Okay to torch spring perches off?

[Ryan B.]

So i did this on my 12 bolt i have under my truck right now and i didn't seem to mess anything up.... I always wondered if it warped the tube when i torched off the spring perches and welded on new ones.

Now i have to take off the spring perches on my 14FF.... IS it okay to use the cutting torch on the cast perches and leave about 1/4" of metal between where you cut and the axle tubing.. and then grind down that last 1/4" ?
Will it distort the axle tubing?
How bout when you go to weld the new perches, should you only do a little at a time and let it cool?

 

[Zeus33rd]

You'll get hell tryin to cut cast stuff with a cutting torch. Just won't work that well. I'd just grind out the welds as much as ya can, then bash the hell out of the perches with a BFH. Not really any worries about warping the tube either- The heat would really be too localized to warp it. Also, ya gotta think that the perch was welded on originally...So it's not gonna hurt to do it again. What type of welding process are ya planning on using to weld them on?

 

[Swanson52]

I used a 5" angle grinder on my 14B spring perches, then smacked the hell out of them with a BFH. Took about 10 minutes per side. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[thatK30guy]

Well, depending on what year the 14FF is, you can have difficulty removing the perches and then on some others, they will be easier to remove.

For example: /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

All 14FF's up to '84 have the cast steel perches. These are welded all the way around on the tubes. Generally require massive amounts of grinding and yes, the BFH. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

All the 14FF's after '85 have a stamped steel perch. Exactly like the 10 and 12 bolt rears, only thicker. These you can torch off with an oxy/acet. tanks or you can use a plasma cutter, which I prefer. No BFH on these types of perches. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[chulisohombre]

i used the method you described.i took a oxacetaline torch and cut off to about a 1/4 inch and then angle grined the rest off the axle.