F-1 GURUS: how do you remove the shackle pin from an f-1 rear spring?

f-1 rear springs.

rear shackles: you can drive the top pin out because there's a hole in the frame that lines up with the pin; the bottom pin you can remove after the spring is out of the truck.

front shackle (or, more correctly, spring hanger): there's a SMALL hole that lines up with the pin, but it's very small AND theres a factory brace in the way that prevents even getting a punch to the hole.

so how do you get the front spring hanger pin out?

some folks suggest removing the rivets from the spring hanger and then bolting the spring hanger back on. i don't like the bolt idea, but it's looking more and more like that's the only solution. that just can't be, though. there has to be a way to get the pin out while leaving the spring hanger in place with the original rivets. i can't believe that the factory would have built something that required rivet removal for repair. especially since the pin bushings are a normal wear item.

 

One guy on FTE suggested using the threads of the grease zerk to attach a slide hammer. I haven't tried it but it sure makes sense.

I had trouble on the rears - ended up making an off-set drift punch from drill rod due to mis-aligned holes. I don't remember for sure what I did on mine - can you drill the hole in the frame larger and use an off-set punch?

 

never thought of a slide hammer. that sounds like a good place to start. thanx.

if that doesn't work maybe i can drill a hole in that offending brace and enlarge the hole in the frame to try to use a punch on it.

i think the brace would eliminate the use of an offset punch.

anyone know what the ford mechanics of the day used?

 

Someone had burned small holes in the brace, one on each side of mine. They were not pretty and a bit too small, so I just fired up the ol torch and cut them a little bigger, put on some penatrating oil and punched them right out. Cleaned up the new holes, shot on some paint and installed the new ones no problems. 60 bucks and about an hour later, all new bushings and pins, what a difference. I did have one pin that the grease zerk was giving me problems with so I found a cheapy socket that the zerk fit into real shallow and pounded it in a little bit and then it screwed right in.

 

bttt in case there are any more solutions out there...

 

atch rusty b is very good at that you might give him a call tonite . is it a rubber or br*** ?

 

the pin is steel and the bushing is br***.

 

When I did mine, I carefully cut a hole in the frame rail just large enough to drop the pin through them drove it in from the outside. Worked fine.