M38 Shackle frozen to mount

51_M38_Tex · Post by **51_M38_Tex** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:52 pm

I have tried everything to get the old shackle out of the shackle mount with no luck. Im about to order some new shackle mounts and cut the old ones off.

Anyone have a clever way to get the frozen piece out. I had to cut the nut off as it was frozen on.

I applied heat, BFH, heat BFH, Heat, PB blaster, BFH. wont budge.

Clint

SledDog · Post by **SledDog** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 4:59 pm

Welcome to the club! I've been struggling with mine for a month now. Wish I could offer some great advice but all I can do is sympathize with you!

oilleaker1 · Post by **oilleaker1** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 5:45 pm

Acetelyne torch, heat the tube up inside the shackle red, then a good high torque air wrench at about 160 psi. Make sure you have it set for the correct CCW direction and blast it! It will either come, or the head will twist off. The heat is the critical thing. Propane will not get it hot enough. Oh, don't touch the socket or the shakle nut for quite a while,

John

Post by **wesk** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:13 pm

If you have no nut to turn then an impact wrench will not help. Also some of the shackle nuts are righty loosey!

If you have no nut to turn them back to acetylene torch heat and then use the air hammer, preferably a long stroke. Machining a piece of round steel stock to fit the inside of the shackle bushing with a step just larger enough to catch the edge of the bushing without catching the edge of the tube that is welded into the bracket and use the air hammer to drive it.

Finally if all else fails cut the round barrel of the bracket in two and remove the shackle and then weld a new piece of tube stock in.
http://willysmjeeps.com/downloads/M38.s ... repair.pdf

oilleaker1 · Post by **oilleaker1** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:01 pm

You never know what Bubba did. Wes is correct again, two of the shackles are supposed to be LH thread. I believe that the LF and RR have these LH threads in the spring eyes and not the frame. The other confusing item is that the frame mounts are threaded and the springs eyes are not. What I do is thread the "u" into the frame first and then center the other end in the spring eye and thread in the other nut since it can slide in the spring eye. The nut and the u and the frame are all threaded so you have to put the u all the way in the frame so that when the nut is tight, the u is in position also.

I did read where the nut was already broken off in one persons case.

That is a peckeroid now! I've been lucky enough not to inherit one of those. Let me know how you get that one solved. John

capescw · Post by **capescw** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:25 pm

802062 - RH Thread - Drivers side
802061 - LH Thread - Pass side

(this is based on a combination of KaiserWillysjeep catalog numbers that describes '01' as pass, and '02' as driver side, associated with the debellajeep catalog that specifies RH/LH association)

and yes, it seems to be the frame that has the thread. (IMHO)

Now for something completely different - TM9-1804B states "Left-handed thread shackles and bushings are used in the spring eye of the left
front and right rear springs."

GOOD LUCK!

51_M38_Tex · Post by **51_M38_Tex** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:47 am

The nut is cut off so no issue there. The shaft itself is frozen. If I beat on the shackle I can turn it about 45 deg either way but it binds up when I get past that.

Im goingt to pick up an air hammer and give that a try. Been heating with an o/a torch and beating it with a 5lb sledge and a piece of solid bar for a punch for the last 3 nights in a row with no luck.

Bad thing is I need to replace all 4 shackles and this is the first one.

Just priced out 4 new shackle mounts, $65 shipped.......

Xamon · Post by **Xamon** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:54 pm

all of mine came off fine except the passenger front frame, the grease tube pice is stuck, busted the nut end off it as well. I had to replace the actual shackle anyways so I cut it so I could spin it with a pipewrench and a bar. Good luck with this, I am still fighting with the remains of mine as well.

Bretto · Post by **Bretto** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:07 pm

I had that same issue where the nut portion broke from the tube (I was turning it the right way). Then that made it so I had to cut the shackle in order to spin it out. To get the tube out, I used a hacksaw blade, very carefully, and made 2 cuts lengthwise about 1/4" apart then used a screwdriver and hammer to peel that peice out. All the while being careful not to get into the threads of the hanger tube. Then collapsed the tube in on itself to get it out. Use antiseize when you put them back in.
Brett

51_M38_Tex · Post by **51_M38_Tex** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:01 pm

At least Im not alone. Ive dealt with stuck or broken bolts before, but this is crazy.

Why did they need to thread the shaft? Was it a grease passage? I know thats what caused it to freeze. the empty voids fill up with rust.

Im going to take some pics tonight of the Bubba mod that holds the lower side of the shackles on. Its priceless.

Xamon · Post by **Xamon** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:10 pm

There is an interesting idea Bretto... I will have to give it a try. My front shackles were both extended 2 inches, he cut them and welded a piece of angle iron to them. good ole bubba.

51_M38_Tex · Post by **51_M38_Tex** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:04 am

51_M38_Tex · Post by **51_M38_Tex** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:08 am

Custom shackle nut, bolt, retainer thing

Bretto · Post by **Bretto** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:27 am

Custom is correct. Yikes

Xamon · Post by **Xamon** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 10:30 am

Well that was a no go... My piece is too hard

, can't even scratch it with the hacksaw. gonna have to convince the wife that I need a OA torch

M38 Shackle frozen to mount

M38 Shackle frozen to mount

CONFUSING