bolt stuck in leaf spring bushing
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,716
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From: Boston, MA
bolt stuck in leaf spring bushing
I am replacing my rear leaf spring hanger and shackle. I have one side done and the other side the old hanger is off. I am ready to install but the bolt/ bushing in the leaf spring will not come out. I tried every thing with what i had for about 2 hours. Does anyone have any suggestions is there a tool to remove these things similiar to a ball joint press. any help would be appreciated.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
plus I cant find new bolts to attached the bed, any one know the part #, would the home depot have them . I tried rock auto, az, advanced and i am searching the net , no luck oh and i called ford and he can order them for $16 each but i forgot to ask for a part #
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
I cant even get the bolt out yet so I cant cut the bushing. I have been researching. i saw where you can drill the rubber out and try try to get it out that way. another site said to wedge a screwdriver where the eye bends into the spring.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 673
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
I had to cut one of my spring bolts, the other 5 came out with the normal amount of hammering and cussing. I cut the head and nut off the stuck bolt with the angle grinder and pried the shackle off. You could try Mikes Truck Salvage for decent rust free used hardware. Some guys have gone with stove bolts from homey toad for the bed; a lot cheaper than the Ford dealer...
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 178
Likes: 1
From: Richmond, VA
When I do lifts on leaf-sprung Wranglers I run to Fastenal and but whatever diameter / length Grade 8 bolts I need and don't care how I get the old ones out... the Sawzall is my friend...
I'll do the same thing when I rebuild the leaf packs on my 150.
Not much $$ for the peace of mind.
Just my .02
-cmc-
I'll do the same thing when I rebuild the leaf packs on my 150.
Not much $$ for the peace of mind.
Just my .02
-cmc-
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 178
Likes: 1
From: Richmond, VA
Stinks up the garage (and yard, and driveway, and neighbor's yard...) but works.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
I spent about 45 min this morning doing the crowbar BFH thing to no avail. I then got out a 1/4 drill bit and drill. I was about to go to the auto parts store to see what tool i could get to press this out. But first I said lets try drilling the rubber out( I was reluctant to do this because i was concerned about pressing the the new bushing in)proceded to drill the **** out of the rubber in the bushing . 5min later the bushing and bolt where on the ground 
I then pounded the bushing into the eye with some grease on it( there has to be a good tool to do this)
I then pounded the bushing into the eye with some grease on it( there has to be a good tool to do this)
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 178
Likes: 1
From: Richmond, VA
At least I have not found one in 10+ years of modding and lifting leaf-sprung Jeep CJ's, YJ's, XJ's and MJ's.
Spray white lithium grease, and a big C-clamp works.
So would a vise but it is a beeotch to manuver a leaf spring on a vise.
You could buy a fairly simple press from Harbor Freight or Northern Tool and it would make things A LOT easier, but I can't justify the expense.
A buddy I do a lot of Jeep stuff with bought one, but all of his rides are coil-sprung 4-links with lots of control arm bushings...
FWIW, I'll mooch that off him when I do the rear leafs on my 150...
-cmc-
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Boston, MA
here is a right up of what i did
I finished replacing my hangers and shackles and thought I would do a quick right up of some things that i learned. First thing I learned is that it is best to do this as a maintenance issue. When you can order the parts and get organized rather then wait for it to bust and then scramble to fix it
I useddorman parts 722-010 and 722-001. I paid about a total of $105 including tax for 2 hangers and 2 shackles. you can get them on line for prob around $80 shipped. the drivers side hanger is held on with 2 bolts and 2 rivets, the passenger side hanger is held on with 4 rivets(I don't think this was just my truck i think it is like that on all of them).
