36 roadmaster spring shackles

[Bill Stewart]

I recently acquired a 36 Roadmaster that spent the last about 35 years in a museum and in very inactive storage. One spring shackle was an old fabricated replacement that immediately fell off the car. It is clear that the side pieces had been twisting on the pin, chewing up the ends. None of the pins will accept grease and all are seized in place. It would be nice if the pins were just straight instead of being threaded in the sleeves and expected to turn!

I have soaked them in penetrating "rust buster" stuff, tried to twist them (not too hard) with a bolt in the zerk thread, tapped them (fairly hard) on the ends. I think i will need to remove the springs and press the sleeve out (with pin in place) or weld a nut on the end of the pin and thread it out of the sleeve. But the pins and sleeves are hard to find so i don't want to destroy them. 

If somebody has an idea that would make this easier, and hopefully save the pins, that would be great!

Bill

[Hubert_25-25]

Bill, 

    Posting some pictures would help with understanding of what you are wanting to do.  

[Bloo]

If they are anything like 1936 Pontiac shackles, they are threaded to keep the springs located (for suspension stability).

 

You can probably press or tap them out of the spring (or frame) without removing the springs from the car (I did). I used cheap sockets and a hammer to drive them out. I think I used sockets and allthread (without the pin) to press them back in, but I cant remember for sure.

 

I will warn you that it is hard to get everything together afterward because the spring wants to arch more and not reach. You will have to block it somehow, or lash up a long pole to "straighten" the spring somehow to get the shackles hooked back up when you are done.

 

Once you get the bushings out, put them in a vise and use heat from a torch to help the penetrating oil work, and work them until you can screw the pins out. "Mopar rust penetrant", available at a Chrysler or Dodge dealer makes quick work of stuck rusty things and doubly so if you can heat the rusty parts up and let cool a time or two. You can in a vise. If the penetrating oil you have now wont do it, try that stuff. Tapping with a brass hammer on the pin helps too, rust is brittle. Once you get them unscrewed just clean them all up.

 

When they are all clean, check them for looseness. If they are shot, maybe Chevy ones would fit? If so they are available in reproduction. I didn't need to replace any, and four of mine were stuck, 3 on back and one on front. If they are ok, press the bushings back in the car, screw in the pins, and grease em up. There should be washers at the ends to help(?) keep water out. Chevy washers might fit too. They were heavy felt originally. Mine were so saturated with old grease they appeared to be heavy leather, and that is what I made a couple of replacements from, not realizing they were supposed to be felt. The leather worked out fine.

 

 

[50jetback]

Bill,

 

These are the parts you need

 

I wound up tracking down some N.O.S. pins and had new bushes machined ( not a cheap exercise ) to match.

 

I have some of the N.O.S. threaded pins ( purchased all they had as they are not available ) and I have used bushes.

 

PM me if interested and I'll see how many I have.

 

 

 

[pont35cpe]

Bill, I had a heck of a time locating the four rear shackles for my `36 Buick 40 series, which are probably different from the Roadmaster, but I was able to find a set. You might check with Nelson Pease in Palmer, Ma. 413 283 7620  Best time to call is Sat. morning 8am eastern time, he is open 8am till noon on Saturdays, one man operation, he deals in mechanical parts. He is open during the week days, I found it easiest to call him on Saturday morning. Nelson is great to do business with, if he has what you need he sends it with invoice, then you send him a check. Rare Parts in Stockton, Calif. shows to have the "rear forward leaf spring bolt kit" in stock..

Edited November 28, 2018 by pont35cpe (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

I pushed my spring bushes out (and in) with a long bolt, a short piece of galv. pipe (ID slightly larger than the spring eye, to pull the bush into) and a stack of washers that fit in the spring eye. No hammer. Just remember to lubricate the bolt or it will seize. To get it back in, you need a piece of flat or big washers to cover the spring eye, to react against. I couldn't use sockets because the bolt wouldn't fit through the square drive.

[Bill Stewart]

Wonderfully clear and detailed responses. Thank you very much!