How would you fix this suspension issue?

[bullseye]

I bent my suspension years ago. No steering pull or damage, just a small cause and effect issue.

The problem is the shackles bent outwards on both sides, causing the bumper top plate to also have to bend outwards, which causes some spaces and lips to form, and it bugs the piss out of me.

The frame rails are NOT bent. I put a level to both of them and they are on.

How would you bend these points back in? Sledge?

See pics below.

 

[IOPort51]

New shackles??

I bent my suspension years ago. No steering pull or damage, just a small cause and effect issue.

The problem is the shackles bent outwards on both sides, causing the bumper top plate to also have to bend outwards, which causes some spaces and lips to form, and it bugs the piss out of me.

The frame rails are NOT bent. I put a level to both of them and they are on.

How would you bend these points back in? Sledge?

See pics below.

 

[81laredo]

Try measuring the Springs, outside to outside at the Rear Eyes (frame end) and outside to outside at the Front Eyes (shackle end). This would help to identify the problem, could be Spring Hangers, Springs or maybe Bushings.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

looks to me like the springhanger is bent, you can cut them off and weld new ones on, you might be able to bend the old one back. probably go ahead and get new shackles to

 

[IOPort51]

Was this the result of the sudden stop at the bottom of the fall??
I can see it being rather easy to bend both the same direction but to toe out like this must have taken some thought and effort. If this were mine and it annoyed me, and it would, I would have to drop the springs and look at the mounts themselves and decide weather to try to pull them in one side at a time with a bar clamp or maybe a come a long. I would definitely be replacing the shackles with no lift grease able, ½ inch at the most. IMHO.

 

[bullseye]

Was this the result of the sudden stop at the bottom of the fall??
I can see it being rather easy to bend both the same direction but to toe out like this must have taken some thought and effort. If this were mine and it annoyed me, and it would, I would have to drop the springs and look at the mounts themselves and decide weather to try to pull them in one side at a time with a bar clamp or maybe a come a long. I would definitely be replacing the shackles with no lift grease able, ½ inch at the most. IMHO.

I would venture a guess that this happened in 88 or 89. I was def still in high school. I was doing some very light 4 wheeling and was driving up an embankment and as I got to the top, the front end sort of went up, over, then straight down on top of a stump. A big old growth type stump that I didn't see until it was too late...That was like a wedge between them and the weight and force just bent them both out.

I'll check into replacing the shackles then. I just have this bad feeling that it's going to be more than the shackles.

 

[IOPort51]

I would venture a guess that this happened in 88 or 89. I was def still in high school. I was doing some very light 4 wheeling and was driving up an embankment and as I got to the top, the front end sort of went up, over, then straight down on top of a stump. A big old growth type stump that I didn't see until it was too late...That was like a wedge between them and the weight and force just bent them both out.

I'll check into replacing the shackles then. I just have this bad feeling that it's going to be more than the shackles.

I just knew there was going to be a good story in this.
Jeep shackles are notoriously week; I think they even tried to blame some of the “roll over” BS on them back in the day. The good news is that they would have bent a long time before the hangers or the frame did. Kind of like the fuse being the weakest point by design. What the heck it’s been like this for 20 years it can’t be too serious!

 

[BajaEdition]

I like that story
good luck with the new shackles, get back with us when finished.

 

[Old Dog]

looks to me like the springhanger is bent, you can cut them off and weld new ones on, you might be able to bend the old one back. probably go ahead and get new shackles to

X2 check the hangers

 

[TDHofstetter]

Sight along the underside of the frame where those hangers attach. There'll be one rivet at the crossmember and a bolt ahead of it. I've got a hunch the frame there isn't flat (bottom strap of the frame LEVEL) like it should be - I'll bet there's a ripple there, tipping the hanger out slightly.

I suspect that because I've got a frame out front right now with a severe case of the exact same issue on one side - looks like the PO hung the whole Jeep from that wheel somehow. I'll get it to straighten, but it'll be a real PITA to do.

 

[bullseye]

I have zero experience with suspensions on a Jeep. So I have a very basic question. If I want to change out the shackles, is it a matter of just removing the 2 bolts on each shackle in the pic below and slipping a new shackle into place?

The whole thing is under pressure from the weight of the Jeep right? So I need to put it on a lift and remove? Or can I just unbolt and replace on the ground as is?

Don't let me kill myself.

 

[81laredo]

I used a sissor jack between the axle and the frame, lifted it until the load was off and then replaced them with new.

 

[TDHofstetter]

It IS under pressure, quite a lot of it - plenty enough to kill you if you're in the wrong spot when it comes down... although if you're just replacing shackles, it's not likely to drop very far.

I hadn't thought of 81Laredo's technique of jacking between the axle & frame with a scissors jack - that's a neat idea! More often, folks jack up the frame, though. Not so high that the wheel comes off the ground, just enough to take some of the load off. When you get the first shackle bolt pretty nearly ready to come out, it'll cock in the shackle/bushing and you'll be able to tell if you need to jack it higher or let it down to get it just right.

Going back in... the spring will flex some so you've got some play room. It still helps to have a big long tapered punch or alignment pin to help draw everything together into a straight line.

