Slee rear carrier drop-pin removal help? (1 Viewer)

[sonk76]

I've now tried to remove the drop-pin on my Slee rear bumper for cleaning a couple of times over the years... each time I try and then stop because I can't unscrew the nut at the top of the pin.

Any advice on how to go about this?

As you can see, the nut is starting to deform from the force I've applied. I've been soaking with PB Blaster, heating with torch, knocking with hammer, cursing lots, but no success.

Perhaps I just need a fixed wrench of the right size (been using an adjustable wrench, which is probably deflecting from the force I'm trying to apply...) anybody know the right size?

 

[Bloomer]

Following....need to do the same. This winter, the pins froze up over night and I could not open the rear of the land cruiser to load up our luggage. Had to use hot water to unfreeze the pins, which just created a vicious cycle of having to use hot water every time I needed to open. Once it was wet, it would refreeze rather quickly. Thinking I need to clean and regrease the internals.

 

[Steelman]

Following....need to do the same. This winter, the pins froze up over night and I could not open the rear of the land cruiser to load up our luggage. Had to use hot water to unfreeze the pins, which just created a vicious cycle of having to use hot water every time I needed to open. Once it was wet, it would refreeze rather quickly. Thinking I need to clean and regrease the internals.

I have the same issues with the pins on my Slee rear in cold wet weather. Hot water is all I have found to free them up.

 

[SmoothLC]

Maybe ask @sleeoffroad?

 

[Bomar]

try kroil.....it is a amazing

 

[TheForger]

Or if the problem is the grease freezing, clean all the old grease out and add a grease designed to withstand lower temps such as Mystik. That stuff is used a lot in snowmobiles to prevent valves from freezing

 

[Get outside]

Unscrew the knob then put a socket on the nut! Kroil should help too.

 

[2001LC]

Looking at picture, that does not look like removable nut. Give Slee a call.

 

[varythings]

Same issue here. That plastic ball is removable but has a thread lock compound inside, you'll have to hold both the pin and ball rather tightly to remove. The nut you've tried is the correct nut to remove the pin, I agree with @Get outside that you need to get a socket over the top to prevent further damage to the nut. Some penetrating oil and heat might help.

I've removed and cleaned mine twice this winter, still have them freeze up. I carry a plastic pry bar (body panel type) and that has worked to pry the pin up at the ball when I don't have access to heat. Last try I lubed with 5w30 motor oil which worked for a couple weeks, but I think that flowed off when our temps got above freezing. I'll have to try the recommended lubes from above, never tried Kroil or Mystik.

 

[sonk76]

The nut you've tried is the correct nut to remove the pin, I agree with @Get outside that you need to get a socket over the top to prevent further damage to the nut. Some penetrating oil and heat might help.

I've removed and cleaned mine twice this winter, still have them freeze up. I carry a plastic pry bar (body panel type) and that has worked to pry the pin up at the ball when I don't have access to heat. Last try I lubed with 5w30 motor oil which worked for a couple weeks, but I think that flowed off when our temps got above freezing. I'll have to try the recommended lubes from above, never tried Kroil or Mystik.

Great to hear the someone has actually managed to get the nut off! Did you manage to fit a socket on the nut from above? From what I can tell, there is not enough room to use a socket because the nut is so close to the body of the spindle carrier (making up terms here... not enough space between the nut and the black steel thing next to it [even if I did remove the plastic ball to make room])

I measured the nut and it appears to be 1" -- I purchased a fixed 1" wrench to prevent any deflection on the tool (which was happening on the adjustable wrench), but still no dice...

(on an unrelated note, anybody else ever wonder why there is SAE hardware on the bumper given that it's going on a truck with all metric components [e.g,. the license plate screws are 1/4", and this one appears to be 1", etc.)?

 

[TeCKis300]

Have you tried adding impact or leverage with that wrench? Take a dead blow or regular hammer to see if you can't get it moving. You might also try torquing and tapping in the other direction temporarily as that sometimes gets it to release.

Gentle heat is always another option but you don't want to ruin the finish here.

 

[Get outside]

Call Slee... Their product, their problem. I'm sure they had others calling about it before!

