Anyone have any suggestions on replacing the Rear Leaf suspension brackets and shackles? I think I've ordered everything I need.
I've got:
(From a Ford Dealer)
-2 Rear Brackets
-2 Shackles
(From Summit)
-Rear spring Urethane bushing kit(spring eyes and shackles)
(From Grainger)
-Hardware to mount the brackets to frame
-I'm getting the longer bolts when the brackets and shackles come in so I can take them and test fit.

Is there anything I'm missing, or anything I should watch out for on this project.

 

Interested in seeing how it goes for you. I had a spring in the back left snap the two middle leafs into two, so I'm waiting on the lift springs I ordered to come so I can eliminate my blocks and get it back on the road again.
I heard the bolts in the shackle like to seize in there and might have to just be cut off, but I'm hoping it doesn't come to that for me since I don't plan on ordering a set. You're replacing yours so if you do have to cut the old stuff off then no biggie.
I'm not sure about our trucks, but I've read that some U-Bolts are torque to yield and cannot be re-used once taken off. If thats true for ours then you should probably pick up a set of new U bolts as well... I ordered a set for about 40$ after shipping that are a little bit extended to work with lift springs or add-a-leafs.

Would like to hear if any bolts are seized or any problems you might run into so I know what to look for when my stuff comes to do my springs... but hopefully it all goes well for the both of us

 

hmmmm, I don't think our U-Bolts are torque to yield, but i'll check. It looks like 2 were replaced before I got the truck (the threaded parts are a bit longer) and the other ones are now loose. I was thinking about trying to pick some up At the junkyard today, but If they are tty then my parts place has grade 8 universal ones for $10-20 a pair depending on size.

Edit: my Ford service manual lists U-bolt nut torque as 75-115 Ft-Lb,

Torque to yield usually goes like this in that manual(Cylinder head bolts, 3.8L Taurus)
"a.Tighten in (4) Steps:

50 N-m (37 Lb-Ft)

60 N-m (45 Lb-Ft)

70 N-m (52 Lb-Ft)

80 N-m (59 Lb-Ft)

b.Back off all bolts 2-3 revolutions.

c.Tighten long bolts to 15-25 N-m (11-18 lb-ft) then an additional 85-105 degrees. Tighten short bolts to 15-25 N-m (11-18 lb-ft) then an additional 65-85 degrees."

So it doesn't appear they are torque to yield.

I'll let you know how the spring word goes. It'll prolly be late this week or early next week.

 

Ah ok.
I stopped by Napa the other day to get my Ubolts, but apparently they don't even carry any Ubolts. Then Pep-boys had a few, but couldn't find any part numbers for what would fit my truck, so that was pretty useless (and not sure how much I'd trust pep-boys bolts anyhow).
Luckily I found a set made by Tuff Country I think that the place I ordered my springs from had.
The only reason I have to replace my U-bolts is because I have lift blocks in there now, so taking them out and replacing them with lift springs, the bolts would be way too long. Didn't even think about needing new bolts until a few days after I ordered the springs :o .
Yours is 10 years newer then mine, so I would assume things will go a little smoother for you, and mine will probably involve lots of cursing to get the job done. Already starting to soak the bolts down with PB Blaster even though the stuff won't be here for about a week probably.

 

Any update?

I got my leaf springs in earlier this week, U-bolts should be here Monday. Hoping to get it all swapped out tomorrow if the U-bolts come. Once I get the leafs done then I can drive it to the shop because my d/s rear axle seal is leaking really bad. Not even driving it and something else goes out on it ...
Gonna have to take it real easy on the truck once things get fixed... maybe that way I'll be able to go a week or two without something else breaking on me .

 

No, no update yet.
I just got the last of the parts in the mail today, I now need to pick up the nuts and bolts. I prolly won't have a chance to work on it at all until next week.

Ron

 

Ah, ok. I just gave in and had mine done at a shop instead of trying to replace mine myself :o. After talking to my uncle about it a little, it just seemed wiser to pay to have it done then to try and do it myself without ever having done it before and my lack of tools. My axle seal was leaking real bad too, so I figured he could get that out of the way at the same time.

Man am I glad I had him do the springs though for a number of reasons. The bolts holding the springs in the bracket and the shackle bolts were pretty much seized in there, and no stores around here have the size and grade 8 that were needed but a 4x4 shop too far too drive to in time. He pretty much had to beat the hell out of the old bolts and heat them to get them out in one piece, then re-tap and re-thread all the nuts and bolts to reuse them again.
Then I guess once he started putting them on saw the exhaust was going to hit the springs since they're arched different then the stock springs and I had the lift blocks taken out... so that had to be cut and redone so the tips exit behind each tire kind of on an angle (which I like better anyway).

The lift springs I bought were Rough Country (the brand lift that I have on the truck as well), but the U-bolts I got were Tuff Country and of less quality then the Rough Country's that were on there for the lift block, so I might try to find a better set of U-bolts eventually. Also I don't know if this is from the springs adding a little bit more lift in the back then the old worn springs with blocks, but the main rear brake line is pretty much with no slack with the axle dropped (so if I go over a dip or something too fast and the suspension in the rear drops down, the line doesn't have much if any slack left in it).
All that and axle bearings and seals on both sides in the rear, he was not enjoying working on the truck too much. Not to mention the mountain of dirt that fell from the undercarriage from trying to beat the old bolts out .

I would imagine you'll have it a lot easier though since your truck is newer and you actually bought new hardware for it ahead of time. If your bolts won't come out then at least you can cut everything because you have new everything to go in its place. If I had bought all the replacement parts like you have, I'm sure my uncle would have just cut everything off in a heartbeat rather then deal with what he did. (Gonna have to buy him a pack of beer or something to make up for the work he put into it )