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Greasable Shackle Bolt Feedback

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by wheelie, Sep 30, 2022.

  1. Sep 30, 2022
    wheelie

    wheelie beeg dummy 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

    York, PA
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    I've read of several incidents where the shackle or spring eye bolt for the greasable shackles have broken. Has anyone experienced this and if so, what brands have failed and what brands are worthy? Hard off roading worthy. Not just dirt road waltzes or mall crawling.

    I'm not going to make my own super HD bolts so, I'm interested in aftermarket names only. Thanks.
     
  2. Sep 30, 2022
    Tom_Hartz

    Tom_Hartz Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    I am not a real fan of Omix products but their heavy duty shackle kit is nice. They have drilled bolts and I have never had a problem with them. I am also building a Jeepster with Rubicon Express YJ springs and shackles. They came drilled too. I don't have a report on them because the Jeepster is not done yet.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2022
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  3. Oct 1, 2022
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

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    If you have a lathe, they are actually pretty easy to make and you can make ones that are a lot better than anything you can buy. I use McMaster's grade 9 bolts for these and no failures or even much wear for decades. Just my worthless two cents.
     
  4. Oct 1, 2022
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    I have wanted to make these for quite a while now. Maybe I should?
     
    68BuickV6 likes this.
  5. Oct 1, 2022
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

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    Doesn't everyone?
    :shrug:
    Could you do these with a drill press?
     
  6. Oct 1, 2022
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    BTDT. Drilling a 1/8" hole down the middle of a bolt is doable on a drill press if you're careful & get everything plumb, or if you're really carefull, with a hand drill. Contrary to popular opinion high strength bolts are easy material to drill/tap. And the hole will not affect strength to any noticeable degree for this purpose.
     
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  7. Oct 1, 2022
    Rich M.

    Rich M. Shoe salesman 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Wheelie will have a lathe very soon, Chris is getting a new one.
     
  8. Oct 1, 2022
    47v6

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    Rich M. likes this.
  9. Oct 1, 2022
    wheelie

    wheelie beeg dummy 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

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    I have the lathe Chris gave me years ago but it's not up and running still to this day. My bad.

    We need to talk about the mill Chris. I'll call ya soon.

    I guess I'm going back to poly bushings, though I prefer rubber, even if they don't last. I found some rubber ones made in the US about a week ago but didn't save the link and now I can find them again. So, I guess I'll go back to squeaky poly bushing and try to grease them regularly either with hollow bolts and zerks or just take them out and lube them up every now and again.

    The last rubber ones I put in, before CO last year, failed in CO this year. 1 year. Hardly any miles but some hard trail miles. Maybe poly is better after all.
     
  10. Oct 1, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

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  11. Oct 1, 2022
    47v6

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    Use white lithium grease.
     
  12. Oct 1, 2022
    Jw60

    Jw60 Sitting up n buckled down. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    My overdrive has greaseable shifter pivot pin to match the twin stick D18 pivot pin.
    Done on a drill press.
     
  13. Oct 2, 2022
    wheelie

    wheelie beeg dummy 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

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    John, did you use the factory 7/16 (?) bolts or did you go bigger? And uh, FWIW, your two cents are never worthless.
     
  14. Oct 2, 2022
    Jw60

    Jw60 Sitting up n buckled down. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    My question is how are people cross drilling the bolt? Size of cross hole and if they go all the way or just single sided. Do you center punch the side, grind a flat?
     
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  15. Oct 2, 2022
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

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    IIRC I just center punched a mark & *very* carefully lined it up under the bit on the drill press, if you get things right the bit goes straight down; if it treis to go sideways back off & adjust the bolt a bit until you get it right. A dooey called a 'V-block" works a treat for this & can be improvised fairly easily.
     
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  16. Oct 2, 2022
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

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    Went 1/2" with delrin bushings. The rears on the B were installed in 2008 and had about 6 years of moderately hard wheeling on them when it went into the garage for the current build. Those didn't really show any wear when I took it apart for the Holbrook spring install. I reused both bolts and bushings.
     
  17. Oct 2, 2022
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

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    When I have modified GR8 bolts to make them greasable, I have milled a small flat at the mid-point. Yes, it makes drilling down to the grease channel much easier, it also creates a pocket to help distribute the grease to the bushing.
    Doesn’t everybody have a lathe and mill in their shop?
    -Donny
     
  18. Oct 2, 2022
    wheelie

    wheelie beeg dummy 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

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    We're trying catch up Donny. :)
     
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