One of the best step by step videos for addressing the vanishing shackle phenomenon... After watching this I was able to make this repair easily... Thank you..
Very helpful. Im glad you made the point about tightening the shackle bolts after the the vehicle is on the ground. Tightening the shackle bolts in the air could possibly cause the busings to fail early.
Right on. video saved me 500 bux. Thanks very much for taking the time to put this up. Only complaint was need a bit more light. At the start hard to see where you were saying to put the jack stands.But great teacher again thanks.
Mr rich. Ty for your videos, I own a dakota and found your videos to be invaluable , I out your video on and do the job step by step , I would have never tried doing ball joints until I saw your video, I do have on question , can you tighten the sway bar link too tight? I put torque rep wrench to 27 but it never stopped, so I tightness until I got a little squish. Will I hurt the truck? .....I have to do shackles this week, I don't have air tools, I have a breaker bar, I should use that on the 21 and just use the t55 to hold.....? My shackles didn't break, so do I put truck on jack stands, to keep tire just off ground? And then keep jack on the side I'm working on jacked up so to capture the spring when shackle comes off... Again Ty sir for your time.
Hey great video. I'm located in Vermont the great rust belt! I'm driving a 2003 Dodge Dakota quad cab and I looked under tye back and both rear leaf spring shackles are gone and broke in 2! Gotta get them replaced asap!!!!
I have a 2004 dakota and my leaf spring shackle is opposite the spring itself is on top of the lower assembly, how does one get the top bolt off the leaf spring? no room to get the bolt out. any help?
I have a hitch under there in the way a little but got the bottom out but can't get the top had to cut them off. still have the other side and I can't get the bushing in the leaf
Thats a 2wd. I have a 4wd and I have to do the same thing. The shackles are mounted different, the spring attaches at the top and the bottom of the shackle is mounted to the bracket. Going to be fun getting the truck high enough to get at the upper bolt on the spring. Anybody else have to do this?
yes - THAT is the problem. It seems the ONLY way is to burn off the bolts holding the hanger, remove it, and then you can drop the leaf spring low enough to work on it. Local garage wants 500$ to do it... This video is only showing you HALF the story. How do you remove rusted bolts! They have to be torched off!!!
I have a 1986 gmc s15. What would be the result if I was to weld my shackle solid to the frame so it didn't pivot. Would it work for lift or would it put too much pressure on the spring
Never cause a shackle to not be able to move, you stop spring action and something will eventually break as the springs want to compress over every bump or uneven spot in the road...The pivot is necessary for spring action...if you don't want spring action, then simply build a carriage as a mount between the axle and frame...
Is that the Corporate 9 rear diff? On those for 2nd gen Dakota and 1st gen Durango, I would never, ever lift a by the pumpkin, third member housing...It can cause the axle housing on that model diff to come out of alignment, either axle shaft can actually shift it's position within the central housing, giving you a camber issue on the rear causing outside tire wear...That rear diff, the Corporate 9, is the only one I've ever seen do that...personally, I would never lift via the center unless both axle housings are definitely welded and not pressed in, at least not lifting the full weight of the vehicle....aside from that, the rest is "you do what you can, or have to, do to get the job done"...rear springs can be a royal pain in the *** on some vehicles (worst I've dealt with was 1978 Pontiac T/A, needed that shackle, a lift shackle at that, to move further back about an extra 1/2 inch to get the bolt in, but there wasn't room enough)...in any case, for this Dakota I'd say overall, a good job...
My shackle is rusted out and so is the spot on the frame where new shackle bolts into. It has punched itself up thru bed of truck. I don't know what to do i need to get to work. Still driveable for few weeks?
@gratefuldead42022 Well if you live anywhere where they spray Calcium and salt on the roads in the winter you would see vehicles 4 or 5 years old rotted out. It sucks but it is what it is.
2001 dakota mine just broke 106k miles. Thanks for the video peoplenlike you keep us away from expensive repairs.
Glad to help
2003 dakota 4x4. back left one just snapped. not the same set up as this. Spring is hitting bottom of my box now
One of the best step by step videos for addressing the vanishing shackle phenomenon...
After watching this I was able to make this repair easily...
Thank you..
Very helpful. Im glad you made the point about tightening the shackle bolts after the the vehicle is on the ground. Tightening the shackle bolts in the air could possibly cause the busings to fail early.
Why you didn't put white grease on the spring bushing and the bolt ?
Right on. video saved me 500 bux. Thanks very much for taking the time to put this up.
Only complaint was need a bit more light. At the start hard to see where you were saying to put the jack stands.But great teacher again thanks.
Woulda been nice to see how to replace the leaf bushing as you did this.
Mr rich. Ty for your videos, I own a dakota and found your videos to be invaluable , I out your video on and do the job step by step , I would have never tried doing ball joints until I saw your video, I do have on question , can you tighten the sway bar link too tight? I put torque rep wrench to 27 but it never stopped, so I tightness until I got a little squish. Will I hurt the truck? .....I have to do shackles this week, I don't have air tools, I have a breaker bar, I should use that on the 21 and just use the t55 to hold.....? My shackles didn't break, so do I put truck on jack stands, to keep tire just off ground? And then keep jack on the side I'm working on jacked up so to capture the spring when shackle comes off... Again Ty sir for your time.
