how do i replace leaf spring shackle bolt and bushing without removing bed

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

I was looking at the bushing on the upper portion of the leaf hanger shackle and noticing that the nut is in a really hard to access place
1. do i need to remove the bed to grab that rear nut with a wrench or does it have any sort of antispin bracket attached?
2. how hard is it to get the nut back in place with such limited access? can it be done with reasonable effort without removing the bed?

*edit* very very little rust, all my bolts break loose very easily

 

[racsan]

Its so much easier doing it with the bed off. Ive done it both ways, would not hesitate to pull a bed again. There is a good chance the bolt is rust-seized to the steel sleeve insert in the bushing. Torch time! Bang on your spring hangers with a small hammer, they might be due for replacement too. Plus you get a better look at your frame condition and fuel filler hose.

 

[Uncle Gump]

That nut has a tab that prevents it from turning. At least mine did from the factory.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I ground off the four rivets and replaced everything

 

[sgtsandman]

If it has the factory nut, it will have a tab that keeps it from spinning once It contacts the other side of the hanger. If it doesn't or the tab is broken, you'll either need to remove the whole hanger, pull the bed, or cut the bolt and replace it.

 

[Shran]

If it has the factory nut, it will have a tab that keeps it from spinning once It contacts the other side of the hanger. If it doesn't or the tab is broken, you'll either need to remove the whole hanger, pull the bed, or cut the bolt and replace it.

My trick for that is breaking off as much of the tab as possible and using a super short wrench to replace it... it's a pain and isn't always possible but way easier than the other options.

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

IT sounds as if you all are saying that the nut is held in place by a tab, and that will keep it lined up with the bolt during reassembly, yes?
If the anti spin pin breaks, then i should lift the bed.

oh man, i spent a while trying to figure out how to lift up the truck with the stock bottle jack and my tiny jackstand. I made some cribbing. does this look alright?

 

[Uncle Gump]

I sure don't like the looks of that... it may be safe enough... but it might not be. I wouldn't want to be under it when trying to find out.

A decent floor jack and a pair of 6 ton jack stands are pretty much essential equipment.

That tab on the nut won't hold it in place... it simply keeps it from free spinning. There is enough room to get the nut back in place to get a bolt started. Not enough room for most tools to get on it and hold it.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

IT sounds as if you all are saying that the nut is held in place by a tab, and that will keep it lined up with the bolt during reassembly, yes?
If the anti spin pin breaks, then i should lift the bed.

oh man, i spent a while trying to figure out how to lift up the truck with the stock bottle jack and my tiny jackstand. I made some cribbing. does this look alright?

Are the 2x4's screwed together? If so, I'd use it.

 

[sgtsandman]

Are the 2x4's screwed together? If so, I'd use it.

I agree to the most part. I’d want more wood under the feet of the stands though. Either narrow the wood that is there or put a 3/4” plywood platform on top for the jack stands to sit on.

 

[broncc]

You absolutely do not need to remove the bed. The nut on the back has a tab peened onto it which prevents it from turning. Its a 21mm-7/8th head and you might need to put your jack handle on it. If the metal bushing inside the rubber rust jacked you will need to cut the bolt on either side of the spring AFTER YOU BREAK THE NUT LOOSE. Its a M14x2x110. You can reach on top of the hanger no problem to hold the nut in place when installing everything.

Being concerned about rust at the tab on the nut while thinking its reasonable to take a bed off with rusty torx bolts is lunacy. Its not even an option with a Bronco/Explorer. Absolute worst case you can get a cheap wrench from HFT and cut it down with the angle grinder you just bought to hold a normal flange nut on the back of the hanger. You might be able to snake an low-pro wrench from the bottom drain hole.

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

when i lower the bottle jack and the weight is transfered to the jackstand, it has started tilting and the two inner legs begin to float. any idea how to remedy this? I have always jacked my truck up by the axle.
...it passes the shake test

 

[broncc]

I have three answers arranged in ways that your wallet will like the most:
1 rotate the stack of wood 90* and keep fiddling until it sits mostly flat and send it
2 buy more wood to stack all the way to the frame
3 buy taller jack stands

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

truck frame rail is laying flat on wooden puck
wooden puck is laying flat on jackstand trough
jackstand is maintaining three points of contact with cribbing and does not seem to shift as i remove weight from the bottle jack
truck passes the shake test
I have a mirowave under the spare tire

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

3 points is not safe. There is a side force on it now even when it passes the shake test. Almost all the weight is on one leg and it is overloaded and potentially will collapse. Don't use it