So it's been awhile since I've been on, but today this happened. The broken part is the shackle or bracket correct? It's drivers side, rear.

In practice an easy fix?

It seems common in web searches. I'm going to have to take it to a shop as I don't have tools big enough to do it, plus I have a torn rotator cuff.

Experience with this is a relative cheap fix? The brackets seem to be 25-30 bucks... thanks in advance.

 

Broken shackle. Good luck getting the bolts out.

 

Best way to get those bolts off is with a rip saw and a metal cutting blade preferably a diamond edge metal blade. You can try a REALLY GOOD impact. I'd go for a impack that had a reverse torque rating of close to 1000 lbs. Even with one of those there is a high probability the shackle and the bolt have fused together. Rip saw! Been there done that.. Good luck!

 

Just had to do this to mine. Mine weren't to the point of snapping off, but not too far away. Just take a torch and slice the part of the shackle that's still attached to the frame hanger on bolt sides and then knock the rubber bushing off that's probably burning by now (it'd be good to do it outside or it gets a little smokey) then heat the metal sleeve that's probably still rusted to the bolt and hit it with a hammer and it will split or come loose. even if you can get the nut loose on the bolt, you still probably won't be able to get the bolt out because there's a metal sleeve in the rubber bushing that rusts to the bolt and unless you can get an air chisel on the backside of the bolt ( my receiver hitch is in the way) your going to have a heck of some getting the bolt out.

 

thanks for the replies. it's at a shop now. i can't work on it at all with my rotator cuff. the bolts don't look too bad, and it didn't actually puncture the bed. first time in history something major broke and was only 1/8th of a mile from a shop. was supposed to drive an hour and half to the beach today.

 

I feel your pain. I too have a torn rotator cuff, and it makes working on cars, the house, etc. really fun. I love when you can hear it make that teeth gritting grinding sound.....

Anyway... glad you got your truck in.

 

Thanks man. Well, I know how I'm going to do it now. Mine aren't at the breaking point yet, there's like a rust hole in the center of the drivers side (I think that's the side), but looks strong.

Huh, -I might be able to drill out the hole and weld a slug in there..I'll have to get a better look, - might not be worth the effort.

 

Hey, JB- Dorman makes replacements for about 35.00- to me its not worth the time/effort to repair- mine busted about 6 wks. ago- (i didnt think mine was that bad either!)
Vatozone has the same part under the same # as Dorman for the same price under their duralast brand- and they appear to be the same metal thickness as the original (or what was left of it).

 

Yea I put the doorman ones on, only I didn't change out the actual bushing in the leaf spring because mine looked perfectly fine and I think it's pressed in there. You can pick up the doorman ones on amazon.

 

Yea my drivers side had about a quarter sized hole in it so I just figured I'd replace both of them. ( the other one didn't have a hole but wasn't too far away) Luckily I had my box off at the time because I was putting cab corners and rockers on so mine was pretty easy to do and easy to get at.