cherokee Will a broken rear shackle bracket cause the rear end to be off center and cause a noise in the rear end... i have replaced both axles bearing and seals. CHANGED OUT RING GEAR AND CARRIER BEARING FROM ANOTHER JEEP THAT I KNOW WERE GOOD...So
On mine, the front bolts were seized to the bushings. Took a 3 foot breaker bar to barely get them moving. Turning the bolt would split the box apart, so had to cut through the springs, bushings and bolts to get the leafs out. Biggest PITA ever. For some reason, both rears came out easily.
Hey bud....met you lastnight at The Jeep Invasion In Butler....Told you id throw you a comment. Recently a new subscriber.......I remember I had thos problem on one of my XJs......I cut a hole in the floor to get it. I mentioned to you that Im gonna be replacing my shackles soon....Im afraid that Im gonna have to cut into the dang floor.....Hopefully It comes out amd I dont have to lol. Anyways awsome channel to go to when you need Jeep Tech Info and your IMO the Best on here Bud....Maybe next year I can take you out on some local trails....Show you how us Western Pa Boys Wheel lol....Have a good one Bud hope you enjoyed our wonderful town....
This has never happened to me nor have the bolts ever just came out. I always got the ones where they thread out of the nut fine but the steel sleeve in the bushing has welded itself to the bolt so you have to go in between the bracket and the leaf to cut the protruding head off then replace the bushing and bolt.
Matt, I've got a 2 door xj, the head sheered off of my upper shackle bolt, old shackle still in place with bolt through it and threaded into the weld nut still. How do I remove the remainder of the bolt and shackle? I don't own a welder, or torch, so those options are out.
I just dealt with the same issue ... i tried for hours ... was about to cut that access hole or cut the bolt... but a buddy told me NOT to cut and gave me some pointers. Heat the area around the bolt ... lots of PB blaster ... and work the bolt in and out over and over ... your situation could have been a little bit different than mine... my bolt would come out about a half inch but then it would just spin ... unfortunately my electric impact would not turn it and I had to do it all with a ratchet... But I just kept working the bolt in and out, and kept soaking it with penetrating oil... it got to the point where it was loose enough that my impact gun could turn it... Then it was really easy to work in and out sooner or later it came out. But maybe yours wouldn't go back in either?
***** Ya your problem was different. There's two issues that come with the leaf spring bolts. 1. Your tac-welds on the nut INSIDE the frame break. That results in you having no choice but to cut into the frame and get a wrench in there. 2. As was your case, the welds did not break and the bolt was indeed turning out of the nut, however the bolt was rusted to the point where it would freeze itself into the metal collar inside the leaf spring bushing. Your case means you can work it back and forth, with heat and pb-blaster (I actually find sea-foam works better), until the rust lets go and you can then remove the bolt.
I'm installing my 6.5 inch rough country longarm lift and I'm running into some of these problems already. would you recommend leaving the little box open or weld shut after tightening new springs in? I don't think it it'd hurt to leave open.
I have an issue currently with the same bolt it will not break loose for anything I have stood on a damn breaker bar hopping up an down thing still won’t pop any ideas ?
I LITERALLY just didthis exact poorly planned procedure the other day, haha. Midwest rust sucks. All vehicles are like this, every bolt and nut. Took me 6 days to install leaf springs and an axle in the rear.
LoL for some reason I keep expecting red-green to show up there I don't know maybe it's just the way you're describing it something reminded me of red green😁
Mine are seized in the bushing on my 1992 XJ. I would just cut the bolt but don't know where to get a replacement. Couldn't find any online. Any ideas? Can't get the last one out of the bushing. Even with the prying method
I looked at doing that today, before I cut the underside. There is a cross member under the back seat directly above the bolt. I didn't want to mess with that, even though I'm about to redo the rusted floor.
My nut is intact but I had to torch the leaf out and melt the rubber to see what was going on. The bolt is spinning in the inner sleeve! now I'm pizzed !
Could've just torches the nut off the bolt. It sounds more difficult than it actually is, and it shows other people that you really know what your doing. I think I d be a good video!
@@mblake0420 try getting some fluid film, or woolwax which is a thicker version. Eats the rust and prevents further rust for a year + before recoating. Fluid film is sold in O'Reilly's 10$ in a aerosal can. Just a lot thinner but still good stuff. Use this to winterize my jeep and tontouch up rust spots underneath. I prefer woolwax as it's thicker and lasts longer underneath, if its not exposed to lots of road wash, fluid film works just as good. By far easiest method to deal with rust.
