PML - why take wheels off?

[shyamrox]

Hey all,
So I'm planning on doing my PML tomorrow. Crossing my fingers that everything goes smoothly. One question I had was...why does the DIY say to remove the rear wheels? Could the shackles be changed out with the rear wheels still on?

 

[Dbrown016]

You want a smooth install? Follow the instructions exactly

 

[metzican]

I'm no expert but I would think you could leave the rear wheels on. But it probably is easier in the end to pull them to have more room to work. Also which way does the shackle slide out? towards the wheel? Would it hit?

 

[Trexterra]

1. Less weight on the axle?
2. More room to work!
3. Profit?!?!?!?


Sent from CoSprings

 

[Silver dude]

For what its worth I've always changed my rear shackles with the rear tires on.

 

[shyamrox]

I'm no expert but I would think you could leave the rear wheels on. But it probably is easier in the end to pull them to have more room to work. Also which way does the shackle slide out? towards the wheel? Would it hit?

Mine slide out toward the spare...it seems like it would be fine to leave the wheels on..

 

[Jack Stilts]

My shackles were also changed with the tires on.

Don't be nervous about the PML. It's super easy once you get into it. Read the instructions thoroughly and ask any questions you need to. XN is here to help!

 

[drbandkgb]

I have down 4 of these with tires on..

 

[Dbrown016]

It just didnt feel like there was enough room to work without taking the wheels off... but thats just my 0.02 cents

 

[drbandkgb]

How much more room do you need? They only issue I have ever noticed was the muffler being in the way a touch..

I dont recommend this way for everyone

 

[Prime]

The only reason to take the tires off is if you can't get enough slack in the springs to get the old shackle out. This is usually due to having a crap jack and not being able to lift high enough.

As far as sliding the shackles out, did you know that the factory shackles have the bolts permanently mounted to one side so you have to take the top and bottom out at the same time.

I had to drop my spare to get shackle out easily.

 

[granitex]

Not if you use an angle grinder to cut them off, works great the first time, every time.

OEM shackles go rite in the trash any way.

 

[Prime]

True.

 

[shyamrox]

Thanks all! I went ahead and took off the wheels. It all went smoothly! Love this site!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[shyamrox]

How much more room do you need? They only issue I have ever noticed was the muffler being in the way a touch..

I dont recommend this way for everyone

I see you got the same shackles I did... Curiously did you have to use the spacer (metal collar?)they included for the lower part of the shackle? The hole one in the leaf spring looked permanent so I didn't use the one they gave me....


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[robcarync]

The only reason to take the tires off is if you can't get enough slack in the springs to get the old shackle out. This is usually due to having a crap jack and not being able to lift high enough.

As far as sliding the shackles out, did you know that the factory shackles have the bolts permanently mounted to one side so you have to take the top and bottom out at the same time.

I had to drop my spare to get shackle out easily.

That was the exact reason I removed the rear tires in the how to. My jack would not lift the vehicle enough so I raised the rear, removed the tires, and dropped the frame on jack stands lower than it sat with tires still on. It made it easier to support the rear diff, and I had to wedge the scissor jack into the leaf spring anyway which I think would be easier without the tires, but as shown above, you don't have to remove them

All of that...and when I wrote the PML How To...I had my Xterra for 2 weeks and didn't know anyone that had done one before to tell me otherwise...

 

[shyamrox]

Great job on that How-To rob! It helped me tremendously!

 

[TJTJ]

I find I can do it fastest/easiest by jacking the frame up and setting it on stands high enough so that I passed the shackle's slack point, then went up another 2".

I then put a floor jack under the diff, and lift it BACK to the shackle's slack point (They rattle when shaken when there's no tension on them).

I can then slide the OEM shackles right off (No tension on them makes it easy).

I then LOWER the floor jack by the amount the lift shackle added in length (~ 1.5" or so), so the axle drops down to a NEW SLACK POINT, and, I can then slide the NEW (Longer) shackles right in.

I then remove the floor jack, and lower the frame down off the jack stands, so its on the tires again, and its done.


If doing the thing with the scissor jack inside the leaf pack to push it into place instead, then taking the tires off does give more room to reach in there to do that.

 

[robcarync]

I find I can do it fastest/easiest by jacking the frame up and setting it on stands high enough so that I passed the shackle's slack point, then went up another 2".

I then put a floor jack under the diff, and lift it BACK to the shackle's slack point (They rattle when shaken when there's no tension on them).

I can then slide the OEM shackles right off (No tension on them makes it easy).

I then LOWER the floor jack by the amount the lift shackle added in length (~ 1.5" or so), so the axle drops down to a NEW SLACK POINT, and, I can then slide the NEW (Longer) shackles right in.

I then remove the floor jack, and lower the frame down off the jack stands, so its on the tires again, and its done.


If doing the thing with the scissor jack inside the leaf pack to push it into place instead, then taking the tires off does give more room to reach in there to do that.

That would have been the best way to do the PML...I just didn't have that kind of lifting capability. I did include your suggestion in the PML how to as an alternative. Mostly, as I mentioned, I wrote the how to when I was 2 weeks into my Xterra ownership and didn't really know any better...just kinda went with it.

 

[TJTJ]

That would have been the best way to do the PML...I just didn't have that kind of lifting capability. I did include your suggestion in the PML how to as an alternative. Mostly, as I mentioned, I wrote the how to when I was 2 weeks into my Xterra ownership and didn't really know any better...just kinda went with it.

Its one of those things you develop after a while. If someone needs a guide, ANY how-to is going to be better than figuring it out from scratch.

Heck, the first shackle swap I did on an X was back in ~ 2001, and I didn't know that the two bolts were part of one side's plate. THAT was about 5 frustrated minutes of "Why ain't this bolt coming out?!?!"

Followed by an "AH HA!" when I noticed how it was put together.

The old jeeps had shackles, but, with through bolts....so a welded bolt set-up was new to me at least back then. I think the CJ did have that type though IIRC, looking back....but I had not seen a stock CJ suspension in forever.