well are started to take out my rear leaf spring out of my 81 bronco and I've had to cut the u-bolts and the front spring-to-bracket bolt since they are rusted right out and now I'm at the back of the spring and I'm trying to remove the spring shackel bolt but it wont even move a bit I have tryed everthing to lossen it ( impact,big wrench with a pipe on the end everthing) how do I get this off with out damageing the bracket that is riveid to the frame that holds the spring shackle and leafs in place. please anyone.

 

Im not sure if this is a good answer (havent personally done it), but you could use a cutoff tool and cut the head of it off. If impact wrenches, and leverage bars havent worked, im not sure what else could work.

Rich

 

Have you used penetrating oil?

 

I used a cut-off wheel on a 5" grinder when I replace my rear springs. Had new bushings anyway, so I cut down through the edge of the old rubber bushing between the shackle and the spring eye. Cut the head off the bolt(s) and didn't hurt the shackle or bracket (just some minor scuffing from the edge of the cut-off wheel). Once the heads were lopped off, I was able to drive the remaining piece of the bolt through the spring eye with a large drift pin and a rubber mallet.

When the new grade 8 hardware was installed it was liberally coated with antiseize lube in an effort to keep from having this happen again in the future.

 

thanks for the reply yes I have poured the lube to her and still nothing my nexted step was going to be the cutoff wheel but I'm a little worried about the gas filler tupe and gas tanking because it's only a couple inchs away from the bolt should I be worried about or should I go for it. you go for

 

I wrapped the fill tube with a wet rag like you would if you were welding back there.

 

I had replaced the shocks on mine recently and suspected a rust problem when I had to replace a broken leaf shackle. For a week I sprayed the bolts with various penetrating oils and Sat morning allowed for a few hours to drop the four bolts holding both rear shackles and replacing them with new.

I had no idea what I was in for. I broke them loose with a socket/breakerbar/cheater bar combo and one broken loose removed the nut easily. (must have been the spray) Then the 'fun' began. The bolt backed out about a quarter inch and then siezed in the sleeve (a giant roll pin) and just spun inside the rubber bushing.

7 hours later, after dropping the entire rear end to get to the top bolts which were siezed in the sleeve of top leaf springs, I wondered why I've never been able to weld anything able to withstand the pounding that it took to dislodge those bolts from their sleeve;D They were mated together as if they were made as one piece. I should have just cut them out and bought new, but it became a mission, a quest.


They really should put a grease fitting there.After today, I'ld surely grease it at least once a year.