Shock disaster

[roughrider17]

Last night i sat down with a 6 pack of cold ones and figured id change all 4 shocks with rancho RS 5000 series'.
The shocks on my trac have been there probably 2 ish years, so they are definitely done for.
After spending 3-4 hours on one passenger rear shock and using every trick in the book to get it off, i ended up literally heating the bottom of the shock untill the rubber bushings melted off and then banging on the bolt with a hammer for around 20 minutes before i finally broke the bolt loose and out of the shock.
Also at that point i realized i wasnt going to get the boot on without a lot of extra time so i googled it and found alot of guys dont put them on anyways.

Does anyone know of a better method to removing the bottom bolt? or am i simply SOL and have my work cut out for me tonight after work...
Thanks, Roughrider

 

[Bretton65]

Did you use any penetrating oil? I was able to remove mine after I had sprayed the bolts/nuts with penetrating oil and had let them sit overnight before trying to remove them. I have had good luck with PB Blaster and Kroil.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Usually the bottom bolts are easier than the tops. You can cut the ends of the boots on the ends about and inch and a half, lube the inside of the boot with PB blaster and slide it over the bottom bolt bracket one rib at a time. For the bolts, use PB blaster and a big breaker bar. If you can go to harbor freight and buy their electric impact gun (best tool investment I've bought). I use it to do everything. If needed you can cut the bolt off and use the old one to match up a new bolt at the hardware store with grade 8 hardware.

 

[roughrider17]

Unfortunetly i was only able to soak them in penetrating lube for around 3 hours... maybe that wasnt long enough but it was really seized on there and the other side doesnt look any better...
Midnight: my top bolts were a piece of cake... i held a wrench on the top and used a long extension on my ratchet to get them off... i had a tonne of leverage with the top not much with the bottom
Do i NEED the boots? of course now ill need to buy one new one i destroyed it trying to get it on the first time then i just ripped it off...
I had a big breaker bar and it started to strip the bolt so i had to stop... ive never seen a bolt so hard to get out it was almost a part of the shock at that point..

 

[MidnightRebel07]

You don't need the boots. You need the fronts more than the rears. When you install them put anti seize on the bolts so they don't seize up again.

 

[Kjhadfield]

Can't remember where I seen it but I seen results of testing different penetrates for rusty bolts and the results were this (from the best to less) atf/acetone then kroil then I think pb blaster. I would definately soak them over night at least, maybe a few times between.

Midnight, what impact did you buy? I bought the 240/250 max ft/lbs and couldn't even get my lugs off, torqued to spec by me 2 mins prior to testing my impact. I returned it based on that. Bought it mainly for the body mount bolts so figured if it can't take lugs off, good luck with anything else. Kind of late to txt back, been busy today but nice Christmas 'song'

 

[2TimingTom]

You should also spray the nut side and heat the head of the bolt. This will draw the penetrating oil to the heat.

 

[Kjhadfield]

Didn't know about the drawing oil to the heat but it will also expand and shrink causing the rust to break.