Leaf Spring eye bolt removal

[Fairlaniac]

You'd think after 40+ years of the same crappy design that someone would come up with a decent design (stainless) for leaf spring eye bolt and bushing sleeves. I used a sawzall to remove the eye bolt from my '66 Fairlane using over a dozen DeWalt blades, did a buddies '68 Mustang, a '95 F150 and now I need to replace the leaf springs on my '89 Ranger. Same deal again I'm replacing the rear hangers as well due to rust (fronts are still good for those who might recommend it). So all I'm trying to do is remove the front eye bolts as the rears are off. I had the option of completely destroying the rear hangers with an air chisel but I still have the fronts not budging from the sleeve. I cannot even get a gap between the hanger and spring to use a sawzall. I don't own a torch so are there any other obvious methods to use to remove the eye bolts? Having the parking brake bracket held in place by the LH spring eye bolts doesn't help matters either.

Thanks,

 

[adsm08]

Well, after reading all that, I think you may have reached the point where I start recommending high explosives.

Ask me again in the morning, after I get a chance to look over my own truck and ponder, just to be sure.

Pretty sure I'm still gonna say dynamite though.

 

[scotts90ranger]

10 pound sledge, after about 10 minutes I got my leaf spring bolts out with this method...

see if you can find some spring eye bolts with a grease zerk fitting in it, as long as it's maintained those work well...

 

[holyford86]

I've used a U joint press to push them out before, it takes a little time but it's been the least destructive method I've ever used. you may have to push them back and forth a couple of times, but usually after spraying them with penetrant before you push them back through they come out pretty easily.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

1) Dewalt sawzall blades are junk. Lenex are ok but don't like spring bolts for some reason. Milwalkee and Diablo blades are much better. I have a thick metal Diablo blade that I used to cut some 1/4" steel with a cordless sawzall. Cut like a hot knife through butter - I was impressed.

2) There is no real easy way to remove 'em. I've tried various methods. Sometimes pushing it back and forth (or trying to) with an air chisel or press works, sometimes you just waste time and get frustrated. Same thing goes for hammers.

3) A torch really isn't very useful here. You don't want to be heating up the spring because you can ruin the temper of the spring steel - causing it to break at a future inopportune time.

I usually buy new bolts and bushings then my tool of choice for most of the cutting is a 4.5" angle grinder with a new cutting disk. I try to get the bolt to come out on it's own, but if I'm wasting too much time, I fire up the grinder and go up between the hanger and the spring and whack the bolt off on both sides. Then I'll light up a torch and burn out the rubber bushing being careful to apply heat to the rubber bushing and not directly to the spring. Once the rubber gets burning good I'll leave it to it's own devices and stop using the torch. In a pinch I've used a lil portable plumbers propane torch, though it takes a bit more work. Then I put new bushings in with liberal amounts of grease and grease the heck out of a bolt too. I prefer using a sticky wheel bearing grease - and not the eco-friendly stuff they have out (water will wash the eco friendly stuff away - I use it for things like my ladder rack pins).

 

[snoopdoggie]

Cut off wheel on a grinder. Then spread the mount to get the spring down. Either a press or a heavy hammer will get the remaining bolt out of the bushing.
If you have an impact hammer you could try a punch on the bolt head. Try in one direction of rotation a little then try the other way.

 

[MountainMike]

I used a pickle fork to get the one bolt out of the hanger I kept on the '93.

 

[modelageek]

I use a good 1/4 drill bit. Drill random holes in the rubber bushing then just keep moving the bit around until all the rubber is gone. the middle metal guide will come out and then the outer metal will slide out. I took both of mine out in about 5 minutes.( after trying other methods for about 45 minutes) grease up the new ones and slide/pound them in....

 

[adsm08]

Cut it.

 

[ragajungle]

torch em!

When I did the leafs on both of my b2's I used a propane torch. Not hot enough to ruin leafs but enough to melt the bushing enough to push it out with a ball-joint press and a sacrificial deep well socket. When I installed the new energy suspension eye-bolt bushings I made sure to lube them up real good.

 

[pontiacfieroguy]

try crc freeze spray. the bleeder valve on my caliper was stuck and i mean real stuck. not even penetrating oil and careful aplication of heat would break her and i sprayed it with this stuff until it was covered in frost tapped on it a couple times and a minute later she was out. i dont know if it will get the bolt out for you but its worth a try

 

[doorgunner]

crc spray? That stuff ought to work good for shrinking a shaft diameter that needs a bearing pressed on it.


and on the seventh day god said let there be light, but there was none. so i turned on the switch and there was light and it was good.

So.....who made the light switch......Levitron, or God?

 

[xkotyx]

try a big vice. same method as pressing out a ujoint. same size socket on one end to push, and one slightly bigger on the other side to recieve. just a suggestion.

 

[MountainMike]

The alternative I had to do was this. Cut the bolt off just inside the hanger and once the spring is free of the truck use an air chisel with a pointed bit to shove the remaining bolt out the back. Or just cut of one side while it is still in the truck, weight off suspension of course, and do the same.

 

[gwaii]

when they are real stubborn(as they usually are)i first remove the nut.then cut the head off the bolt.now stack washers on the threaded end,leaving three threads exposed.put the nut back on,and tighten.this will pull the bolt(minus head)through the bushing.when you run out of threads,remove the nut and stack more washers.do this till you've pulled the bolt free.this always works as long as there is room on the nut end of the bolt to get it out.the only thing damaged will be the bolt.