Leaf Spring Shackles stuck forward?

[dirron]

So yesterday I use a skyjack to jack up the body of my truck one side at a time so that I could install new shims (old ones fell out I guess, I assume due to loose U-bolts)... Anyway, I installed the shims, retightened my U-bolts and thought it was fixed... went for a drive.... SUPER BUMPY ride... lol... so bad...

so I took another look and noticed that my shackles were all the way forward pressed up against the frame and the springs were super tense... obviously... so what is the proper method to get my shackles back in the proper position? Just jack up one side at a time again, reposition, and lower it back down???

It seems like the weight of the truck is what is keeping the shackle pinned to the frame from all the leaf spring tension... If I don't figure it out by tomorrow I'll post pics, but the trucks at my friends house, I really didn't want to drive it on the freeway again with it the way it was...

thoughts? :ybrick:

 

[Huskey]

Oh, that sounds messed up.

From what you described, it sounds like there was alot compression on your spring to get the shackle where it is. And now there is of a static tension held there waiting to pop (that is with the tire off the ground). I doubt its the weight of the truck holding it up - I've seen shackles do silly things, but never get stuck. I'd be real carefull whatever you end up doing to free the shackle because that tire has a good chance to kick something nasty when it gives. If you have any space above the shackle I would try to hammer a wedge into it to pop it down, or at least give enough room to get a massive prybar into it. Jack the tire all the way up until its just off the ground to see if it frees itself, and if not, put it back down and have it only slightly jacked up when you start hitting it and prying on it.

Good luck with it

 

[dirron]

Well I fixed it. I jacked the body up until the tire was suspended an inch off the ground by the leaf spring. When I jacked it up the shackle started move toward where it's supposed to be, I had to use a pry bar to make it go in the right direction as I let it back down and the spring flattened out a little. I guess it wasnt actually stuck, but for what ever reason when I let the truck down after installing the shim it folded forward, and once I let the truck down the spring tension kept it there.. kind of weird... All fixed now though... no more ridiculously rough ride... lol...