I cut a hole under the rear seat. To get to the nut. Was able to weld it up and the seat covers it
I like the idea of cutting in from the top, under the rear seat.
That’s what I did! Worked great
@@clinte2864 so the nut was accessible from cutting the floor open?
My passenger side shackle bolt was seized to the metal sleeve inside the bushing. Since I was installing new leafs I was not worried about destroying the old and was able to back the bolt out all the way from the nut in the frame rail. From there I was able to cut the leave as flush as I could with the frame. I then rotated that whole leaf eye section and cut horizontally across in two places on either side until it was halved and fell apart. From there two more horizontal cuts had to be made into the rubber bushing until it fell off. Finally finishing up with two more cuts into the metal sleeve until it fell off the bolt. I hope this makes sense and can help someone as well.
I have a 2000, but it has a hitch setup there. I can’t feel the inside nut. I bet it’s gonna suck changing the shackle, which is rusted in two.
On another jeep, getting out the front bolt, I ended up cutting the bolt head off, cutting the spring off, and cutting the bushing and bolt in half, so I’d have a knob to grab on with a channel lock. Nut didn’t break loose on the chassis. Thank God.
It’s hard to be humble but Matt does a good job of it...👍
This is definitely not the best way to go about this. I dealt with this problem installing my lift. What I did was cut the bolt with a Sawzall on the inner side of the leaf spring so I could pull the bolt and get the spring out. Then used a wiz wheel and cut a trapezoid shape out of the pocket where the broken weld nut sits, and just pried the nut out of that hole. Then you can just use a new nut and bolt and you have access to the nut with a wrench because of that hole. Plus it doesn't compromise any of the frame's strength.
Alex Ottomano I cut the hole first and fit a wrench on it.
Travis Whatsittoya yea that works too, I just cut the bolt to get the spring out of the way to make it a little easier
mine came out so i still have the original nut haha i had to cut the bolt anyway thugh to get the spring out. i just used the nut and a junkyard shackle bolt for now.
Travis Whatsittoya yea, since I cut it I just went to the leaf spring shop by me and got nice new hardware
2000 Jeep Cherokee Will a broken rear shackle bracket cause the rear end to be off center and cause a noise in the rear end... i have replaced both axles bearing and seals. CHANGED OUT RING GEAR AND CARRIER BEARING FROM ANOTHER JEEP THAT I KNOW WERE GOOD...So
On mine, the front bolts were seized to the bushings. Took a 3 foot breaker bar to barely get them moving. Turning the bolt would split the box apart, so had to cut through the springs, bushings and bolts to get the leafs out. Biggest PITA ever. For some reason, both rears came out easily.
Hey bud....met you lastnight at The Jeep Invasion In Butler....Told you id throw you a comment. Recently a new subscriber.......I remember I had thos problem on one of my XJs......I cut a hole in the floor to get it. I mentioned to you that Im gonna be replacing my shackles soon....Im afraid that Im gonna have to cut into the dang floor.....Hopefully It comes out amd I dont have to lol. Anyways awsome channel to go to when you need Jeep Tech Info and your IMO the Best on here Bud....Maybe next year I can take you out on some local trails....Show you how us Western Pa Boys Wheel lol....Have a good one Bud hope you enjoyed our wonderful town....
That's a good thing to know especially if your not parting out the vehicle that your working on.
This has never happened to me nor have the bolts ever just came out. I always got the ones where they thread out of the nut fine but the steel sleeve in the bushing has welded itself to the bolt so you have to go in between the bracket and the leaf to cut the protruding head off then replace the bushing and bolt.
4:00 is the important part
Matt,
I've got a 2 door xj, the head sheered off of my upper shackle bolt, old shackle still in place with bolt through it and threaded into the weld nut still.
How do I remove the remainder of the bolt and shackle? I don't own a welder, or torch, so those options are out.
I just dealt with the same issue ... i tried for hours ... was about to cut that access hole or cut the bolt... but a buddy told me NOT to cut and gave me some pointers.
