Rusted Spring Shackles on 2001 Blazer - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

72bowtiestepper · 02-24-2015, 10:04 AM

Anyone have any tips on removing the rear leaf spring shackles on my 2dr. 4X4 blazer ? They are totaly rusted out....got the nuts (upper & lower) off of the bolts, but the bolts are rusted in the bushings. No room whatsoever to swing a BFH , or to use a impact wrench....tried heating & soaking with penetrating oil...no luck so far. Any ideas ??

95 S_Trucker · 02-24-2015, 10:09 AM

If you remove the outer bumper extension, you can get an impact wrench on the outside. And room to swing the hammer. On the drivers side, the EVAP canister will also need to be moved.

The fuel tank will have to be removed to access the inside.

I went out and looked at my 99 2 door, and the bolts were installed from the inside. Meaning the fuel tank must be removed to get the bolts out.

I've had good luck with impacts going back and forth and back and forth to free them. Then an air hammer to drive them out.

72bowtiestepper · 02-24-2015, 10:20 AM

Thanks a bunch for your suggestions!.....will try them.

72bowtiestepper · 02-28-2015, 10:22 AM

Did the job yesterday....got the top bolts on each side free turning with the nuts off & cut them off with a sawsall so I didn't have to remove the gas tank.
The bolts on the leaf spring were rusted into the sleeves in the rubber bushing..no way they were coming out , so I burned them out with my torch using a shield to protect the gas tank from open flame. Once the bushings were out, it was a breeze to install new bolts & bushing finishing the job. I cut about 1/2" off the new top bolts so they would clear the gas tank....plenty left to tighten the new shackles.
One added note : The parts guy sold me the wrong leaf spring bushings for the springs...The correct O.D is 1.660" The top bushing for the frame is
1.500".

1project2many · 02-28-2015, 11:58 AM

The fastest, most consistent method we've found for spring shackle bolts is to have one guy with an air hammer & mushroom tip driving the bolt out while a second guy uses a breaker bar to apply torque to the bolt. They usually begin to move very quickly with that combination.

02-24-2015, 10:04 AM	#1
72bowtiestepper Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Northwest NJ Posts: 684	Rusted Spring Shackles on 2001 Blazer Anyone have any tips on removing the rear leaf spring shackles on my 2dr. 4X4 blazer ? They are totaly rusted out....got the nuts (upper & lower) off of the bolts, but the bolts are rusted in the bushings. No room whatsoever to swing a BFH , or to use a impact wrench....tried heating & soaking with penetrating oil...no luck so far. Any ideas ??

02-24-2015, 10:09 AM	#2
95 S_Trucker Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: . Posts: 2,179	Re: Rusted Spring Shackles on 2001 Blazer If you remove the outer bumper extension, you can get an impact wrench on the outside. And room to swing the hammer. On the drivers side, the EVAP canister will also need to be moved. The fuel tank will have to be removed to access the inside. I went out and looked at my 99 2 door, and the bolts were installed from the inside. Meaning the fuel tank must be removed to get the bolts out. I've had good luck with impacts going back and forth and back and forth to free them. Then an air hammer to drive them out.

02-24-2015, 10:20 AM	#3
72bowtiestepper Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Northwest NJ Posts: 684	Re: Rusted Spring Shackles on 2001 Blazer Thanks a bunch for your suggestions!.....will try them.

02-28-2015, 10:22 AM	#4
72bowtiestepper Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Northwest NJ Posts: 684	Re: Rusted Spring Shackles on 2001 Blazer Did the job yesterday....got the top bolts on each side free turning with the nuts off & cut them off with a sawsall so I didn't have to remove the gas tank. The bolts on the leaf spring were rusted into the sleeves in the rubber bushing..no way they were coming out , so I burned them out with my torch using a shield to protect the gas tank from open flame. Once the bushings were out, it was a breeze to install new bolts & bushing finishing the job. I cut about 1/2" off the new top bolts so they would clear the gas tank....plenty left to tighten the new shackles. One added note : The parts guy sold me the wrong leaf spring bushings for the springs...The correct O.D is 1.660" The top bushing for the frame is 1.500".

02-28-2015, 11:58 AM	#5
1project2many Registered User Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Lakes Region NH Posts: 3,158	Re: Rusted Spring Shackles on 2001 Blazer The fastest, most consistent method we've found for spring shackle bolts is to have one guy with an air hammer & mushroom tip driving the bolt out while a second guy uses a breaker bar to apply torque to the bolt. They usually begin to move very quickly with that combination.



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