Front spring bolts rusted or bound to sleeves

[sarasotausmc]

Already did a search, didn't find the answer after about 20 mins of looking....


Putting on my new front springs. Can't get the bolts (either front or rear) out of the sleeve on one leaf spring. No tension on the spring. Tried BFH, and then B'er FH, nothing. Probably ruined the threads already. PB'ed them beyond reason tonight, will try again tomorrow. If that doesn't work, will just cut em out. What size are the front and rear bolts on a stock 87 Jimmy front leaf springs? Figure I would try my luck asking before removing the other spring bolts and taking them down to the auto shop to match em up.
The other ones came out easily BTW.

If there are any other tricks I could try, would appreciate the input too. Thanks.

 

[zeroz400]

 

[sarasotausmc]

looking like it

 

[sweetk30]

or a real good air chisle with concaved button head so it will stay on bolt.

 

[jarheadk5]

When I pulled the rear springs off my '87 C10 donor truck, I used an air hammer with a pointed-punch chisel to push the shackle bolts out. I used a 1/4" drillbit to make "cups" in the threaded end of the bolts, about 1/4" deep, so the punch wouldn't skip off the bolt.

Still took about a minute of hammering at 110psi to get them out due to the rust...

 

[ryoken]

I just got done contending with some 30 yr old control arm bolts on a 442 yesterday with all the same issues... what works well is to thread the nut back on some them use a round, cutoff, whatever, air hammer bit in it.. the nut keeps the bit captured giving it a centering capabilty..

 

[dleroy43]

My front ones did that too. I used a socket on the head turning it with a breaker bar, at the same time have someone hit the other end with a BFH. oh and plenty of Mdew. good luck

 

[hack500]

balljoint press and some beernuts!

 

[stockk5]

i just got in there w/ an angle grinder.. .cut the bolt on both ends so i got the spring out.. and the bolt was just rusted frozen in there... so then i took a 20ton bottle jack press and pressed the whole bushing thing out.. replaced it w/ a 20buck one from napa.. good to go and saved a lotta work.

 

[sarasotausmc]

thanks, got the cutting done with the grinder.

 

[bluehen]

Glad you got it done. I used the cut-off wheel too. BTW - they are 9/16" bolts.

 

[Leper]

I use a HF balljoint tool to remone the bushing centers.
and
http://coloradok5.com/forums/search.php?searchid=268564
or
http://coloradok5.com/forums/search.php?searchid=268568

Searching is the key.

 

[maynardogle]

Now i REMEMBER WHY i MOVED TO cALIFORNIA....