Sometimes work done on one make can be applied to another which is helpful.
this video was a big help in how to raise the car as to release the pressure on the springs and it worked thank you. mines was a 1997 ford explorer
What year Dakota is that? I have a 99 and it looks opposite where the leaf spring is connected at the top. The shackles need to be replaced.
I’m trying to do this Job. What star bit is on the impact?
Hey great video. I'm located in Vermont the great rust belt! I'm driving a 2003 Dodge Dakota quad cab and I looked under tye back and both rear leaf spring shackles are gone and broke in 2! Gotta get them replaced asap!!!!
If only people knew what there vehicles look like underneath in the northeast.
@@RichpinTv
Was quoted $150 each side to replace the shackles.
thanks rich, I thought I had Big problems but you quelled my fears
Thanks for the video. Did you have to unbolt the rear shocks first, or did you jack the rear axle up/down with the shocks attached?
No no he sounds like ray barone from everybody loves Raymond lol
My 03 just had this issue and my shackle is opposite yours. Above instead of below. Is yours a 4x4?
No it is two wheel drive.
I have a 2004 dakota and my leaf spring shackle is opposite the spring itself is on top of the lower assembly, how does one get the top bolt off the leaf spring? no room to get the bolt out. any help?
Its not the same as this one?
@mts0628 They are $42. ea. from the dealer.
@Avinash1943 The leaf is made from spring steel and is pretty tough.
I have a hitch under there in the way a little but got the bottom out but can't get the top had to cut them off. still have the other side and I can't get the bushing in the leaf
@gratefuldead42022 Hard to say the one on the left was gone and the right is rusted.
What was the best way to get that top torx bolt on top?
great video as always there richpin
this job is fun said no one ever lol
What torx heads did you use again to get the shackles off
T 55 is what it is i am in the process of doing one on a 2002 Dodge Dakota SLT 4x4
I used a air chisel and tapped out the bolt
I did not have to touch the shocks.
Thats a 2wd. I have a 4wd and I have to do the same thing. The shackles are mounted different, the spring attaches at the top and the bottom of the shackle is mounted to the bracket. Going to be fun getting the truck high enough to get at the upper bolt on the spring. Anybody else have to do this?
yes - THAT is the problem. It seems the ONLY way is to burn off the bolts holding the hanger, remove it, and then you can drop the leaf spring low enough to work on it.
Local garage wants 500$ to do it...
This video is only showing you HALF the story. How do you remove rusted bolts! They have to be torched off!!!
I have a 1986 gmc s15. What would be the result if I was to weld my shackle solid to the frame so it didn't pivot. Would it work for lift or would it put too much pressure on the spring
Never cause a shackle to not be able to move, you stop spring action and something will eventually break as the springs want to compress over every bump or uneven spot in the road...The pivot is necessary for spring action...if you don't want spring action, then simply build a carriage as a mount between the axle and frame...
Is that the Corporate 9 rear diff? On those for 2nd gen Dakota and 1st gen Durango, I would never, ever lift a by the pumpkin, third member housing...It can cause the axle housing on that model diff to come out of alignment, either axle shaft can actually shift it's position within the central housing, giving you a camber issue on the rear causing outside tire wear...That rear diff, the Corporate 9, is the only one I've ever seen do that...personally, I would never lift via the center unless both axle housings are definitely welded and not pressed in, at least not lifting the full weight of the vehicle....aside from that, the rest is "you do what you can, or have to, do to get the job done"...rear springs can be a royal pain in the *** on some vehicles (worst I've dealt with was 1978 Pontiac T/A, needed that shackle, a lift shackle at that, to move further back about an extra 1/2 inch to get the bolt in, but there wasn't room enough)...in any case, for this Dakota I'd say overall, a good job...
My shackle is rusted out and so is the spot on the frame where new shackle bolts into. It has punched itself up thru bed of truck. I don't know what to do i need to get to work. Still driveable for few weeks?
I wonder what you did to get this resolved?
Nice video, but the torque wrench made me chuckle. Just run it on with the impact and save the torque wrench for engine components.
rich...how do you get the spring to drop down?...mine wont budge
Is the axle free to move with no support under it.
@gratefuldead42022 Well if you live anywhere where they spray Calcium and salt on the roads in the winter you would see vehicles 4 or 5 years old rotted out. It sucks but it is what it is.
@jtman04401 No it's everyone loves richpin
Sounds kinda like Peter Griffin. That's awesome.
you got the wrong guy? i mean does anyone agree with you this sounds nothing like him?
Dude sounds like Ray Romano from Everybody Loves Raymond. LOL
nice
Nice job bud*****
What year is this Dakota
0:08 "2003 model"
@@HappyHands.
That's a bad miss on my part. Thank you, at least you paid attention 😂
Thank you Sir!
its worse when the brackets rust out
Is this peter griffin?
ottawa canada thoes are not worth fixing..the rust is so deep nothing can be loosened.. its off to the junkyard
dude sounds like peter griffin
salt. i hate it. kills all our cars