N.B: NEVER REST ANY PART OF YOUR BODY UNDER A VEHICLE UNLESS YOU HAVE SUFFICENT SUPPORTS AS WELL AS THE JACK. A CAR CAN SLIP OFF A JACK OR THE JACK COULD FAIL. PLEASE ALWAYS BE CAREFUL.

TOOLS REQUIRED:

• Socket Set
• Jack
• Pry bar or large flat screw driver
• Axle stands
• Small hammer (Nylon/rubber mallet)
• Grease rag
• Tub of grease/grease gun

STEPS:

1. First things first, make sure to be parked up on flat ground. Hand brake on and in gear. Because your lifting up the rear wheels I always put the car in L4 so the front wheels also hold still. Otherwise wheel chocks are great.
2. Because you’re working with the car up off the ground I always keep my phone within reach in case of an accident.
3. Basically, to remove the original shackles you need to jack the car up by the chassis to get the weight off the wheels and the springs but not have the wheels up in the air.
4. It is safer if you do one side at a time which will allow one wheel to stay on the ground to give a very stable working space.
5. Once you have jacked the car up by the chassis to the point that one wheel just lifts off the ground, either us an axle stand or spare tire to act as a safety underneath the car if something was to go wrong with the jack.
6. Loosen off the shackle nuts and remove the side plate.
7. Gently pry or knock the remaining shackle with bolts/pins from the leaf bushes, making sure there is NO sprung weight on them.
8. Now is a good time to assess the bushes fully to determine if they should be replaced before installing the new shackles. If all looks good, once cleaned, smear fresh grease on the bolts/pins on the shackles and inside the bushes before lining up the new shackles.
9. It’s at this point you will find you have to jack the chassis up higher to accommodate the “lifted shackles” until the pins line up with the bushes in the leaf and chassis mount. Also you may have to remove the lower end of the shock from the mount to allow the leaf pack to drop far enough to fit the new shackles. This will depend on the length of the shocks.
10. Gently slide the shackle in until the pins present the thread out the other side of the bushes enough to install the other side plate and nuts.
11. Tighten up the nuts, lower the car enough to reconnect the shock if it was removed.
12. If the shackles are greaseable, you can also squeeze more grease in at any time for servicing.
13. Once the shackles are tightened up, it is safe to lower the jack and continue to repeat the process on the other side.

It is always important to go for a short test drive and re-check all nuts are tight.

If you have any issues please contact me and I am more than happy to assist.

All the best with your 4weeling. Stay safe.