Help with rear side leaf bolt removal???

[mtelk]

I’m removing my front leaf springs for a lift. Got the front bolts and shackles off easy but the rear bolt of the front spring won’t budge. I’ve removed the little retainer bolt on the wheel side and of course the inside nut. I’ve pounded on it with a mini sledge and it’s not moving out. It will rotate if

i Suggestions or tricks? Am I missing something?

 

[Travis 76]

Try using a pickle fork, tie rod remover tool. The wedge shape will help pull those out as you hammer it in.

 

[Spike Strip]

Sometimes you have to flame them out. Some have used a 'Puller' to press it out. The pin and the metal and the rubber kind of fuse into one lump. I had to flame all of mine out. Literally till the rubber was dripping molten blob.

removing 25 year old rusted spring pins

I worked on a clients FJ60 today from New Jersey. It's rusty as hell, and every nut and bolt is seized together :mad: Some of us have been through this before, and they get seized really good to the bushings which makes them impossible to pound out by the BFH I welded a stud to the...

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[4runner2FJ60]

I found, if your experienced with a sawsall, you can get a good metal cutting blade and cut thru the rubber and the steel pin on each inside of the hanger. Be careful not to damage the hanger, and the spring will fall right out! The Carbide tooth Freud Red blades are excellent, one will cut all of them. I use sawsall daily on the job however. Good luck

 

[cruiserpilot]

Original rubber or polyurethane? I've used large thin cutting disc just on the inside of the outer flange,
cut straight up. Smoke be damned, but wear good gloves.

 

[ff347]

Crowbar used as leverage behind the plate, use both ends.

Obscenities and a BFH.

 

[Tank5]

I second burning them out with a torch.

 

[3_puppies]

heat is your friend, it will be smokey but once heated it will slide out with an air hammer, can't remember if there is enough room to use a port a power from the other frame rail??

where in MT are you?
check in here at the clubhouse:

MT- 406 Cruisers

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[NeverGiveUpYota]

Torch is disgusting. The melting and lighting up on fire doesn't help as far as I found. I cut like others had as well.

 

[Seth S]

One of the more miserable jobs in the leaf spring truck world. The bolts like to seize in the metal collar that is bonded to the rubber bushing. The rubber then absorbs all of your impact force when you try to mechanical remove them. Sometimes you get lucky and can heat it up and then the rubber melts enough to drive them out. If the rubber catches on fire do your best to cool it down with water and don’t inhale. It’s noxious awful smoke that will give you double barrel cancer in two huffs.

 

[Gretsch]

I used a tie rod tool for mine. This after banging on it for an hour with a sledge. Does nothing. Used the tie rod tool as far as it would go, then opened it up, got a smaller ID bolt and started pushing that through against the pin until the pin came out. Out in about 5 minutes, no torch needed and skipping the mess that goes with it:

 

[DrRock]

I just did this and chose the saws all approach, get the proper carbide blade, I had my front two done in 20 min or so.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I used a tie rod tool for mine. This after banging on it for an hour with a sledge. Does nothing. Used the tie rod tool as far as it would go, then opened it up, got a smaller ID bolt and started pushing that through against the pin until the pin came out. Out in about 5 minutes, no torch needed and skipping the mess that goes with it:

View attachment 2398692

I have never seen a tie rod tool like that? What brand? Looks cool

 

[Gretsch]

I have never seen a tie rod tool like that? What brand? Looks cool

I guess the actual name is Ball Joint Separator. I have only used it for separating my tie rod ends from the knuckles....that is until it got my spring pin out:

Amazon product

 

[wunu]

I just did this job on the rear springs over the weekend. My catch phrase was !F**CKIN KNUCKLE" I hit my knuckle a few times trying to pound the similar one out with a ball peen hammer. I had a fat brass slug I placed on the pin so I wouldn't damage the end. It was over 30 minutes of hitting just to get it flush. At that point I had to call in the cavalry, I lacked the strength to pry it out. My brother in law came and used the forked end of a crow bar and was able to pull it the rest of the way in about 2 minutes. I wish I had come here and read about heat. My knuckle would have been happier.

 

[mtelk]

Crowbar used as leverage behind the plate, use both ends.

Obscenities and a BFH.

Tried that! No luck. Gonna try the torch

 

[wunu]

mtelk, please post about your experience....I'm super interested to know how it goes. I'd like to do the same job on the front (replace extended shackles with factory length and then OME springs with a 2" lift) that I just did on the back. I'd like to have some confidence with using heat and your first time experience with it might inspire me to tackle it sooner rather than later.

 

[fjc-man]

Sawsall and a Diablo carbide tipped blade. Cut along both sides of the spring. Especially if you’re replacing them anyway. I hate the smell of burning rubber.

 

[ntdb]

I think a sawzall is the only “easy” way out of this job. I used a 3 pound sledge, steel punches, an angle grinder, a propane torch, and many many curses to get my pins out.

 

[mtelk]

Thanks all. An angle grinder seems to have worked the best and fastest. Finally got it. On to the next 3. What a brute though!