The following work was done with the bed on. The 2 bolts came right off on one side and the bottom rivet on the other side of the hanger. I was able to grind right off and punch it out the top rivet was harder to get at because the bent hanger and shackle was all around it, but i got it off in about 30 min usingsawsall , grinder, and cheesy air hammer. Now I could not do any more work because i was waiting for the parts. The next day when the parts showed up about noon. I decide to remove the bed so at the parts store I bought thetorx 55 for the bed bolts. It is my opinion that "I" would not have been able to do the rest of the job with the bed on. To take the bed off you need a 7mm socket to remove the 3 bolts at the gas cap, you crawl under the rear of the truck and there is one connector that you disconnect for the rear lights in the bed, now you need to wrestle with the rusted on bolts. I loosened each one a little, you need a breaker bar, then i squirted rust penetrater all over them, You also can reach 4 of them from underneath and squirt them. I removed the bed with the help of 2 not very strong females. I have the car jacked up so the tires are just on the ground. I install the hanger and shackle on the drivers side, then i punch out the bolt in the eye of the leaf spring and install the shackle to the leaf spring. I then torqued the hanger to about 100 or 110, I am not sure what they should be at and i might check them later. I was told not to torque down the shackles bolts till the truck is on the ground so I did that later. I torqued them to about 80 and i am not sure what they are suppose to be. Good that side is done and went smooth. I head over to the passenger side I proceeded to grind off the 4 rivets holding the hanger on and punch them out in about 15 min. Next I go to punch the the bolt out of the old eye bushing. well to make a long story short 2 hours later the bolt is still in there it is getting dark so I call it a day. I did a little research that night for some ideas. I head out there this morning do theBFH thing for 45 min to no avail. I am about to go to the parts store to see what tool/press i could get to remove/replace bushing. right before going I decided to try and drill out the rubber around the bushing . 5 minutes later the bushing is on the ground . I greased up the new bushing and pounded it in to the eye another 5minutes ( I think a press would be best so you don't smash the metal causing the new bolt to fight a little going in). I install hanger and shackle torque down hanger. My existing shocks had disintegrated so I purchased 2 new cheapogasmatics . I finished installing those. cleaned up the frame a little sprayed a little black flat around. I had called around for a new bolt kit for the bed. No one had them but Ford could order them for $16 each x 6, no thanks, I figured out the size, and was able to get 4 of them from the hardware store and 2 i am going to order,the bolts i got where grade 8.8 metric I am not sure what the equivalent is in standard but I will probably get stronger ones later, 12m x 1.75 thread x 100mm (quantity 4) 12m x 1.75 tread x 120mm ( quantity 2 closest to the cab) I wire brushed the 2 old ones. I then proceed to place the bed back on the truck with the help of the not very strong females. I would get the drivers side closest to the cab bolt first because the gas tank impedes you from seeing the clip, I put grease in the 6 clips and dipped the old bolts in grease. I am going to remove the bed in the spring to do break lines and fuel filler hose. I tighten up the bolts connected the wire and installed the 3 7mm bolts for the fuel filler. For me I don't think i could have gotten this done with the bed on, maybe in hide sight knowing exactly how I could but it is much easier with the bed off and if you do this as maintenance maybe you could change your shocks and break-lines at the same time. I did not have the time to start with the brake lines i will do it in the spring. . so I suggest you do this as maintenance get organized order the parts and it will be much easier.
