I need some leaf spring removal assistance

[mike]

I'm trying to remove the leaf springs and hardware from one vehicle and I hope to reuse all the hardware and springs on another vehicle. One vehicle has OME and the other vehicle has stock suspension.

What's the best way to remove the spring pins(shackle pins) from the bushings without cutting them off. Is there a special tool to pull the pins from the rubber bushings?
Any help would be appreaciated.
Thx

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Use a pointed steel punch and drive them out with a 5lb hammer. Worked for me.

If the bushings are frozen on there, then apply some heat to the pin and drive it out. Some heat might have to be a lot of heat depending on how old the bushings are.

 

[Crelok]

gday

the best i found is,once you have ya car up on stands and a jack under the u bolt plate of the spring,jack the spring(and axle) up a couple of inches until you have taking the weight/ undo nuts on both,get a bolt or bit of metal the same or smaller than the size of the shackle pin,and tap them both out, ffirst time i did it on my 60 series i belted it with a big hammer and stuffed the thread,anyways,tap it out and re grease bushes when re fitting,just remember the pin with thread on it has to be untouched so the nut will go back on,
good luck cheif

 

[billmc]

Yes, there's a special tool called a flame wrench. Heat up both ends of the pin until the rubber is smoking hard and then knock the pin out as far as you can with the BFH and pull it out the rest with vice grips. Put the hot bolt some place safe like a pail because they stay hot for a long time and you wouldn't want to kneel on it or anything.

BIll

 

[GLTHFJ60]

If you use a pointed punch, you won't bugger up the threads and can drive it out all the way without using vice grips. I highly recommend this method.

 

[JoeCanadian]

pickle fork and a hammer.

 

[tonyota]

I must concur with the heat it up & punch it out method. I used a small propane torch to get them smokin hot & a pointed punch to drive them all the way out. Works every time

 

[Tofudebeest]

If you use a pointed punch, you won't bugger up the threads and can drive it out all the way without using vice grips. I highly recommend this method.

Yep, jack stands, and a punch/mallet. Worked for me easily. Absolutely no need to use heat. If you really got some crust in there, use some PB Blaster on it the night before.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Yep, jack stands, and a punch/mallet. Worked for me easily. Absolutely no need to use heat. If you really got some crust in there, use some PB Blaster on it the night before.

Let me introduce you to my friend Salt. Salt loves to eat cruisers and deteriorate rubber. Over the years, Salt loves to make the rubber spring bushings freeze to the spring eyes, making heat necessary.

Soaking in PB Blaster would probably be enough if the bushings aren't original.

 

[BG_TX]

What about a gear puller to push the pins through?

I used a punch/hammer but it is a Texas wagon with no rust/corrosion.

 

[lehiguy]

Some guys get them out without a fight. Mine were so rusted to the bushings that they had to be cut out. Not even a sledge hammer would make them move, it would just bend the brackets.

 

[Rigger]

Removing springs is dirty and messy. It is hard work.

I was one of the luckier ones. When I installed the OME kit in my FJ62, I dod not have to do much fighting to pull things apart. I replaced the rear springs on my '40, and they were not too bad, either.

I recommend starting a month ahead with a can (or two) of PB Blaster. Use it on all of the nuts and bolts. Try to get it into the spring eyes, too. Do this for a week or two. Then, spend an evening carefully removing nuts, washers and plates. Spray more PB into the space between the bushing and the inside of the spring eyes and between the pin and the bushing. Use an awl, and force it into the space, and spray more PB in there. If you do not need the truck every day for commuting, just let it sit for a while. If you do need the truck, re-assemble and drive it for a week or so, before beginning the full tear-down.

PB is great stuff. It needs time to work, but I have been amazed at the places it'll creep into. It has a strong smell, though, that'll linger in the garage and on your clothing.

I think the best tool for extracting spring pins is a small, flat crowbar and a claw hammer. A drift pin is good, too. I also used a channellock plier and twisted my pins to help distribute the PB.

Don't plan on re-using any of the pins. They get banged up when they are being removed.

I have never had to use a torch on the bushings, but many Mudders report that heating/burning them out works where everything else fails.

 

[Tofudebeest]

I guess I am totally spoiled down here, where salt on roads is totally unheard of. My truck was from Mississippi, so it never saw any salt there either.

 

[wngrog]

 

[rusty_tlc]

What about a gear puller to push the pins through?

I used a punch/hammer but it is a Texas wagon with no rust/corrosion.

I used a two jaw puller on mine, it works.
Found a picture

 

[BG_TX]

Pullers are one of my favorite tools!

Mike... does the donor vehicle have OME springs and hardware or just springs? If it is OME hardware it should have greasable bolts, etc making removal very easy. This also makes any hardware on the recieving moot so hack everything off unless the OE parts are going on the donor vehicle after the swap?

 

[Texx]

X1000 burn em out. Takes all the drama down to about two or less minutes per.

 

[haryv]

wngrog,

Thats about what my bushings looked like..flaming bushing. I used all my might with hammer and punch to push them out. It was fruitless. Torching the pins is the only way.

Mike,
You may also think about installing new bushings.

 

[mike]

Pullers are one of my favorite tools!

Mike... does the donor vehicle have OME springs and hardware or just springs? If it is OME hardware it should have greasable bolts, etc making removal very easy. This also makes any hardware on the recieving moot so hack everything off unless the OE parts are going on the donor vehicle after the swap?

The donner has the OME springs with the greaseable shackles. I was planning on swapping springs and hardware from truck to truck. This way I can still move both vehicles . I don't anticipate any problems removing the OME hardware and springs. My concerns are with the stock suspension and stock hardware--specially the spring pins.

Lot of good ideas in this post. I will defineately try every concieveable option prior to cutting the spring pins.
Thx for all the help

 

[brokenparts]

That's about all explanation you need for stubborn springs.