searched, no luck, stuck leaf spring bolts

[MattPersman]

searched and almost every thread said pretty much like yeah they "slide right out" when you take the tension off the leaf spring. well thats fine and dandy, but mine don't at zero tension or fully loaded, even beating on it with a mini sledge.

I think my best option is to grind the head off and try to pop it through from the top of the bolt where I just grinded off?

anyone else. been lubed, beat the living crap out of the bolt, no luck. basically cut or grind the head off and go from there, if anything I can drill the bolt out once the spring is out of it still doesnt want to come out easily.

 

[Alec]

Exactly which bolts?

 

[MattHarrell]

Are you talking about the bolt that holds the springs together? I serious problem with one of mine. My final solution, once I verified that I had a replacement bolt that would work, ended up shearing the head right off. This was after soaking with PB Blaster and other things for a couple weeks. I guess 10+ years of accumulated dirt and rust didn't help.

Oh, and the other one didn't shear off but it certainly didn't slide out easily.

 

[Alec]

Yes, if it's the spring centerpin then you should grind it out. Sometimes also the Ubolts are so frozen it's better to just cut them, though then you need to find replacements.

The hanger bolts should eventually come loose with enough elbow grease, leverage, and penetrating lube.

 

[MattPersman]

its the bolts holding the shackles on in the rear. the upper and lower so I can install the lift shackles. I tried 2 days in a row, no luck. Didn't try an air hammer yet as I don't have one, but can buy one. I have a grinder, cut off wheel, etc that may make it easier.

 

[MattHarrell]

Oh, those. Well, luckily you get replacement bolts with the shackles so you can grind them off if you need to.

Mine did not come off easily at all. I ended up wedging a wrench on one side against the frame and then pulling put the 2' breaker bar, braced my feet against the underside of the truck, and just pulled. I didn't have an impact wrench but I was eventually able to get it to move some. Took me quite a while and they definitely seemed to require more torque coming off than the 100 ft lbs needed to put them back on.

 

[Lifted95X]

yup...many have had this problem including me. An air hammer should get it out for you.

 

[DaHeinah]

That was the same problem I had with mine. After beating on it four a week straight and many MANY cuss words, I had them taken off at a local 4X4 shop for like thirty bucks...Mods just don't feel the same when someone else helps though.
Those guys were not going to come off, I actually had to replace my bushings afterwords as the rubber had apparentluy constricted tightly around the bolt. When they used the air hammer, the rubber was essentially taking all of the shock so they ended up drilling through the bolt and extracting them that way- it was not pretty.

 

[VairKing]

I removed the rear trim from the outside of the truck, which exposed a hole that was about level with the bolt, and then used a 2 ft bar and a 10 lb sledge, and got them out that way, good luck!

 

[MattPersman]

thanks guys, going to try an air hammer this weekend see if that solves the problem.

Are bushing readily stocked if I do need them at most parts stores?

 

[DeRocha]

My lower bolts were ok, but the upper shackle bolts were frozen in place. My 1000ft/lb impact wrench didn't move them.. I just couldn't put enough hurt on them to get then out. I ended up pressing them out with the U-joint tool (free loaner from autozone). If anyone goes this route you need to be careful that you don't collapse the welded piece as it will be under a lot of pressure..