 

[varythings]

Great to hear the someone has actually managed to get the nut off! Did you manage to fit a socket on the nut from above? From what I can tell, there is not enough room to use a socket because the nut is so close to the body of the spindle carrier (making up terms here... not enough space between the nut and the black steel thing next to it [even if I did remove the plastic ball to make room])

I measured the nut and it appears to be 1" -- I purchased a fixed 1" wrench to prevent any deflection on the tool (which was happening on the adjustable wrench), but still no dice...

(on an unrelated note, anybody else ever wonder why there is SAE hardware on the bumper given that it's going on a truck with all metric components [e.g,. the license plate screws are 1/4", and this one appears to be 1", etc.)?

Mine are easy to thread off just using a box end wrench. Getting the ball off would at least let you get the closed end over the nut. The bumper finish is powder coat not paint, so heat from a heat gun should be fine. Seems like yours is stuck do to corrosion or over tightening. When you get it out put some anti-seize on the threads before you re-install.

 

[sleeoffroad]

No idea why that hex nut is stuck. It is a pretty course thread and also the nut, sleeve and pin are stainless steel, so corrosion should not be an issue. One of the main reasons why we do not use off the shelf pins but machine them ourselves. We use Knipex pliers to install them.

KNIPEX Tools LP - KNIPEX

The allow you to grip the nut, have enough leverage and also not damage the flats. The balls do have threadlock on them to prevent them from rattling off. To get those off you might have to apply some heat. We normally pre-install the pins at the shop and it should not be over tightened. I would try a little back and forth motion on loosening and / or use some head on the nut.

As to SAE hardware, that is a trade off between functionality and cost.

 

[sonk76]

No idea why that hex nut is stuck. It is a pretty course thread and also the nut, sleeve and pin are stainless steel, so corrosion should not be an issue. One of the main reasons why we do not use off the shelf pins but machine them ourselves. We use Knipex pliers to install them.

KNIPEX Tools LP - KNIPEX

The allow you to grip the nut, have enough leverage and also not damage the flats. The balls do have threadlock on them to prevent them from rattling off. To get those off you might have to apply some heat. We normally pre-install the pins at the shop and it should not be over tightened. I would try a little back and forth motion on loosening and / or use some head on the nut.

As to SAE hardware, that is a trade off between functionality and cost.

Thanks for the insights, and pointer to the Knipex pliers. I ordered one. Perhaps that's the ticket

I will keep working on it. At least I know that it really should come off and there isn't something crazy going on here (like reverse threads.)

Re: SAE hardware: makes sense.

 

[Get outside]

At least I know that it really should come off and there isn't something crazy going on here (like reverse threads.)

That's exactly what I was just thinking! Left hand tread! Apparently it is not!

 

[sonk76]

So of course upon failing, and being impatient with the delivery of the new fancy tool I ordered (won't be here until next week at earliest), I tried to add some more heat and force with the fixed 1" wrench.

In the process I feel like I got it to turn 1 - 2 degrees (pretty sure I'm not imagining it), but also did manage to mangle up the nut even more.

There is no room to insert a socket from the top since the nut is too close to the carrier body (I tried.)

What are the chances that the nut is just not going to come out and removing it will only result in complete destruction of the nut and/or related threads?

I've had pretty poor experience with stainless hardware... specifically it getting completely seized up and structurally failing before coming apart. Would hate to have this happen here.

 

[sonk76]

My last experience with stainless hardware below (both bolts snapped rather than unscrewing...)

 

[sleeoffroad]

If you are not going to be able to get it out, and you need to service it, you would have to remove the carrier, then try to get the ball off the stem, or cut the stem and then drop pin out through the bottom. We do have replacements for pin and knob if you need to replace it if you destroy it.

 

[sonk76]

If you are not going to be able to get it out, and you need to service it, you would have to remove the carrier, then try to get the ball off the stem, or cut the stem and then drop pin out through the bottom. We do have replacements for pin and knob if you need to replace it if you destroy it.

That's great to know Christo. I'm still holding out hope that with the right tool I can get this off (at which point I would love to know if I can source a new nut from you guys to replace the one I've wrecked.) I will just have to try and be more patient and hold off on messing with it until I have better tools (patience has never been one of my virtues.)

On a peripherally related note, I believe the issue with my past stainless steel may have been thread galling due to poor installation technique on my part -- not paying enough attention to generated heat during installation.

I found the following article very insightful on the topic; I wish I head read it sooner:

https://www.fastenal.com/content/feds/pdf/Article - Galling.pdf