Heat the area around the bolt ... lots of PB blaster ... and work the bolt in and out over and over ... your situation could have been a little bit different than mine... my bolt would come out about a half inch but then it would just spin ... unfortunately my electric impact would not turn it and I had to do it all with a ratchet... But I just kept working the bolt in and out, and kept soaking it with penetrating oil... it got to the point where it was loose enough that my impact gun could turn it... Then it was really easy to work in and out sooner or later it came out.
But maybe yours wouldn't go back in either?
***** Ya your problem was different.
There's two issues that come with the leaf spring bolts.
1. Your tac-welds on the nut INSIDE the frame break. That results in you having no choice but to cut into the frame and get a wrench in there.
2. As was your case, the welds did not break and the bolt was indeed turning out of the nut, however the bolt was rusted to the point where it would freeze itself into the metal collar inside the leaf spring bushing.
Your case means you can work it back and forth, with heat and pb-blaster (I actually find sea-foam works better), until the rust lets go and you can then remove the bolt.
+Matt Feist cool thanks lol ... ya you explained it perfectly makes sense
trying to get my shackles off of my 96 xj and the metal shaft that sits in shackle is stuck to the bolt the bolt spins fine though any help ?
I would try penetrating oil and a pry bar or maybe heat.
I'm installing my 6.5 inch rough country longarm lift and I'm running into some of these problems already. would you recommend leaving the little box open or weld shut after tightening new springs in? I don't think it it'd hurt to leave open.
I have an issue currently with the same bolt it will not break loose for anything I have stood on a damn breaker bar hopping up an down thing still won’t pop any ideas ?
Heat up the bolt
Great Tip, thank you.
That is NOT a shackle bolt. FFS, let's get it right. This is a Leaf spring bushing. The shackle is at the other end!
Could you just use a reciprocating saw to cut the bolt? Or there is no room to squeeze in the blade?
No room unless the nut was loose.
I LITERALLY just didthis exact poorly planned procedure the other day, haha. Midwest rust sucks. All vehicles are like this, every bolt and nut. Took me 6 days to install leaf springs and an axle in the rear.
Not so much a fan of the new voiced over videos.
LoL for some reason I keep expecting red-green to show up there I don't know maybe it's just the way you're describing it something reminded me of red green😁
Mine are seized in the bushing on my 1992 XJ. I would just cut the bolt but don't know where to get a replacement. Couldn't find any online. Any ideas? Can't get the last one out of the bushing. Even with the prying method
ontarioknivesNS7 junk yard
I was able to find some grade 8 ones at my local Ace hardware. They were a half inch longer but I just added 2 washers
Good tip, thanks.
flip the back seat up cut a pocket in the floor right over it, please dont cut the unibody
yjmoneypit i need to do this
Good idea, will try that this weekend
I looked at doing that today, before I cut the underside. There is a cross member under the back seat directly above the bolt. I didn't want to mess with that, even though I'm about to redo the rusted floor.
My nut is intact but I had to torch the leaf out and melt the rubber to see what was going on. The bolt is spinning in the inner sleeve! now I'm pizzed !
Could've just torches the nut off the bolt. It sounds more difficult than it actually is, and it shows other people that you really know what your doing. I think I d be a good video!
had a mechanic swap rear ends while I was out of town and he cut into my mint condition lifted jeep like that, 5 years later and still pissed
It's def 13/16"
Dont worry i made the same mistake you did, ending up cutting two slots to get to that nut lol
More accurate title being 'Leaf Spring Bushing Bolt'? This has nothing to do with the shackle.
good to know thanks,,,,,,
Matt can you please go back to talking in the visa rather than the voice over?
The easiest way is to go thru the floor!!!
If that's a shackle bolt, show me the shackle
That is a eye bolt. ^^
had a mechanic swap rear ends while I was out of town and he cut into my mint condition lifted jeep like that, 5 years later and still pissed
It’s been 5 more years. How bout now?
@@LarryGoggins000 still pissed
@@mblake0420 dude I would be too.. that’s a lifelong grudge lmao
@@LarryGoggins000 still have it, fighting rust in that spot last 3 years
@@mblake0420 try getting some fluid film, or woolwax which is a thicker version. Eats the rust and prevents further rust for a year + before recoating. Fluid film is sold in O'Reilly's 10$ in a aerosal can. Just a lot thinner but still good stuff. Use this to winterize my jeep and tontouch up rust spots underneath. I prefer woolwax as it's thicker and lasts longer underneath, if its not exposed to lots of road wash, fluid film works just as good. By far easiest method to deal with rust.