frozen spring bolt

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bigo

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Broomfield Colorado

• Dec 2, 2004

• #1

I have a rear spring with the front bolt frozen into the spring bushing.
It is really hard to install my lift when I can't get the bolt out.
Does anybody know how to get it out without tearing up the spring perch
or spring? Any help would be appreciated.
Big O

 

J

jeepinxj05

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Starkville, Mississippi

• Dec 3, 2004

• #2

Heat? PB Blaster (real good penetrating oil)? Whatever you do, don't force it because the bolt goes into nut that is welded inside the frame rail and you don't want to break these welds. BELIEVE ME!!

 

B

bigo

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Broomfield Colorado

• Dec 3, 2004

• #3

I already turned it. It broke the metal sleeve loose from the rubber and
started to come out. BUT, because it is still inside the spring, it can't
go thru the hole and started to bend the spring perch. HELP!!!
Big O

 

B

BskisXJ

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Baltimore, MD

• Dec 3, 2004

• #4

Had the same problem. Tried a sawzall to no avail, would of taken a week.
The way I got them out was to use a 4 1/2 angle grinder. We actually used a 6 inch wheel in the grinder and bend the spring mount out just enough to get the wheel in. Cut them off, end of story.

 

Last edited: Dec 3, 2004

R

robs

NAXJA Forum User

• Dec 3, 2004

• #5

Cheater bar.. just snap that sucka....

 

X

xjrrrdx

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Denver

• Dec 3, 2004

• #6

A sawzawll wont touch the bolt, I ate two blades like that, however a dremel cut it in half in under 5 mins. I was amazed.

 

XJ_ranger

NAXJA Member

NAXJA Member

Location

Port Orchard, WA

• Dec 3, 2004

• #7

if your getting full spring packs, then cut the leaves apart if you need to... Blue Wrench....

 

F

Flyfisher

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Billings, Montana

• Dec 3, 2004

• #8

Whew...I'm glad I wasn't the only one to have trouble with that "evil bold" (name my son gave it when we did my lift). I ended up with PB Blaster...let it soak overnight. Then, when cheater-bar didn't work, I moved bold a little at a time using a floor jack on the end of the wrench. Thank goodness for Craftsman quality! It took forever, but I got both bolts out without damage...and didn't have to use any cutting tools. This was on an '89...so it had been on there a while!

 

B

bigo

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Broomfield Colorado

• Dec 3, 2004

• #9

Thanks guys for the info. I think I am going to try soaking the bolt with penatrating oil for aq week and see if that will do it. If not, a have an angle
grinder that will get to it.
Thanks again
Big O

 

S

ScottRoz

NAXJA Forum User

• Dec 3, 2004

• #10

Once you cut the bolt out and get the spring pack out, you will still have the stub of the bolt and nut left inside. When this happened to me, I cut out the bottom of the pocket the nut sits in. I then made a trapezoidal piece to fit up behind what was left of the pocket and drilled a hole in it, and welded a new nut on the back. That piece then got welded to the Jeep.
It has been fine for the past 5 or 6 years.
A friend did the welding, but I soon bought my own welder after this incident.
It's not a good project for a beginner welder though... since you obviously don't want the welds to fail.

 

9

90KrawlerXJ

NAXJA Member #1067

Location

Shreveport,LA

• Dec 4, 2004

• #11

on my 89 I had to break out the gas axe to torch the head off the bolt and then melt the rubber enough to weasel the spring out. A WORD OF CAUTION: THIS IS VERY NEAR THE GAS TANK. KEEP AT LEAST ONE FULLY CHARGED EXTINGUISHER IN ARMS REACH. Also, to keep the interior carpet from melting; thoroughly soak the floor boards with water. It is easily removed with a shopvac. Just be thorough with the vac and leave the doors open for a day to dry out the remaining moisture.