Non quality shackles

History

History

Well-known member
31 Tudor when you step on running board (either side) the car goes down with the weight and doesn’t come back up. I have removed the front spring and it had really consumed itself by no lubricant. The leaves had worn the leaf under to the point I am putting a re-arched and in much better condition spring in it for the time being. I had some new bushings so I cleaned up the shackles and noticed the new or old bushing (which looked new) would not spin on the shackles. The shackles have holes drilled thru for grease and the trench cut for grease on both sides of the shaft. It looks like these are cast or poorly stamped as there is a bulging line (manufacturing line) on both sides of the shaft. There is no way to turn these for concentricity so I used a file to knock the high ridge down and they still don’t spin smooth or even go in without force. It seems they are bulged also on both ends of the load bearing shafts. Do I have a set of shackles that is known about, poorly made? Between the spring andthese shackles I see why the car would basically lock in position.
 
Here's an article on Vince Falter's Ford Garage about shackles; https://www.fordgarage.com/pages/brokenshackles.htm

This is what I found in my left rear shackle when I pulled the rear end to install my Mitchell. It didn't appear broken from the outside. S Vince pointed out, they break right thru the lube hole.


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Thanks Blockhead, the shackles that were on mine look similar to those. Mine had a manufacturing line on the inside of the two shafts and the outside of the shafts and seem swollen at both ends and not from wear. The manufacturing line I’m speaking of is either from the part being pounded/forged in a die or being cast? I would not think this part should be cast but I’m not in the shackle business.If I can get the bushing to slide on it’s almost impossible to get it to spin on the shafts and I’m speaking of new bushings. When the bushings are installed I’ll have to pound the shafts of the shackles in. I believe I’ll just get a new set from Snyders and be done with it. The have the newer style grease zerks in the ones I have now. They look good but I believe they are junk.
 
History said:
Thanks Blockhead, the shackles that were on mine look similar to those. Mine had a manufacturing line on the inside of the two shafts and the outside of the shafts and seem swollen at both ends and not from wear. The manufacturing line I’m speaking of is either from the part being pounded/forged in a die or being cast? I would not think this part should be cast but I’m not in the shackle business.If I can get the bushing to slide on it’s almost impossible to get it to spin on the shafts and I’m speaking of new bushings. When the bushings are installed I’ll have to pound the shafts of the shackles in. I believe I’ll just get a new set from Snyders and be done with it. The have the newer style grease zerks in the ones I have now. They look good but I believe they are junk.
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I have had to "burnish" new shackles to new bushings. Clamp the shackles in the vise and use some mild sandpaper (220-320 grit) wrapped around the arm of the shackle and strop it back and forth like you were polishing a shoe. You can use Sharpie or DyKem on the shafts to show you the high points to polish. Most of the time once the black coating from the hardening process is removed and the shafts are polished (up to 600 grit, then emery cloth), they end up turning just fine within the bushing. Repeat once the new bushings are installed to be sure.

Another tip - load up the shackle with grease before you assemble it, smear grease on both the shackle and the bushing, then squirt a bit more through the grease fitting once you are assembled. That way there's no way air will be in the shackle preventing lubrication.
 
If you're not set on originality put on an aftermarket set with polyurethane bushings and unattended they'll still be working fine for years to come.

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Jayjay I’ve attempted roughly what youve suggested and had them close but when the bushing is installed I’m back to “square” one. ��. After seeing that photo of the one that broke I’m leaning toward a new set as they really look like what I have. I wonder how those poly bushing would feel versus the metal bushing, and how hard is it to get the last bushing in? Thanks guys
 
History said:
Jayjay I’ve attempted roughly what youve suggested and had them close but when the bushing is installed I’m back to “square” one. ��. After seeing that photo of the one that broke I’m leaning toward a new set as they really look like what I have. I wonder how those poly bushing would feel versus the metal bushing, and how hard is it to get the last bushing in? Thanks guys
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FYI, I replaced my shackles with the USA made "accessory" shackles from Snyder's. https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/product.htm?pid=978578&cat=0

Never had a issue since.
 
I typically use NORS shackles from Western Auto, Thompson's, Bull Dog, etc. They can still be found quite reasonably at swap meets or online. I also use bronze bushings which I prefer to the original steel ones. I have also used the "Pete & Jakes" shackles with great success. These seem to work well if the hangers on the axle housings are worn a bit too much to hold a bushing tightly.
 
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