Shock lower retainer nut is stuck!!! Need HELP!!!

[jthomas194]

Spring lower retainer nut is stuck!!! Need HELP!!!

I was recently changing my shocks on my 1992 ext. 4.0l ranger and i snapped the stud that holds the shock to my radius arm on the driver's side.... so now i need to replace the radius arm... Heres the problem.... the 1 1/8" nut that holds the spring onto the axle and radius arm is freaking stuck.... in a serious way.... i have soaked it with PB blaster, hit it with a torch, and vibrated it with a hammer for the past few days... I have also broken many various socket bits/extensions/cheap breaker bars (got a sears one now) trying to loosen it. Right now i have a good setup of extensions and a nice cheater bar that i can apply as many foot-lbs of pressure i want without slipping off the nut.... problem still is that it won't budge.... do i have to play the waiting game with the pb blaster and heat.... has anyone had to wait weeks before a nut came loose.... i live in indiana... so u know... "rust belt"... any ideas?

 

[bsmithbyitch]

the bow torch wouldn't cut it off?........i know a trick you can do with a 4 way but i doubt you could fit it in there.

 

[94rangersplash]

just take the torch and cut the nut off or the best thing to do is just weld another shock stud on the arm that wolud be alot less work

 

[super91]

Just a thought...
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Fall2003/Broken_Lower_shock_mount_on_Radius_Arms.htm

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

this is way easier than you are making it, go to the parts store and pick up this part
https://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-...=&start=&vfrom=&prev=&vnext=&category_list=:0
discard the bushings, get the appropriate size drill bit and drill a hole through the radius arm where the stud used to be. the builtin shoulder will space the shock body far enough away that it wont run the radius arm and besides drilling the hole its a bolt on affair. ive used this on all of my rangers because the broken stud is a common problem. if you are set on replacing the arm you will need to get that nut red hot and use the breaker bar set up you have. to make things easier i drill a hole in the plastic fender liner so that i can run my extensions into my engine bay so i dont have to keep lifting the socket off the nut, wasting time while the nut is cooling off. hope you find this helpful

 

[pocket-rocket]

I had this happen to me in the passenger side. 8 months later it's still working fine without a problem.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49181

Just a thought...
http://www.therangerstation.com/Maga...adius_Arms.htm

Pretty much exactly what I did for mine.

 

[Kona]

When mine broke it was was on a jack supporting the truck!

 

[jthomas194]

kona... that would suck... hope you weren't under the truck at the time Anyways... I like the idea of knocking the stud out and replacing it with a grade 8 bolt and securing it from the other side with an appropriate nut. ForOffRoadDriving, thanks for the ideas about getting the spring nut off.... I was having a hell of a time trying to hurry and set everything back up after getting that nut hot This is some great advice... I'm obviously a novice about this stuff, but willing to bust some knuckles to learn... Thanks again.. i'll let you know how it turns out.....

 

[pocket-rocket]

When mine broke it was was on a jack supporting the truck!

Wow, that would really suck. I tend to stick my stands under the frame.

 

[jthomas194]

well, i knocked the stud off with a hammer and theres a perfect hole now to put a new stud... i'll probably grab a stud kit tomorrow and install the new one... thanks for the link as well pocketrocket

 

[jthomas194]

just wanted to update.... got the new studs installed with new shocks... now for the rear shocks.... thanks again for the info