[Guest]

OK, these are the shackles and bushings I have for my rear suspension:

http://www.mustangsplus.com/Merchan...e=MPFMP&Product_Code=03264&Category_Code=shkl

The bushings went into the eye of the leaf springs just fine, but trying to put the bushings and everything into where they actually bolt to the rear of the car is nearly impossible. They just won't go in, and I can't get a mallet or hammer of any sort to knock them in with because there's no room(trunk floors prevent any room on both sides). I put silicone spray lubricant on everything to maybe help it along, still no progress. Please help me get these in!! GRRR!!! I don't normally get stressed out so easily, but I just can't figure out a way to get these in.

 

[Putt]

You are trying to get the bushing into the rear frame rail, correct? I would look closely at the frame rail hole and make sure there is not a piece of old bushing, rust, burr(from prior removals), or maybe the old bushings used a metal shell that fit in the hole??? I remember having a bit of a tussle with my brother's '65 poly bushings, but we were able to install with only minor #%*##~~.
Check the roundness and straightness of the frame holes(there's some great english!) and make sure you start them in straight.

 

[Guest]

Well, the passenger side is now in and ready to go. As for the driver's side, I got 1 bushing plus the metal sleeve in the frame, but the last bushing just doesn't want to go in. I bevelled the edge of it hoping to get some sort of start, but no help there. I can't seem to find anything in the way. Ford really should have thought this out better. The designer/engineer that came up with this location should have been fired and blacklisted, haha. I got the passenger side in simply by using a 6-inch C-clamp pair of vise-grips. But using the vise-grips on the other side just makes it go in at an angle.

I have one last idea before I use what my Chevy friends call the "Universal Ford tool"(a set of matches). I figure if I can get a bolt through there with a nut and flat washer on the other end, I can just tighten the bolt and it should suck the bushing into the cavity perfectly straight. If that doesn't work, well, then I'm clean out of ideas.

More help is welcome, cause I have about a 35% feeling that this bolt idea will actually work(simply because you can't get a bolt any longer than 4 1/2" in there, and if that's not long enough to reach through the bushing to get a nut on the other end of it, well then the idea is garbage).

PLEASE HELP!

 

[KK95GT]

Mine slid right in with no trouble but they weren't rusty either. I'd agree with Putt that something's "plugging" the hole. As a test maybe take a socket slightly smaller than the bushing and see if it will slid in. Will give you a reference point.

Sounds like rust or something is making the hole too small.

 

[Guest]

Hmmm...I don't see anything in the way. No doubt there is the usual rust in there, but all the other bushings went in there. And there's not much one can do about the rust since the trunk floors prevent you from getting just about anything in there.

 

[Jess]

Shackle bushing

Acooljt

What did you finally do to get it in?

Jess

 

[Guest]

I only got one side in, I STILL NEED HELP FOLKS!!!

The side I got in, I used a C-clamp vise-grips to put them in. Then something happened to where I could get one of them in any further, so I just put the bolt through with a washer and nut and I tightened it down till it sucked the bushing in.

*BUT*, I still have one side to do. I can't use the C-clamp idea on this one because for some reason, the bottom edge of the bushing doesn't want to go in. So then I figure, why not use the bolt idea? Well, it turns out that I can't get the bolt in!! Yeah, it's too long(which is weird since I'm using the bolt made to hold the shackles on so it's made to go in). But assuming I could get the bolt in, I'm not sure that it would even work since I can't even get the bushing started in the hole. On the other side when I used the bolt idea, the bushing was already started in a good half of the way if not more, where I can't get this one started in at all.


HELP HELP HELP!!

 

[Jess]

Shackle Bushing

Acooljt

Just after we put the 3.70 in the 9 inch rear, I ordered the heavy duty shackles(like you), 5 leafs and the old fashion Shelby Traction Masters from Mustangs Plus and we set about installing them. We had the same problem because mine also had never been replaced. On the 69 we had a little bit more room sounds like and with an elbow and a special steel brush bit and drill we reamed the hole out a little bit. There was just a touch to much trash from the old rubber coating the wall. We had to do it a couple of times then with lube it finally slipped it. There is always one to hang you up. Hope that helps.

Wrench on
Jess

 

[Guest]

Well I'm going over today to try and clean up that hole with a 90* die grinder(if I can get it in there?). Then hopefully it will go in.

What exactly was it that you used to clean out the hole? I've never seen an elbow for a drill as you spoke of...

I'll post on here my results of today of whether I failed or not.

 

[Jess]

Shackle bushing

acooljt

It was a slip gear drive elbow then a tapered wire brush. It was done at my buddies garage. He does restoring plus works on everything to keep the wolves away from the door. He has every tool "Snap On, Craftsman and Mac" makes. I'm the only Ford guy that hangs out there. Larry is a Chevy Head. Soon we will be dropping my C4 and installing a T-5. My 69 War Horse is really my Ford GT/Cobra since I don't have the $150,000 to buy my dream car. How did you like that Steelers Dnver game. The next one is just starting.

Jess

 

[Guest]

IT IS FINISHED!!! Thank god. I spent about 10 sec with a wire brush on a drill on the car, and then the bushing went in(of course with plenty of force). I used the C-clamp vise-grip method to get it in. Then I ran into another problem, but hey, it got solved so we won't go into that.

Thank you guys a lot, I'm so relieved this is over.