Some tools that I can think of that I used. safety goggles, cheesy air tool set, large crowbar, various sockets and wrenches, liquid wrench,torque wrench that only goes to 80lbs, sawsall, dewault grinder and 4.5 inch wheel for metal, 1/2 inch breaker bar, BFH, SFH, RFH, cold punch, cold chisel, 1 jack stand, 1 floor jack, 1/2 drive torx 55, and some more I am sure I am missing
I finished replacing my hangers and shackles and thought I would do a quick right up of some things that i learned. First thing I learned is that it is best to do this as a maintenance issue. When you can order the parts and get organized rather then wait for it to bust and then scramble to fix it
I useddorman parts 722-010 and 722-001. I paid about a total of $105 including tax for 2 hangers and 2 shackles. you can get them on line for prob around $80 shipped. the drivers side hanger is held on with 2 bolts and 2 rivets, the passenger side hanger is held on with 4 rivets(I don't think this was just my truck i think it is like that on all of them).The following work was done with the bed on. The 2 bolts came right off on one side and the bottom rivet on the other side of the hanger. I was able to grind right off and punch it out the top rivet was harder to get at because the bent hanger and shackle was all around it, but i got it off in about 30 min usingsawsall , grinder, and cheesy air hammer. Now I could not do any more work because i was waiting for the parts. The next day when the parts showed up about noon. I decide to remove the bed so at the parts store I bought thetorx 55 for the bed bolts. It is my opinion that "I" would not have been able to do the rest of the job with the bed on. To take the bed off you need a 7mm socket to remove the 3 bolts at the gas cap, you crawl under the rear of the truck and there is one connector that you disconnect for the rear lights in the bed, now you need to wrestle with the rusted on bolts. I loosened each one a little, you need a breaker bar, then i squirted rust penetrater all over them, You also can reach 4 of them from underneath and squirt them. I removed the bed with the help of 2 not very strong females. I have the car jacked up so the tires are just on the ground. I install the hanger and shackle on the drivers side, then i punch out the bolt in the eye of the leaf spring and install the shackle to the leaf spring. I then torqued the hanger to about 100 or 110, I am not sure what they should be at and i might check them later. I was told not to torque down the shackles bolts till the truck is on the ground so I did that later. I torqued them to about 80 and i am not sure what they are suppose to be. Good that side is done and went smooth. I head over to the passenger side I proceeded to grind off the 4 rivets holding the hanger on and punch them out in about 15 min. Next I go to punch the the bolt out of the old eye bushing. well to make a long story short 2 hours later the bolt is still in there it is getting dark so I call it a day. I did a little research that night for some ideas. I head out there this morning do theBFH thing for 45 min to no avail. I am about to go to the parts store to see what tool/press i could get to remove/replace bushing. right before going I decided to try and drill out the rubber around the bushing . 5 minutes later the bushing is on the ground
. I greased up the new bushing and pounded it in to the eye another 5minutes ( I think a press would be best so you don't smash the metal causing the new bolt to fight a little going in). I install hanger and shackle torque down hanger. My existing shocks had disintegrated so I purchased 2 new cheapogasmatics . I finished installing those. cleaned up the frame a little sprayed a little black flat around. I had called around for a new bolt kit for the bed. No one had them but Ford could order them for $16 each x 6, no thanks, I figured out the size, and was able to get 4 of them from the hardware store and 2 i am going to order,the bolts i got where grade 8.8 metric I am not sure what the equivalent is in standard but I will probably get stronger ones later, 12m x 1.75 thread x 100mm (quantity 4) 12m x 1.75 tread x 120mm ( quantity 2 closest to the cab) I wire brushed the 2 old ones. I then proceed to place the bed back on the truck with the help of the not very strong females. I would get the drivers side closest to the cab bolt first because the gas tank impedes you from seeing the clip, I put grease in the 6 clips and dipped the old bolts in grease. I am going to remove the bed in the spring to do break lines and fuel filler hose. I tighten up the bolts connected the wire and installed the 3 7mm bolts for the fuel filler. For me I don't think i could have gotten this done with the bed on, maybe in hide sight knowing exactly how I could but it is much easier with the bed off and if you do this as maintenance maybe you could change your shocks and break-lines at the same time. I did not have the time to start with the brake lines i will do it in the spring. . so I suggest you do this as maintenance get organized order the parts and it will be much easier. Some tools that I can think of that I used. safety goggles, cheesy air tool set, large crowbar, various sockets and wrenches, liquid wrench,torque wrench that only goes to 80lbs, sawsall, dewault grinder and 4.5 inch wheel for metal, 1/2 inch breaker bar, BFH, SFH, RFH, cold punch, cold chisel, 1 jack stand, 1 floor jack, 1/2 drive torx 55, and some more I am sure I am missing