Today I finally started working on replacing my rear end, but I can not get to bolts that hold the spring shackles to the rear end out. Any ideas / help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Warren
If you do not already have one - get yourself a rather large BRASS Hammer. I have a spring spreader that goes from side to side that takes the tension off the rear spring so that the shackles are then not in tension. You can sometimes get by without that by jacking up the rear end at either side (never in the middle when the car is not supported by frame jack stands) and placing a block made from 2x4 wood under the spring at the end. This assumes the frame is supported by jack stands. You can then raise or lower the rear end side till the spring is resting on the wood and this will then slack off the tension on the shackle. I used to block both sides and do it this way but later I bought a spring spreader since it is just way easier. Once the tensions is reduced on the shackle you can hit the threaded end with the brass hammer directly rather than hammering on the nut and wrecking the threads. Move the hammer from shackle end to end to walk the shackle out.
I just occurred to me that you might not realize that the entire shackle must come out and the "bolts" are actually studs and are a part of the shackle. Thus the shackle must come out of the spring and spring perch at the same time unless you have L shaped shackles and then each half can be removed separately but you still need to have both nuts of the shackle off for it to come apart.
Remove the shackles first. Then drop down the rear end.
If the shackles are stubborn you need to use some WD-40 or something to lube things up. By the looks of the picture they need it. You may need to use heat also.
Heat will do it most every time.
Heat it up then cool things off and use some WD-40.
First, apply 50/50.
Then use a six-point socket, a breaker bar, and a long pipe for a handle extension.
If that doesn't do it, turn the nut red then let it cool.
The shackles may be in a bind and hard to get out. It's often easier to remove the perch nuts when the wheels are off. The perches won't be hard to get loose when the nuts are off, nothing like the front axle perches. If the shackles are in good condition you don't have to remove them at all to change rear ends.