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Removing front leafs

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I am trying to take the leafs off of the front of my 82 chevy suburban and the front bolts will not come out of the bracket, I have the weaight off of the front end and I can spin the bolt head with my fingers but it will not come out. Is there some sort of stop or pin or somthing in there? and if so.. how do I get it out?
Thanks
 
What sometimes happens is a flat spot or groove has worn in the bolt or the bracket.
Until the hole is exactly lined up, its not gonna want to come out.
If tapping it with a hammer doesn't want to move it, try grabbing the head with a pair of vice grips and pulling while tapping up and down on the spring end.
When it lines up, it should come out.
Assuming, of course, you took the nut all the way off..........:D
 
Well I have tried a whole bunch of things and the last thing I did was put a bottle jack between the brackets and put some torque on it, come to find out the bolt has some sort of spacer on it (either screwed on or welded) and it won't come off..so tomorrow i am going to try to get a pipe wrench on it and see if I can get that spacer off. :mad:
The springs are ranchero lift springs so I guess thats why its so much trouble to get them off.

(If I had a torch right now I would probably do something drastic)
 
That spacer is probably the sleeve from inside the spring bushing. Original springs? After eons of rust and abuse, the sleeves can 'rust weld' themselves to the bolt..which, as you are learning, can cause major headaches trying to remove. You might want to try getting a sawz-all in between the spring hanger and the spring and cut the bolt. You'd have to do this on both sides of the spring. That way the sleeve and remaining bolt chunk would stay inside the spring and the spring could drop free from the hanger. A torch or plasma cutter would work too. No amount of hammering, pushing, pulling or prying will unweld that sleeve from the bolt. You'll just end up mangling the spring hanger if you wail on it too much with a huge sledge. Ask me how I know. :crazy:
 
Oh, and just incase anyone wants to know I am doing an axle swap, I have an 82 Burb with a 12 bolt rear and Dana 44 front on a Ranchero 6 inch lift and i am puting the axles and leafs on my good running 88 Burb to replace the corp 10 bolts.
I have never done anything like this before so its been a learning experiance :)
 
interesting, i don't even think i would do all that work for even a gear change.

I have been noticing this trend lately, and i'm thinkin it has something to do with the names of these axles. People somewhat new to the scene, hear the word "Dana" and automatically think it's stronger than anything else made, or with the "12 bolt" if i remember correctly, i think this is a somewhat desired rearend for cars?

either way, yeah as mentioned, in the truck world, they are totally different. your axles are pretty much the same strength as the stock 10 bolts, and only difference would be as mentioned if you're swapping for stirckly a gearing advantage. Still alot of work for that though. :crazy:
 
a chevelle and camaro 12 bolt is desirable, an impala 12 bolt is like the truck 12 bolt if i remember right. Car 12s had bigger pinion support, and i dont take my camaros or chevelles though the fun that shawn has :haha:So in the 2wd application a 14 bolt is not needed, although ive seen drag cars starting to use 14bolt semi floaters like the SS trucks did.
 
I know the axles are not much stronger, I am changing for the gear ratios and even if I wasn't I think its easier to just leave the springs on the axles and swap the whole thing (the springs are what a really want)
 
I have used this method sucessfully to get "stuck" leaf spring bolts out,when they seize to the steel sleeve in the spring bushing..

Assuming you got the nut off OK,step one is to cut off the head of the bolt..a sawsall or cutoff wheel works best,but a hacksaw will do if thats all you have..dont leave any burrs on the shank of the bolt,file it if need be..
Then you put some washers on the other end,put the nut back on and tighten it..
using an impact gun works best,but it can be done with hand tools too--when you tighten the nut it will pull the shank of the bolt through the sleeve some..you may need to remove the nut and add more washers as it comes out,but usually once you get the bolt to break free and spin in the sleeve,some penetrant and a hammer and punch will drive it right out,or you can spin it with the impact till it comes out..

If and when that fails,Torches prevail!..
 
diesel4me said:
I have used this method sucessfully to get "stuck" leaf spring bolts out,when they seize to the steel sleeve in the spring bushing..

Assuming you got the nut off OK,step one is to cut off the head of the bolt..a sawsall or cutoff wheel works best,but a hacksaw will do if thats all you have..dont leave any burrs on the shank of the bolt,file it if need be..
Then you put some washers on the other end,put the nut back on and tighten it..
using an impact gun works best,but it can be done with hand tools too--when you tighten the nut it will pull the shank of the bolt through the sleeve some..you may need to remove the nut and add more washers as it comes out,but usually once you get the bolt to break free and spin in the sleeve,some penetrant and a hammer and punch will drive it right out,or you can spin it with the impact till it comes out..

If and when that fails,Torches prevail!..
Click to expand...
That is a really good idea! I wish I would have seen it before I took a cut off wheel to it... Oh well I got it off :P
 
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