• RME Gear & Apparel

Rear Shackle hanger problem

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gr8outdoorzman

Member
Location
hill AFB
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My problem is that i am swapping shackles on my 81 cj 7. the driver side rear stock shackle wouldn't slide, beat or just budge... So i decided i would unbolt it from the frame. Should have listened to that voice in my head that said something doesn't look right. One of the bolts had already been snapped in half. Anyways i ended up snapping the other one two. So now what should i do.

Drill out the old bolts and retap it?
or
weld it back on and call it good?
or
something i haven't thought of?

Any help would be appreciated
 
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Mug

Mug

PHORmerly
Location
Orem, UT
You don't want to weld a suspension connection to the frame. There is too much stress and the welds may crack. You can confirm that by looking at similar leaf spring setups. They are usually riveted from the factory. Get rid of the old bolts however you can and replace them with new grade 8 hardware. Locktite the heck out of it.
 
DaveB

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
On my cj8 I busted off bolts in the frame and found that if I took the mig welder and welded an "extension" to the end of the bolt I could walk the rusty bolts out with vice grips. This worked on all but one of the bolts which I ended up drilling out and re-tapping. The part in the frame can be tapped to one size larger if necessary. I may have some hangers in the basement that you could have. I built new ones for mine using YJ poly bushings.
 
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jp008

jp008

Well-Known Member
Location
Heber City
P.H.O.R. said:
You don't want to weld a suspension connection to the frame. There is too much stress and the welds may crack. You can confirm that by looking at similar leaf spring setups. They are usually riveted from the factory. Get rid of the old bolts however you can and replace them with new grade 8 hardware. Locktite the heck out of it.
Click to expand...

Ummmmmmmmm OK?:confused:
 
jsudar

jsudar

Well-Known Member
Location
Cedar Hills
I've had pretty good luck using my ball joint press (five ton c clamp) to remove spring and shackle bolts from their bushings. That might save you from pulling any other hangers off the frame. Use lots of WD40 or similar.

I've also had good success doing what DaveB said. I usually find a nut that will slide over the broken bolt and weld it on. Lots of penetrating oil and work it back and forth.

If you do have to drill it, use left hand drill bits. Half of the time, the drill will catch on the bolt and back it right out.
 
Mug

Mug

PHORmerly
Location
Orem, UT
Think about gr8's question. He's not going to strengthen the original bracket or the frame, he just wants to know how to put it back on. If it came from the factory with bolts or rivets, it should go back on that way. A framed vehicle flexes, not to mention the increased amount of flex it takes off-road. If you have the shackle end of a leaf spring, and you're using the factory brackets, the stress needs to dissipate through a semi flexible connection. Welding is not used for parts that receive intermittent (dynamic) stress. Why do you think trucks have shackle hangers that are riveted to the frame? There are some exceptions to this rule. Take the XJ line. They have a welded, integrated spring connection to the unibody frame. What happens when you take these vehicles off road a lot, especially when the anti sway bar is removed - They start to fatigue and crack.
If gr8 isn't going to redesign, or stiffen the shackle hanger and the frame, and he plans to drive the vehicle off road, than he shouldn't weld the part back on.
 
cheepin

cheepin

Active Member
Location
Parachute Co.
Just weld it back on.I welded mine on my old CJ-7 and beat the snot out of it for years.Never had a problem.Hell,the stock CJ spring hangers are weld to the frame.Not rivited.Way over thinking this.
 
G

gr8outdoorzman

Member
Location
hill AFB
OK i have tried drilling and backing the bolt out. Well my eye must be off cause i drilled the stupid bolt off to the side a bit. Now what should i do? Can i retap it even though its half frame and half bolt?

OR

Can i use a "NUTSERT" someone mentioned them to me and i thought that it might work whats ya'lls experience with'em
 
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B

bobdog

4x4 Addict!
Location
Sandy
cheepin said:
Just weld it back on.I welded mine on my old CJ-7 and beat the snot out of it for years.Never had a problem.Hell,the stock CJ spring hangers are weld to the frame.Not rivited.Way over thinking this.
Click to expand...


I don't see a problem with welding the hanger, but the CJ stock fixed spring hangers are riveted and welded. Good thing because the factory welds are questionable at best.
 
B

bobdog

4x4 Addict!
Location
Sandy
gr8outdoorzman said:
OK i have tried drilling and backing the bolt out. Well my eye must be off cause i drilled the stupid bolt off to the side a bit. Now what should i do? Can i retap it even though its half frame and half bolt?

OR

Can i use a "NUTSERT" someone mentioned them to me and i thought that it might work whats ya'lls experience with'em
Click to expand...


What is there are nutzerts not just the frame tapped with threads. If it was me I would remove the back bumper and then cut or drill a hole though the rear crosmember just big enough so you can remove the old nutzerts and bolt the hanger on with locknuts and washers. I did this years ago.
 
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