Shackle bolt stuck in frame

[explorer1995]

I have a 95 explorer sport and the shackle completely broke and crumbled to pieces due to rust on the passenger side. I have successfully removed the bolt that goes through the leaf spring with ease, however the bolt that is in the frame is stuck and I cant get it out. I know there are alot of threads about that but i was wondering if anyone had any more suggestions.


I ve tried:
-soak it with pb blaster.
-c clamp.
-Ball joint press.
-trying to turn the bolt with a breaker bar but didnt spin freely in the sleeve.
-propane torch.
-took it to a shop and they wanted to charge me by the hour, so it could be 30 min of work or couple hours, I am not paying someone a 100 bucks or more to get one bolt out.

the only thing i havnt tried is cutting the bolt head off and using a punch to hammer it out, but i m not even sure that would help. I ve wrestling with this bolt for the past 2 weeks on and off and i need it out soon. I dont have access to air tools unfortunatly, cuz i have a feeling an air hammer would do the trick, but i dont have one or an air compressor.

any suggestions?

 

[Happy Jack]

I have never done one on an X. But I have done others.

Did you use a hammer with the Ball joint press? Tighten the press and then use a hammer to try to drive the bolt through? Tighten again and repeat.

Can you see the rubber part of the frame bushing? If so can you drill the rubber side to side? If so then after you drill holes all the way around use the propane torch to finish burning the old rubber out.

If you can't see the rubber part you can cut the bolt flush with the frame and remove whats left and try the above.

 

[explorer1995]

The problem i ran into with the ball joint press was that i had to room to tighten down because my body panel got in the way, i have used a c clamp and bent the clamp pretty bad and it was pressing it out but after a bit i was unable to turn it anymore, it got to hard. I will try to drill out the rubber around it it is visible.

 

[windsors03cobra]

I have never done one on an X either but this disease is common on F series among others in the rust belt. The problem is the bolt rusts to the steel sleeve in the rubber bushing, almost impossible to move let along remove.
I usually cut it all apart with a abrasive zip wheel. I dont know of there is room or access on an X but where there is a will there is a way.

I can tell you an on F-Series a $2 dollar abrasive wheel and a die grinder or 4-1/2" angle grinder can turn a nightmare into a 15 minute spark fest with very little frustration/cursing/wincing.


Good luck.

 

[Carguy3J]

Rather then pay someone to do it, invest in a compressor and air chisel/hammer. If you plan on working on vehicles, you'll need both for many tasks.You can probably get get both a compressor and air hammer at Walmart, for $200-$250. Granted, a Walmart (Campbell Hausfield) oil-less compressor won't make enough cfm to run a D/A sander, or run some other air tools for a long time, but it will be good for most home uses.

 

[explorer1995]

i will try drilling the rubber and then if that dont work i will get the compressor, i have air tools, impact air ratchet and a grinder, just not an air hammer or the compressor. there is no way i wil pay someone to do that for me.

 

[renegade1]

do you have a sawzall? if you got a longer blade you could probly cut the bolt ends off using it. if you dont have one, they can be gotten pretty cheap plus the long blade youd need is only a few bucks. cut the bolt head and give it some hammer time

 

[budwich]

i had to use an "pointed" air hammer bit to loosen the bolt. As you indicate there isn't really enough room to "swing" at it. The air hammer was a 30 second "win" with rust flying everywhere.

 

[explorer1995]

I live in an association and i have to work in a parking lot, so i have to be rather quiet. the old people like to complain when there is noise haha i already got in trouble for replacing my front hub couple months ago. I love hammer time! but i have to be rather quiet. I think i will cut the bolt head off and try to use the ball joint press to press it out... if that dont work then f it hammer time it is! and if that dont work then ill go get an air compressor and the air hammer and really piss some ppl off hahahah

 

[explorer1995]

thank you for all the suggestions... i will keep posted on the results. i will try it tonight or tomorrow night.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

at this point, all you can really do is drill the rubber out by putting the drill in between the rubber and steel sleeve, and walking it out. if that doesn't work, you will have to burn the rubber out of the steel sleeve. you will then need to remove the steel sleeve out of the frame and get a new bushing from ford (i think they are around 15-20 dollars). if they tell you that it is not available and they only come with the frame, give them this part number F57Z 5A546 AA

 

[explorer1995]

cool thank you very much for that part number!!!! i m sure ill need it!

 

[explorer1995]

Well i tried the dremel tool and bought some cutting wheels to try and cut the bolt head off and press it through with a ball joint press, but 3 cutting wheels later barely any progress, so my next step is a sawzall, trying to get one and will post updates on how that went.

 

[Elessar65]

You'll never cut anything bigger than a nail with a Dremel. They are a great tool, but the wrong one for this job. You need an angle grinder and a cut off wheel.

 

[Happy Jack]

My Ace Hardware has heavy duty disks with fiber in them (like the one for my die grinder and 4" and 7" grinders). They last much longer than the little tube of disks that break as soon as you start to cut anything. But I agree that a Dremel is the wrong tool for this. Hack saw, saws all, or cut off wheel on a grinder is what I would use. And hack saw only if I had to.

 

[jlsparky7]

I tried everything. Heat it with a torch till the bushings melt. Bolt will fall right out.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Sawzall is going to rattle your teeth out but will get the job done with patience and the right blade, burning and drilling the rubber does nothing but make a mess.

.035"-.045" Zip wheels are where its at. Walter and Sait are my preferred brands.

 

[Ranger379]

i had the same problem when i removed my shackles to put on my longer lift shackles....every time you hit it with the hammer, the rubber bushing inside just absorbs the hammer blow. i think i used a really big C-clamp....you could try that

 

[explorer1995]

Ok so i bought a sawzall from harbor freight and it came with a blade to cut metal but that didnt do anything to the bolt. Any special blade you guys recommend i should buy to cut the bolt off?

 

[budwich]

take it back and get a right angle grinder (4.5 in) and a cutting wheel, you will buzz the bolt off in 1 minute.... standard procedure for DIY'ers.