stock shackle bolts wont come out

[egghead335]

well my stock shackle bots the ones on the frame wont come out i cut off the shackles they were rusted out i bought the warrior shackles.okay heres what i have tryed a powersaw, blow torch, impached wrench ,air chisle and regualr wrenches and hammers and crow bars.i think the bolt might be stuck on the rubber groment thing but im not sure i can post pictures
if you need them

NEED HELP ASAP im riding my bike to school

egghead335@hotmail.com

aim: egghead335

 

[Blee1099]

Been in that situation once before. What I recommend doing is using a mapp gas torch or similar heating the bushing and using a punch or smaller size bolt and hammer it on the shackle bolt.

 

[egghead335]

thanks i tryed that with the blow tourch and thta hammer but i will with mapp gas torch were can i get/ rent 1 ?

 

[jimbo74]

mapp gas and propane gas is pretty similar, they are different, but in the automotive world a torch by propane is pretty muc hthe same...... try harder...

 

[egghead335]

thanks im might have to go go buy a sledge hammer tommarrow but if i dont have to so that it would be great can still us help asap if i heat up the rubber bushing thing will it melt? if it melts were can i get new 1s and how much r they how hard r they to put it ?

 

[3car]

the problem is the bolts are rusted to the metal sleves that run through the rubber bushings. forget the torch and get a GOOD air hammer (snap-on, mac, matco, ect)and punch to drive them out.

even if you burn the rubber bushings out the bolt will still be stuck in the frame because the metal sleve is larger than the bolt hole.

 

[DeRocha]

I've been there before (just forgot to get the T-shirt). Anyway as the others have already mentioned the bolt has fused (rusted) to the metal sleave running through the center of the bushing. Your best bet would be to heat up the bolt until it is very hot (as in red). This will cause it to expand and break the rust crap. After it cools put a breaker bar on the bolt and try and work it loose. The rubber bushing won't really melt, more like slightly burn and smolder...

 

[vervepipes]

what i did was have somebody try to turn the bolt with a ratchet while i used a copper draught to punch punch the bolt out, took almost 45 min of doing this to get both bolts out

 

[zhanx]

or hit the crap out of it with a hammer.. i.e get brass ones and hit it hard... but really throw some break free wd-40. heat it and turn it while hot. brass punch smaller that the bolt.. disconnect both sides to take off the tenision whacke it hard with a hammer.. mine came off hard on the passenger side many method work.

 

[egghead335]

thanks guys i have some rust penatrator stuff that i bought last night the guy at autozone said ita better then wd-40. do u think im going to need new metal sleves because they are so rusted? if so were can i get them and how hard are they to put it.
i also though of a new idea last night could i drill the bolt out likr throught the metal sleeve or would that be alot more work ?

 

[DeRocha]

PB-Blaster and other penetrating oils work many times better than WD-40. As you already know those bolts can be real tough... I have a 1,000 ft/lb impact gun that didn't budge some leaf spring bolts at all.. I soaked the bolts several times a day for 3-4 days and still nothing... You need to use heat.. So don't be afraid to reach for the propane, mapp gas or whatever you have and use it.. . The heat will help break up the rust inside the sleeve where the penetrating oil can't reach. Use a breaker bar with a minimum 3.5' foot pipe to muscle off stuck nuts and bolts.. Wear protective gloves if you can since whacking your hands is not fun...

Not using heat will be a big mistake and cause you to waste lots of time hoping the penetration oil will do the trick by itself. Penetration oil is great, but we all know it has its limitations..

 

[410Fortune]

When working with leaf springs (rubber bushings, metal sleeve, big bolt), don't expect the bolts to come out....expect to cut them and replace.

On the BII setup the only way to access the back side of the nut, is to cut your nice big crafstman wrench in half with a grinder

 

[egghead335]

okay well i tryed to get them put today aging and still trying today so far i have tryed a palm nailer i heated the bolts for 10 min each still didnt move last night i soaked them in the pb blaster stuff.
Can you buy new bushings and metal sleves?
im still open for any ideas

 

[410Fortune]

You can buy new bushings of course, but they will ahve to be pressed into the spring eye most likely.

 

[egghead335]

would that take a special part or just a hammer

 

[410Fortune]

a press, hammers dont move rubber bushings too well

 

[egghead335]

okay then i cant burn them off i need some new ideas help please

 

[410Fortune]

cut the bolt and punch it out.
I have never been able to re-use any factory shackle bolts.

a drill works better at removing a bushing then the messy burning them out. A drill with a long bit through the rubber will eathte bushing out of there in no time flat. Melting it with a torch = fumes and mess you just have to clean up later before the new one goes in.

 

[egghead335]

thanks im going to cut the bolts off with the saw but what should i do if they r stuck somewere in the frame

 

[410Fortune]

punch it through How can it get stuck in the frame? we are talking shackles right? You mean the bolt that holds the shackle to the frame? How can it get stuck?
You can get to both sides.
grinder or sawzall will but that bolt like butter.

replace with grade 5 or 8 hardware ONLY