james8997

Hey guys
I had been reading that the bed needed to be trimmed or lifted a few inches. Nonsense lol. Buddy of mine and I had remembered a trick that worked on my obs, worked here to

With the truck on jack stands, unbolt the shackles and remove the bottom bolt(if you have a hitch, it needs to come off)
Whatever side your working on, put a jack on the opposite side shock mount, get a friend to start jacking it up, while you watch the leaf spring, use a pry bar to guild it to the side of the pinch weld. It will clear it and you can push the bolt through and drop the old shackle out. Repeat on the other side.

Took me about 45 minutes start to finish. Dropped my ccsb 2 inches, I'm gonna remove the lift blocks an that should get it completely level.

Smitty's '04 GTO

iTrader: (5)

Interesting idea. In conceptualizing your description based on my experience under these thrucks, when you say "With the truck on jack stands", I presume you mean the jackstands are supporting the frame, thus allowing the rear suspension to unload? By jacking the opposite side shock mount, you're basically raising one side of axle, thus tilting it and the leaf spring attatched opposite, so as to manipulate the top shackle bolt without raising the bed or cutting the pinch weld flange of the bed?

I think I'm following along here, an interesting approach for sure! I've installed drop shackles on my last two trucks, and if I don't do a flip with this one, I'll try your method when installing my next set of shackles.

james8997

Yes sir, support the frame so th axle can move freely.
Basically your going to tit the axle, guild the side of the spring pack your working on to the side of the pinch weld. Works like a charm

AUTOT3K

iTrader: (3)

I didn't have to cut any lip or remove the bed on mine either. I did the same. Lifted the spring up to remove the bolt.
However if you have a factory hitch. You gotta drop that to get a bolt out on the passenger side

97aztecgt

iTrader: (1)

I had to bend the pinch lip of my bed when I did the shackles & removed the factory block. Under its own weight the shackle itself was lightly rubbing the pinch lip, causing a slight squeeking sound.