Will I be Able to Do My Axle Swap With Air Compressor?

[BrianDamage]

WHat do ya think? Possible? My Sears compressor (5hp, 60 gal) broke it's piston rods a couple years ago. I spent $80 to fix and did it again 2 weeks later. I can't see sinking anymore money into it, and I can't afford for a good new one right now. Think I can swap my 1 ton axles in without, or am I biting off more than I can chew? FWIW, I don't have a cutting torch either

 

[b454rat]

If I did a SAS on my 89 in a storage unit with NO air tools, then there's no reason why you can't. Get a big breaker bar, a cheater bar and some PB Blaster or other penetrant and have at it.

 

[Beast388]

I did my axle swap without an air compressor. I cut the old U-botls with a 4" grinder and used regular sockets & boxends to put it all together.

I even did the rear in the dark by lantern light.

 

[Drey]

Id just hit everything with some skunk piss(penetrating oil) for a couple days before you start. Also heres a tip get a chunk of aluminum pipe for a cheater bar extenstion on your breaker bar. You would be surprised how much more of pain it can be with a cast pipe rather then an aluminum one. If cut the ubolts use a cutting wheel on your grinder it will go SO much faster too.

 

[BrianDamage]

Cool .. I fell better about attempting it now. Now just need some cash for new rims and a master cylinder

 

[78Suburban]

I put on my lift springs and shackle flip with nothing but some wrenches/PB blaster, and a cheater bar.. Didn't even cut off the old u bolts.. People do it all the time.. personally I would take a long pipe and pull handle over an impact any day

 

[beater_k20]

i've got a 7.5hp, 80 gal compressor. i rarely use it.

 

[big dan]

I did my 3/4 ton swap in the middle of a field with no power at all and only one jack. couldnt move the truck out of the field to make it closer and the jack was the only one I could find. I got lucky though and the ubolts on my truck were fairly new and easy to remove and for some reason the rusted bent ones on the other truck came off easily with just a wrench.

 

[jekbrown]

all the major stuff I did on my rig I did before I got my compressor. 1-tons swap etc. My compressor is a POS that can't put nearly the force on a bolt that I can with a cheater bar and a hammer anyway.

j

 

[hunterguy86]

No powertools here. I swaped in 14bolt FF with NO assisstance. Everyone was 2 hungover to help.

 

[jekquistk5]

When I first did my lift, all the bolts were too rusted to budge with my crappy 350ftlb impact. did everything with a big arse bar, and a grinder with a good cut off wheel. Now that I have a decent Impact I never use regular tools..lol