Due to rust, the leaf spring shackle on my F150 separated from its mount, driving the rear tip of the leaf spring up through the bed. The vehicle still handles OK but I'm sure it won't for long or if I throw any kind of load in the back. I need to get this fixed and looking at the mess back there I'm wondering if its possible. It looks like the old bracket has to be cut away, a new one welded on and a new shackle and possible a leaf spring reinstalled. Is such a repair possible and does Ford or anyone supply brackets? If I can get it repaired, should I have both sides done? anyone else ever had this problem? Any info or advice would be appreciated. Thanks, John in Massachusetts.

 

Pics? Front or rear (on the leaf spring)/ left or right, etc. Is it just the shackle and the bolt, or the actual hangar? I know some of the lowering kits require removing the stock hangars (on the front), not sure about lift kits, but there might be some hangars out there. Probably plenty of shackles.

What's left of the frame?

 

Its the left rear. Shackle, bolt and hanger all look like junk.

 

Sorry, missed the rear tip part. Shackle and bolt should be easy, the hangar (at least the fronts) are a serious P.I.T.A. to take off, not sure if Ford offers them up for sale. They're riveted to the frame and it takes serious tools and/or effort to get them off.

 

I wouldn't drive it at ALL if the spring is through the bed. If you're replacing the hanger it's not hard IF you have the right tools. Break the heads off the rivets and replace with bolts when installing the new hanger.
The shackles may be a "challenge" if the bolt is rusted to the bushing inside the shackle, just spray with PB Blaster and use the longest ratchet/breaker bar you can. An impact gun would be easiest if you have enough room to get it on the nut/bolt head.

All the parts should be available, if you want to save money don't go through Ford. This place is 5 miles from my house and where I got my shackles, leaf springs, u bolts and shackle bolts. It cost me just as much for all of that as it would have for just the leaf springs through Ford. http://www.thesuspensionking.com/

 

The problem wasn't as bad as I first thought. The only item that needed replacing was the shackle and some related hardware. Cost came to $112 at a suspension/spring shop. Manager of the place noted that rusting out shackles is a common F-150 problem. He suggested that I replace all of them but I'll defer for now.

 

Always good to find out it wasn't as bad as you originally thought.

My friends girl friend has an 03 FX4. A few months ago the passenger side shackle broke and went through the bed. She went and got it fixed and exactly 1 week later the drivers side broke and went through the bed.

If it were me I would replace the other shackle and both bolts just for piece of mind.

 

I have to replace the broken rear spring shackle on brother in laws 1998 2 wheel dr F150. I have the shackle. I'm worried about getting the bolt out that goes through the leaf spring bushing. It may be rusted in place or I may damage the bushing. I'm trying to find a replacement bushing for the rear of the leaf spring but can find only up to '96 or '97. Has anyone replaced this bushing.

 

I sent a request as to rear spring bushings to thesuspensionking.com on sat. Got an answer sat afternoon. How's that for service! For 98 F150 Front of rear spring (RB159) Rear of rear spring RB160.

 

My dad has a 1999 ford f150, and BOTH in the back broke. Here's how they broke.

The bolt is still in the hanger on the frame, the part that broke is that piece that bolts to the leaf spring, and THAN bolts to the hanger on the frame. It looks like a thin piece of cheap metal and looks like it was designed to break. Both sides broke, and I can't seem to find what this part is called to replace it. It's not the hanger, the bolt is still bolted into the hanger, it's that part that connects the leaf spring to the hanger. (It's a little piece of metal that a bolt goes through on the hanger side and the leaf spring side, connecting the two)

 

The leaf spring bushing.

 

That is called the shackle