Spring-to-frame pivot bolt (1 Viewer)

[UberHangman]

Beginning an HFS lift project for my '90 FJ62. Can someone offer insight on how to remove the Spring-to-frame pivot bolt? The nut came off without issue but hammering the bolt does nothing. Should I buy a larger sledge hammer? Or, do I risk damaging anything the more aggressive I get?

Any other general tips are more than appreciated.

 

[Stumpalama]

There are many schools of thought on this problem. One thing all agree on is that getting these things out after 20+ years installed SUCKS!
At the root of it is the problem of water intrusion into the bushing and creating an amazing alchemy of rubber and iron oxide.
Some people burn the bushing out, but that is stinky, messy and potentially dangerous around the fuel tank. I used a large set of water pump pliers to grab the outside of the pin and twist and pull it to loosen the grip then bang it back in and repeat a few times until I can back it out far enough to get a vice grip onto the shaft then I twist and wiggle that until I can get a cold chisel between the vice grips and the frame and wedge it out bit by bit and keep twisting and pulling as well. It may not be the most efficient way but it worked.
I think if you had an oxy-acetylene torch, heating the pin at both ends to get it good and hot and potential begin melting the bushing would probably make the pin slide out easily, but I haven't tried that method yet.

Good luck.

 

[UberHangman]

Thanks for the feedback. I will try the heat and all other forms of prying and banging as suggested. Patience and room to move are limited.

 

[Stumpalama]

Oh, your patience will be tried and you will likely walk away once or twice. I chipped a chunk of concrete out of my garage floor after getting one of them out and pounding it on the floor while telling it that I won.

 

[lehiguy]

I put a metal cutting blade on a circular saw and let it chew its way through the bushing flange and the pin. One cut on each side and the spring fell out. I knew the pin was useless anyway. I put it back together by pounding the pin out of the large flange and fitting a 3/4" bolt through it, welding them together. I drilled the small hole on the other side of the bracket to 3/4" and finished it off with a nylock nut. Cost almost nothing and worked perfectly.

 

[Crick60]

Yeah I've played the cutting game before thankfully my 60's have never had this problem but my brother's hilux has those pesky moulded steel sleeved bushes and they got taken to with a recipro saw

 

[UberHangman]

This is funny stuff. The chipped concrete brought back memories of my wins over stubborn projects. I now feel like I am among good company knowing these are normal challenges. Appreciate the feedback and support. On my way to store to get recip blades and a larger sledge. Wish me luck!

 

[Stumpalama]

Oh, and just be careful. Remember that your truck is on jack stands and is unstable when you are pounding and pulling. Put the tires under the frame as insurance.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I used a 10 lb sledge, and a pair of the biggest vice grips I had to hold the chisel punch, and that was after I cut the heads off with a
grinding disc. See if you can get someone else to hold the vice grips! Good luck.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Another thing you can do is wiggle a metal sawzall blade between the bushing and the frame bracket on both sides of the spring, then cut down through the "Spring-to-frame pivot bolt" (spring pin). Once you cut through both sides, the spring will fall out and you won't need to worry about fire, or removing the pin from the bushing, since everything gets replaced with a new kit.

I've personally used the fire, hammering and sawzall methods myself, on my truck and others. I like fire, but if you're worried about starting a fire, or don't have a fire extinguisher handy (you always should) then try the sawzall method.

 

[Spike Strip]

I used fire. You have to get the thing so hot that it's dripping molten bits of rubber bushing, then whack the bolt. If you cut, be careful you don't gouge the frame bracket. I've seen that happen before.