Here is a picture of my passenger side shackle bolt. The green line is about how far I have gotten my driver side bolt. The red line is what I think is stuck in the bushings. I feel that the first thread is getting caught. I am able to rethread it back into the weld nut. Any ideas of what else I should do? I am thinking about putting it all back together and see if driving will loosen it up.

 

Would using a pickle fork at the bolt head work to loosen the bolt and be able to pull it out?

 

Can you remove the lower shackle bolt? That would get the weight off the upper bolt

 

Gotta get the pressure off by raising or lowering . Its that simple.

 

Looks like im just going to cut it off on the tire side of the shackle housing and use a punch.

Will this bolt work even though its not nipple tipped?
https://www.fastenal.com/products/de...term=M14x120mm

 

You haven't mentioned that you tried this? I just did all of these bolts yesterday. Start backing out the bolt on the bottom of the shackle that's attached to the leaf spring and relieve some of the pressure on the spring and the bolt in that shackle. Use a jack or something and lower or raise the leaf spring so the holes are line up or the pressure is off of that bolt. If you have them that far out, it's only the pressure holding them in at this point. Spray wd40 or pb blaster in it (I used both), start putting the bolt back in, then back it out again. Gotta lube up those areas to get it to move freely.

I wouldn't use a bolt that doesn't have the nipple tip on it. I dont know exactly what it's there for, but think of it when you're putting the bolt in. You slide the bolt in through the shackle most of the way, then the tip of it helps line it up into the nut a little bit before it threads on. If you only have threads on the end of that bolt you just have to guess and you risk cross threading it...especially on something so old and rusted. Just go to the dealer and get new ones and call it a day. That fastenal bolt also isn't a flange-head so if you do end up going that route make sure to buy washers too.

 

I did take the pressure off the leafs by using a jack under the axle. I went ahead and put it back together for now and see if I can loosen it up with driving it around and try it again in a few days. I was able to get the bolt to where I could see two of the threads but it wouldnt come any further.