HELP!! Broke a bolt lifting the explorer...

[predator]

so i was trying to install some lift coils in my explorer the other day and i twisted off the nut/stud that comes up through the axle through the bottom of the coil spring, i got replacements from ford but my question is how much of the axle do i have to take apart to replace that stud?? do i have to pull the axleshafts? where do i start and any tips on what NOT to do? thanks for the help!

 

[Downey]

so you broke the bolt that holds the radius arms on and the bottom of the coil?

 

[predator]

yup, that would be the one...i even soaked all the bolts in pb blaster for a week before i even started on the project ( i live in the rust belt, i buy pb blaster in bulk) so that i wouldnt have this problem...oh well im here now and i have to get it back on the road again...

 

[Downey]

you can buy them right from ford

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

The axle shaft has to come out, then you will need to heat it up to break the loctight. The you will need to go in through the end of the axle beam to back the bolt out.

 

[predator]

did you read my first post?? I HAVE THE REPLACEMENTS, my question was, how far do i have to take the axle apart to replace the bolts? i have done damn near everything automotive but i have never torn into a ttb system before, do i just pull the hubs and axleshafts and boom im done? or is there more to it??

edit-ah, thanks sasquatch, do the axleshafts just slide out or are they held in somehow? i dont need to get into the pumpkin do i??

 

[4x4junkie]

The axles will slide right out (well, the driverside shaft anyway... the passengerside shaft can still be separated at the axle slip-joint though)

 

[predator]

The axles will slide right out (well, the driverside shaft anyway... the passengerside shaft can still be separated at the axle slip-joint though)

cool, thanks for the help guys, i will post pics when i get the lift and paint job done...i really have transformed the explorer

 

[predator]

how do i seperate the passenger side axleshaft? i broke the stud on that side so i have to do this one first, anyways, i have the boot out of the way, but for the life of me i can not get the axle to seperate...how is this usually done? i do believe that this is the first time it is being done on this vehicle....

 

[Boggin]

i just beat mine with a hammer pretty lightly for a bit then it slid out

 

[predator]

i just beat mine with a hammer pretty lightly for a bit then it slid out

i have been rapping on it with the one pound ball peen quite a bit and it hasnt even budged at all.....it is in there SOLID, i even had the heat gun on it and sprayed with pb blaster for the past 2 days...do i dare take the torch to it???

i mean to heat it up, not cut it...just in case anyone was wondering

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Sounds like the spline is seized to itself. It should slip in and out freely. Heating it up will help, not too much heat tho.

 

[Will]

I'd be looking for another axle beam. Getting that stud out is going to be impossible if you'be managed to bust the hex part off. That is a rusty some-bich. If you use 4wd it's going to bust something and you'll blame the TTB. Both sides need to come apart and it needs service from hub to hub.

 

[Will]

Also, is the spindle off that side? Do you have a book of some type?

 

[predator]

I'd be looking for another axle beam. Getting that stud out is going to be impossible if you'be managed to bust the hex part off. That is a rusty some-bich. If you use 4wd it's going to bust something and you'll blame the TTB. Both sides need to come apart and it needs service from hub to hub.

i live in the rust belt, all the axle beams will be like this, i have a torch and i have cut bigger nastier shit than this, it is just a grade 8 stud, now that i got the axleshafts pulled it will be easier, but the bottom studs are rusted solid, gotta find a way to precisely torch the bottom studs and replace them, lenthen the radius arms as well.

that and you cant just buy an axle beam from a junkyard up here, they will make you take the whole thing, and yards up here charge 450 bucks for a 7.5 with 3.45's, 800 for a 8.8 with discs, 500 for a complete d35 setup...it was 20 bucks for the replacement stud, not really much of a decision needed to be made there

i have a haynes,chilton and shop manuel for every vehicle i have ever owned or worked on....having a place of reference in the shop is just as important as the big red roll-around, air compresser, welder and torch...