Bad Shackles

Can you go back to the shackles for a minute? I am in need of bushing replacements and I wondered if I should just replace the shackles while I am at it. Did the shackles you purchased from 4wd.com add any lift? I really would like to stay stock on these. Could you also give me a little heads up on what it takes to replace the bushings? Thanks.

 

I did what you are asking. A great air hammer to "punch" out the old bushings and punch in new units, 4wd comes with all parts (bushing, shackles bolts and nuts) and as far as I can tell they are closet to o.e. without the price. OE height too

 

The shackles I bought that are listed above are stock height. The reason I got such a lift was because of the old shackles being so badly worn. I eyeballed them before, but it wasn't until I took them off to replace did I realize just how bad they were. The shackles on now lifted the jeep just because they are doing their job and no worn parts.

I didn't have an air hammer and the bushings were worn into the spring hole as well as the spring hanger hole. I resorted to taking a hack saw blade and cutting through the bushing through the length of the hole, then using a small chisel to roll the lip of the cut bushing out. Is that the best way to do it? Hell I hope not, but it worked for me although it took forever.

As far as the stock bushings, 4wd sells them, but I honestly feel the ones I got are worth the extra $$, plus with the added grease fittings I'm hoping I'm through with shackle replacements for a long time.

 

What kind of bushings did they come with? Were they the rubber oe or the prothane poly bushings? I would much rather have the poly bushings. I just want my lift to be as close to stock as possible. Thanks again for the help.

 

Brass.

 

How do those perform in relation to poly? Everything I had read led me to believe they were either rubber or poly, I didn't know about brass.

 

The units I bought with the shackle was not brass. mine was the same as OE. like a roll pin with rubber bushing and anther roll pin inside. (not really a roll pin just kind of looks like it.) The air hammer worked great! It drove out the old bushing and if there was nothing left of the bushing and left the old "roll pin" I used the cutting punch and cut out the old pin. Drove in the new bushing with a flat punch. (might work better if you freeze the new bushing) My oe rubber bushing lasted 20 years before I would say it started to show sings. and that was with a plow on the front. Its all in how you are going to use it. If you are going to use it as a DD or a show driver than they work great. If you are going to use it as a full time trail unit go to the poly. I think I paid 15 for the whole kit per shackle and bought extras for the leaf bushings (they are the same, and have extra shackles now in case of problems later)