Using After-Market Shackles to LEVEL the Silverado Truck Bed

[mrrsm]

This is just the "Opening Salvo" on the Procedures and After-Market Parts needed to "unhinge" the Tail End Leaf Springs from their OEM Mounts and attempt to lower them either 2" or 4" so that the "Guppy Pond" that has been flourishing ..."Rain or Shine"...(Mostly RAIN) towards the Cabin side Back Stop of my 2000 Chevrolet Silverado's Durable Black Plastic "Swimming Pool" Liner ...and put an end to this problem.

It is worth noting that presently, during our unseasonably frequent Tropical Rains, the Truck has remained elevated on a Pair of "NON-HF", Pin Locked, 6 Ton Jack Stands for some other necessary work. At least now I know that if I wanted to ...I could fill up the entire back of the Truck as a Temporary "Hot Tub" to Heat up in the Florida Sun thanks to having my York Black Plastic Liner and relax in it until I wanted to "Drain it Dry... and Drive Away" :>)

Mathematically, since "The Angle of Incidence Equals the Angle of Reflection..." with my Truck sporting an Eight Foot Long Truck Bed, I figure that a Four Inch Drop should help to LEVEL things off quite a bit and allow the Trapped Rain Water to run down and out through the 1/2" groove in the lower line of the Tail Gate and put a stop to this problem once the Truck is back on Firm Ground.

I've ordered the following components and those of us with Trucks that sport "Leaf Spring Rear Suspensions" and the experience of actually having done this work are welcome to comment on anything that I should still BOLO (Be On The Look Out) for regarding the unintended and possibly negative affectations these Mods may have upon other OEM Suspension Components at the very same time:



Will I also require getting THESE Components as Well to cover EVERYTHING needed to make this Work... ON THE "LEVEL"?



EDIT: Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

It's normal for me to do a LOT of Research to find "Spot On" Videos that compliment my Documented Repairs... But seldom have I found One Video that is literally PERFECT for this Particular ODD-MOD. This Instructional Kills Two Birds with One Stone by

(A) Featuring the Very Same Shackle Kit Products shown above ...and

(B) The VOP (Video Original Poster) Shows ALL of the Step-By-Steps that nicely explain away every single one of my Questions and Concerns about the Best and Most Complete way to carry off this R&R. I'll NEVER find a Better One than THIS:

Also... since the Prices for some GM ACDelco OEM LCA's presented themselves on eBay were very reasonable, I also ordered one of each for the Left and Right Sides for later installation when the work will be more opportune.

Both are Brand New and will come equipped with New Bushings and Ball Joints pre-fitted and ready for installation. The Price on the LCA for the GM OEM version on the Right side was only $45.00 ... so I'd have been a Fool not to get it while "The Getting Was GOOD.":

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

If you like the truck...ditch the rust maker plastic liner asap. Even tilting the truck to drain it does not help the rust inducing moisture they trap from heating and cooling n other factors.

 

[mrrsm]

I'm following on with this work after much too long of a delay...

I've managed to get 2/3 of this Job completed so far ... I was just waiting for some additional Tools to come in to assist with the last third of the work:

(1) The R&R of these Old Shackles exchanged for the New Lowering Ones is NOT facile. For Starters... if you have the OEM Trailer Hitch installed, you'll have to remove the 2 of the 3 Nuts & Single Bolts on either side. But... Leave the Last Nut on with 3-4 Turns so that the cumbersome, Heavy Hitch can just hang down to keep it from completely dropping loose to the ground. There are also an additional 2 Bolts adjacent the Rear Bumper Frame that will have to be removed as well to free it up completely.

(2) I used two Off-Set 22-24mm Box End Wrenches along with my Milwaukee Fuel M18 1,400 Ft Lbs Battery Powered Impact Gun with some 22-24mm Impact Grade Sockets to Very Great Effect here. Alternatively, You can also use a 12mm Box End Wrench to hold the Outer Hex Shaped End of the Two 10.9 Long Thru-Bolts and make it EZR to unwind the Nuts from the Bolts without working in the upper rear frame with no room to place the 24mm Wrench.

(3) This Silverado sports an Eight Foot Truck Bed that adds MUCH more difficulty in manipulating the LONG End of the Leaf Spring after unbolting the Upper and Lower Shackle Bolts because the Longer Leaf Spring Compression Resistance Strength is ENORMOUS.

(4) Even with having the Front Body supported on Jack Stand and moving the Rear Differential up and down along on one Floor Jack while also manipulating the Rear Wheel Hubs via a second Floor Jack, it was impossible to draw down the Shackle... even while using a HUGE "C" Clamp. At one point, it suddenly slipped loose with a Loud BANG! Luckily, I had anticipated this problem and had previously slipped the Blade of a Steel Shovel-Spade in between the top of the Leaf Spring outer end and the Under-Belly of the Truck Bed to absorb the inevitable impact of it slamming upwards into it... if it accidentally Let Go.

AND BOY... DID IT DID LET GO!

Be Warned that if you do this Job WRONG or Carelessly...YOU CAN GET HURT REAL BAD!

(5) It follows on that my solution will be to use either the 300 PSI or 600 PSI Irwin Quick-Grip Tools depicted in the attached images to slip underneath the Silverado Body Shackle Mount...then OVER the Outer edge of the Long Leaf Spring with the New Upper Shackle Bolted in place. This will allow for the gradual tightening and draw-down of all these components and align the Shackle Bracket and Body Frame Leaf Spring Support holes, making it EZR to pass the Thru-Bolt into the works and then Fasten everything together.

(6) Those of us following the "Tool Talk" Thread will recall the discussion that followed from my decision to purchase the Lock-N-Lube Grease Fitting Coupler for my Grease Gun and how well THAT thing worked out. In this situation. I was NOT happy with the Small Zerk Fittings that came with the Pair of Lowering Shackles. So I also invested in getting the Lock-N-Lube FULL Zerk Fittings Kitwith BOTH SAE & Metric Zerk Fittings in various sizes. The Kit also comes with TWO different Reamer-Threader Tools to handle any requirements for Post-Drilling and Tapping of any New Holes needed or the variety of Zerk fittings offered in the Kit.

(7) Finally, I used the Smaller of the two Irwin Quick-Grips Tools(300 PSI) to restrain and squeeze down upon the opposing sides of the Black Plastic Inserts after inserting the Hollow Shackle Bolt Bushing in between. To avoid having an “Squeaking” noises after setting the Truck on the ground and Torquing down the Shackle Bolts withe suspension "Weighted", I pumped the service Zerk Fitting FULL of High Pressure Grease. The Lock-N-Lube Kit provided Red and Yellow Plastic Zerk Fitting Caps to protect them from any Road Dirt & Grit.

More to Follow...

 

[mrrsm]

Just an update on what can happen when a Truck Owner swaps out the ordinarily Thick, Bonded Rubber OEM Stock Shackles for these After-Market Extender Brands and then IGNORES the need to perform the requisite Re-Grease of these Extended Shackles at the included Zerk Fittings positions at the Lower Leaf Spring Mounts on a Very Regular Basis.

Upon Closer Viewing... It appears that the ...conspicuous absence... of the Zerk Fitting(s) from inside the Red Circle correlates with the ultimate loss of the Inner Bushing End Caps and the FUBAR of losing the necessary cushioning effects they offer at the point of the Yellow Arrow:




All New Solutions... Breed New Problems...