 

[Old Dog]

Yes you take the two bolts out. And yes take the weight off the axle with jackstands and than put a floor jack under the axle to just nutralize the weight, so there is no presure on the springs.
You will want to change the bushings (top and botom) while your there. You will want to use poly bushings with the new aftermarket shackels.
If you use stock jeep shackels use the stock ruber bushings.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

Yes you take the two bolts out. And yes take the weight off the axle with jackstands and than put a floor jack under the axle to just nutralize the weight, so there is no presure on the springs.
You will want to change the bushings (top and botom) while your there. You will want to use poly bushings with the new aftermarket shackels.
If you use stock jeep shackels use the stock ruber bushings.

x2 do this and check your spring hangers with that level you had in the pic, just make sure the jeep is sitting level when you check your hanger otherwise it'll be off of course

 

[bullseye]

looks to me like the springhanger is bent, you can cut them off and weld new ones on, you might be able to bend the old one back. probably go ahead and get new shackles to

I believe this is the bottom line. I measured the shackles individually corner to corner and the diagonals are exact. That means the shackles themselves are not bent.

The frame side rails are level, but the the bottom of the passenger side rail at the front is roughly 1/8"-3/16" lower than the other.

So I am thinking that the hangers are bent, and the bottom rails, mostly the pass side is also very slightly bent downward and out.

So in my mind, this job went from a jack and new shackles to now needing a lift, hangers, shackles (might as well), plasma cutter, welding, and heavy torch if I want to heat frame to hammer back into level.

Would you all concur with this assessment?

 

[Old Dog]

I believe this is the bottom line. I measured the shackles individually corner to corner and the diagonals are exact. That means the shackles themselves are not bent.

The frame side rails are level, but the the bottom of the passenger side rail at the front is roughly 1/8"-3/16" lower than the other.

So I am thinking that the hangers are bent, and the bottom rails, mostly the pass side is also very slightly bent downward and out.

So in my mind, this job went from a jack and new shackles to now needing a lift, hangers, shackles (might as well), plasma cutter, welding, and heavy torch if I want to heat frame to hammer back into level.

Would you all concur with this assessment?

from the sounds of it (if I am understanding you) you don't really need the lift and new shackels
but if you want them now is the time to do it.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

yep if you got the cash its the perfect time to do it

 

[TDHofstetter]

I believe this is the bottom line. I measured the shackles individually corner to corner and the diagonals are exact. That means the shackles themselves are not bent.

The frame side rails are level, but the the bottom of the passenger side rail at the front is roughly 1/8"-3/16" lower than the other.

So I am thinking that the hangers are bent, and the bottom rails, mostly the pass side is also very slightly bent downward and out.

So in my mind, this job went from a jack and new shackles to now needing a lift, hangers, shackles (might as well), plasma cutter, welding, and heavy torch if I want to heat frame to hammer back into level.

Would you all concur with this assessment?

I don't concur, but I think we're close.

Here's what I think you've got - this being more extreme, from my own frame (which is upside-down in the pics):

So in my mind, this job went from a jack and new shackles to now needing a lift, hangers, shackles (might as well), plasma cutter, welding, and heavy torch if I want to heat frame to hammer back into level.

Now... I don't think you need new hangers unless yours are a wreck. You shouldn't need a lift, just a jack. You won't need a plasma cutter; if you change the hangers you'll need a 4" angle grinder, and a torch would make it go a little quicker. Also, if you change the hangers you WILL want a welder (or a favor from a friend who welds). You won't need a HEAVY torch, because unless your frame is fully boxed there you won't need to heat it to straighten it.

You can do the straightening (provided your frame isn't fully boxed there) with a short length of 3/8" proof chain (you could get away with smaller chain, but 3/8" is good to have anyway) and a long steel "digging bar" (at least 6' long) and a lump of steel or iron you can insert into the shackle hanger.

You raise the Jeep on one side & set it on a jackstand. Unhook the shackle on that side & swing it out of the way. Make a loop of chain around the crossmember & dangle it just below the bottom of the frame on the OUTSIDE. You hook the biggest tip of the digging bar into that loop, laying the other end of the bar on the ground on the FAR side of the Jeep, so it's lying crosswise under the Jeep's nose. With a friend lifting the far end of the digging bar slowly & gently, insert your lump of steel in the shackle hanger so the bar doesn't wack the two shackel mounting loops. Now you can lift the far end of the digging bar and use quite ordinary raw leverage to bend the frame rail back into position.

It's slow going, a tiny bit at a time so you don't overshoot. You have to bend slightly too far because steel will spring back, but if you go too far ya've gotta' bend it back again.

Bending this short a distance won't get you in trouble with work embrittlement, so you don't have to heat it to bend it. You're not likely to bend it into a funny shape because the shackle hanger gives it extra strength right where ya need it, keeping that section of frame flat while you bend it.

That six-foot bar gives you a LOT of mechanical advantage. Figure 3" of bar between the chain and the lump of steel in the shackle hanger. Figure 69" of steel between that & you. That means for every 100 pounds of lift you generate by hand, the frame sees 2300 pounds of bending force.

 

[kicknjeep]

I would check to make sure the Leaf springs didn't get knocked out of align before replacing everything. old U-bolts can wear from age and wouldn't take much of a hit to knock them out of alignment. just something to check.