U Shackle installation

[M.Klapp]

Hey Guys,

 

Hope everyone is doing well!

 

QQ on this one: working on installing my new Possie's Super Slider springs and these bushings are a bear!  Question is: are the shackles installed while you thread the bushing into the spring?  Or, shall I install the bushing all the way, then the shackle?  

 

Thanks,

Mike 

[TodFitch]

56 minutes ago, M.Klapp said:

Hey Guys,

 

Hope everyone is doing well!

 

QQ on this one: working on installing my new Possie's Super Slider springs and these bushings are a bear!  Question is: are the shackles installed while you thread the bushing into the spring?  Or, shall I install the bushing all the way, then the shackle?  

 

Thanks,

Mike 

 

For the "silent U" style shackles, you place the "U" piece into its final position then screw the bushing onto the "U" and into the shackle or spring simultaneously.

[The Oil Soup]

IIRC the installation should go like this, shackle mounted to the spring, other end of shackle to the frame mount and lastly other end of spring to the frame mount. Be generous with the grease.

[M.Klapp]

1 hour ago, TodFitch said:

 

For the "silent U" style shackles, you place the "U" piece into its final position then screw the bushing onto the "U" and into the shackle or spring simultaneously.

 

OK, That's what I figured.  Any tricks or recommendations (other than the grease)?  I seem to be pulling the "U" shackle into the bushing and bottoming out before the bush is all the way into the spring.

[TodFitch]

33 minutes ago, M.Klapp said:

 

OK, That's what I figured.  Any tricks or recommendations (other than the grease)?  I seem to be pulling the "U" shackle into the bushing and bottoming out before the bush is all the way into the spring.

 

You might verify you have the correct bushing and U, there are variations on the size. Factory service manual should show the clearances and alignment you need. My manuals are for Plymouth for the 1930s and your 1940s Dodge truck are likely different than mine.

[M.Klapp]

20 hours ago, TodFitch said:

 

You might verify you have the correct bushing and U, there are variations on the size. Factory service manual should show the clearances and alignment you need. My manuals are for Plymouth for the 1930s and your 1940s Dodge truck are likely different than mine.

 

Got the right ones, and the match the old ones on demotions.  I've also got the clearances from the manual, so I'm OK there.  My issue is the Shackle is being threaded/pulled all the way into the bushing, before the pushing is threaded into the spring all the way.  Will try and grab a picture.  Think I might also need to keep pressure on the pushing as its threading into the spring.  

[M.Klapp]

Here are the pics.  As you can see bushing isn’t quite all the way into the spring, but the shackle is fully threaded into the bushing.  
 

Appears to be a matter of timing on getting the bushing started into the spring then staring the shackle.

 

I’ve got an extra bushing I’ve been playing around with to try and get it right.  Not quite there just yet.

 

Mike

[The Oil Soup]

I would mark the shackle with some chalk, take it apart and hold it out the correct distance from the spring so the bushing seats all the way. I guess the older trucks don't have a dust cover on the shackle and that may be why it is more difficult to install.

[M.Klapp]

On 6/5/2020 at 12:01 AM, The Oil Soup said:

I would mark the shackle with some chalk, take it apart and hold it out the correct distance from the spring so the bushing seats all the way. I guess the older trucks don't have a dust cover on the shackle and that may be why it is more difficult to install.

Yeah, might be.  Marking was sort of what I did.  Installed the bushing with about 1” of thread left and then started threading the shackle.  Slow going is quite literally the understatement of the year.......

 

Got both fronts done and still have the tears to do, but they can wait a little bit.  
 

Some pics including my contraption for keeping pressure on the bushing to get them to thread.  Without it, they just spun in place.  
 

M