Suspension shackles (big U-bolts!)

Post by **alzax3** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:14 pm

Just had a 'glad they spotted it' MOT failure (best sort, and I put the Traveller in to find out what else I had to do, which turned out to be not much!) The rear spring shackles had a coating of road dirt on them, I hadn't cleaned it off, but the tester did - revealing the outer shackles in this state:

Front view

Back view
New ones only cost about £2 each and you really wouln't want one to break as you went over a pothole - so it's worth cleaning off yours to make sure yours aren't rotting away too.......

Post by **jonathon** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:16 pm

Blimey!!, did you check the axle perches whilst you were at it ?.

Post by **alzax3** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:24 pm

Everything else was fine, and the inner shackles were smooth and unmarked - weird huh?

Post by **jonathon** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:28 pm

Bet your'e glad you have an observant MOT tester, could have been a real problem.

Post by **alzax3** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:33 pm

Ohhhh yes!

Post by **jonathon** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:35 pm

You haven't turned into a nodding dog call Churchill have you

Post by **alzax3** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:40 pm

Post by **Mick_Anik** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:44 pm

Cor, they're bad!
I posted a couple of days ago recommending periodic cleaning of this area....but I've never seen a shackle pin as rusted away as this.

With everything out of the shackle pin area, I just wire brush the spring, axle etc, smother everything with grease and re-assemble. Painting would be more aesthetic, but the grease attracts sand and turns into the kind of stuff you find around the lower chassis around leaky engines. This usually stops rust in these areas.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:28 pm

Not exactly a 'shackle pin' - but still obviously worth replacing.

Post by **alzax3** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:31 pm

I called it a 'spring shackle' because that's what the tester wrote on the fail form - it's a U-bolt as far as I'm concerned.......(Ahh - I see Mr Anik did!

)

Post by **Mick_Anik** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:43 pm

My mistake. A shackle pin goes at the back of the spring. Substitute 'U bolt' wherever 'shackle pin' is mentioned

. I've been reading posts to do with rear springs!

Post by **Mick_Anik** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:47 pm

What is a 'shackle', by the way? Sounds like it might be an olde-English word.....some kind of agricultural implement?

Just remembered...prisoners are shackled.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:10 pm

Husbands are shackled...........

Post by **alzax3** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:57 am

Here's a swift online dictionary definition:

shackle [ˈʃækəl]
n
1. (often plural) a metal ring or fastening, usually part of a pair used to secure a person's wrists or ankles; fetter
2. (often plural) anything that confines or restricts freedom
3. a rope, tether, or hobble for an animal
4. (Engineering / Mechanical Engineering) a U-shaped bracket, the open end of which is closed by a bolt (shackle pin), used for securing ropes, chains, etc

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:13 pm

Hmmm - "anything that confines or restricts freedom " - As I said -husbands are shackled.........

Post by **rayofleamington** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:31 pm

back on topic - I think your MOT tester deserves a thank you letter!
Not all would look as carefully in an area that needed cleaning.

I've seen U-bolts about as bad as that once, and that was on the Raymobile which was so rotten you couldn't tell it was a Minor from underneath
;-)

This area should be cleaned once in a while as it's a mud trap (especially under the axle perch) and the axle casing and axle perch can rot through.
After spending time to dig out mud and chip rust scabs away it's worth to waxoil it.