Rear suspension R&R
 

Started on my upgrade today. Thanks to threads by BlakeFL and Password12345678 for their research on parts.

While my old springs were pretty flat, more important was this shackle:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...d183fe89a0.jpg

I think the other one's worse, but I need to soak the front spring bolt in PB another day or so before I try to pull it out.

Yeah, that's a crappy job. But it sure is nice when it is all refreshed and feeling great. Mine took 18 hours to get the springs out (without breaking anything), and about 30 minutes to put the new springs on. It was a mess.

If your springs are still on factory bolts, they are covered in solid red loc-tite and heat can really help get them turning without breaking things.

I got all the bolts out without breaking off the welded nuts (although the threads got a little messed up. I'm going to try to refresh them otherwise use the nuts that Tubur is sending).

Here's why, in my case at least, those front spring bolts come out so hard (or break, or don't come out period). Rust has caused the bushing to blow up during extraction, and the whole mess is hopelessly locked together. No choice but to grind.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...87cedb8ec.jpeg

When I did mine, the driver's side spring literally fell apart. Not the individual leafs mind you, it was the end where the shackle bushing connects to the leaf - right about where your shackle problem was. The eye had rusted apart and crumbled off the bushing. Scary, scary stuff.

I am always amazed when I see such things

In almost all States in Australia, any vehicle over 5yrs must undergo an annual "Roadworthy Inspection" by an authorised mechanic

This is to prevent vehicles with dangerous safety defects being on a public road

No emissions test, such as I read of in California, mainly about safety items

The worst part is that my home state of MA in the U.S. is pretty strict with the required yearly inspection. All vehicles on the road must be inspected. We have emissions testing as well, but if the vehicle is 15 or more years old it is exempt from emissions testing.

The Jeep passed the safety inspection about 7 months prior!
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This would be surprising, except with the salt on the roads every winter, most cars rust out before they hit 15 years so it's rare to see any vehicle more than 10 years old.

I live right beside the Pacific Ocean, so salt from the air is a constant battle, it condenses in crystal form all over everything, its also wet & humid, cars rust very badly here,"coastal cars" are best avoided

Jeeps (or other 4wd that spent a lot of time on sand, or towing fishing boats should be avoided like the plague. "inland" cars are best for no rust,
poor bastards, hardly never rains out there

With regard to the rear spring bolts, does anyone know if they are 21mm or 13/16" ?

I have to do this job again soon, previously I used 13/16" 12 point gear, but I felt that wasnt quite right,

dont seem to have a 6 point 21mm or 13/16" socket, prefer to use the correct tool

I think they are still SAE (13/16) but 21mm is only .014" larger that that. I'd use a 13/16 6-point and hammer it on if it's rusty. Impact sockets are usually only 6-point.

They are metric bolts (M14 2.00) so while 21 mm is probably the "right" (ANSI) socket, I've been using 13/16" 6-pt. impact. If the bolt/nut is a little rusty and/or your socket is a little worn, that extra tightness is very helpful.

thanks Gents...seems like my Jeep is calling for more tools

a 6 point 3/4" drive impact socket would be my num 1 weapon of choice, especially for the upper shackle bolt

however I dont have a set of long impact sockets, or a 21mm or 13/16 impact sockets, I see a complete set online, full set of long & short, metric & imperial.. its got my name on it

My Jeep heard that!

Cleaning threads and squashing in bushings.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...ecc1698a48.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...8758b761dc.jpg

My state has no inspections safety, emissions or otherwise.
The tabs for my XJ are $57 per year. They send the bill in the mail.

We count on the owners to actually decide for themselves if their vehicles are safe enough for the road.
In 40 years of driving, I've never heard of an accident that was caused by an unsafe vehicle.

Personal responsibility and freedom go hand in hand.

How would the average motorist be in a position to know if their vehicle had safety defects?
That would assume they maintain a rigorous maintenance schedule

In my 40+ years of driving, I regularly see media reports of especially truck accidents, including fatals, where poor maintenance has led to brake failure..as an example

What is your opinion on what would happen if you braked heavily at freeway speed and that rear shackle snapped, would that be unsafe?

I would not like top be coming in the opposite direction if that happened

apart from that, freedom is good :icon_biggrin:

Here's about 44,000 of 'em.

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api...ication/812115

But as the report notes there's probably many more. Nobody really looks. 5-0 just looks for the cell phone or a beer can, usually that's the story right there.