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New leaf springs

Well after spending 4 months, including the Harvey flood interuptions, we finally got the rear leaf spring 100% off our spare 87, then the rear bolt, it was a true die hard, then the outer steel bushing part, then rubber, and now after 3 weeks of using a torch, a BFH and chisel, and a massive electric industrial nut buster impact wrench, and finally a new air hammer chisel I bought this week, we finally got the inner steel sleeve on the front bolt loose enough to spin, LOL.

Now just need that massive industrial electric Impact back on loan (mt new air powered 600 ft-lbs tool just gets laughed at still).

But repeated heat on the nut, and water soaks to chill it, and then pen lube, and then the impact should finally get it loose now. May need to hit the sleeve one more time with the Dremel tool/diamond mini wheel to cut the sleeve open closer the rear nut to better access for heating and pen-lubing, as we were not able to open up and remove the sleeve, just able to detach/un-glue it from the die hard bolt.

Long story short, I see daylight on this endless one afternoon repair nightmare LOL.
 
Ooo-K,

Now what?

As I mentioned in my last post, at the last minute the front captured nut weld broke, nut came loose. We cut a hole, and got it out.

It was well rusted. But what concerns me now is the OEM welded nut has a tube nipple (best description I can think of?) on the face that gets welded, that went inside the frame hole facing the spring bushing.

Probably used to hold and locate the nut perfectly for welding. The bolt went through that sleeve/tube. The old nut has bad threads now (too much rust and damage....

But I do not think the new OEM or after market flange nuts have that nipple. With out it, there may be some slop and alignment lost as the where the nut locks down since I was not planning to weld the new one, even if I did weld it, hoe do I locate/center it. The tube wall x2 is about .20 to .25" thick (.125" per side?). I am also concerned about wall thickness (rust and loss of any metal on the hanger when the weld broke, and left over weld burs around the hole??

My knee is out again, so I have not been able to get down there with a flash light or scope to inspect it for my self, yet. And my helper that cut the hole to access the nut and got the nut out is blind in one eye and can't see out the other, LOL (He needs new glasses..).

So I am wondering what others found and did when they replaced the nut??? What nut did you use? What did you do about the oversized hole the bolt goes into? What did you do about any repairs or beefing up the plate/face area the nuts rests on????
 
Just buy them with bushings installed.

That is the easy part!!!

The hard part, almost impossible part is getting the old bolts out!!! :shiver:

All the old bolts, not just the leaf spring ends.

Hand grenades do not work. :dunno:

I've been working on one leaf spring removal since Before Hurricane Harvey.

The trick is shopping for the meanest impact wrench you can find, and grinder-cutting blade tool(s), cold chisel, safety glasses, and a case of PB Blaster LOL

Oh, a 5 foot 1-1/4" ID cheater pipe, hydraulic lift, and a 3/4" breaker bar with 3/4" impact sockets.

And a TORCH!!!!!

I spent more on Tools than I did the leaf spring, LOL.
That's the case with one of my xj's... And if course it's the one ill be fully restoring to brand new in and out in a few years... after 300k of Rhode Island and Connecticut weather I can't even change the power steering pump. Started to try to turn them... well... half of the long bolt would turn... the other half stayed put! I feel your pain

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
Ecomike,

I have been there and done that.

Where did you cut the hole to get the nut out? In my case, I did not cut under the unibody like most do. I cut the floor above the nut. My XJ was relatively rust free where the nut fit so it was easy to mig weld. Having the nut with the nipple made it easy to locate it in the original position. It was an easy fix for me,...thread the bolt in, tighten it using a wrench on the nut and a socket on the bolt head then weld it in place.

If inside the chassis is rusted, you may need to add a reinforcement plate inside not outside and weld the/a nut to it. With the two locating holes through which the bolt passes should locate the springs reasonably accurate so as not to negatively affect proper alignment and handling. I think the three rubber bushings that locate the springs together could account for say up to 0.250" of misalignment or more, :eyes: verses the 0.125" off the nut will be. I would call it perfect.

If that capture nut have broken free inside the chassis, there may be no other option than to weld it back in place.
 
We cut the hole into the bottom of the hanger plate itself, directly under the nut, not into the frame. That was easy.

I need to clean up the mess left behind and see what I have. Get it clean, smooth, clean and flat with a Dremel tool.

The threads on the nut were mauled getting the bolt out. It is not reusable. I doubt I can find the OEM nut new with the nipple ????

I tried to find some nuts locally today and failed to score any. Going to order 2 online.

I do not plan to weld the new nut. The rear nuts are not welded from the factory, so I see no need to weld the front one. I do need to make sure it has a solid meaty
flat surface with enough surface and meat under it to hold up.
 
2394Vs2


These look pretty FLAT to me.
 
Nah, they are just up side down, LOL
 
Front spring bolt on passenger side OUT! Now lets go for the one in back.......

FYI, a breaker bar with a 2x4 on a hydraulic jack pushing up broke it loose in about 10 minuets. (thanks Bleepin Jeep)
 
So, the bolt that's holding the shackle on has a nut I need to put a wrench on?? I can't see it because of the hitch.

Or, is it like the front spring bolt?

I'm turning it slowly but it doesn't seem to be coming out.
 
I left the upper shackle bolt alone because of the hitch being in the way.

I would scrap the bolt in the photo, especially if you plan to reuse the welded nut as its threads probably look worse based on what I found on mine.

Congrats on getting lucky I used a 3/4" breaker bar and a 6 foot longer cheater pipe and a 2 ton floor jack 6 foot from the bolt, and used the jack to push on one end and the jeep weight on the other (bolt attached to the jeep) and nearly bent the 3/4" thick breaker bar. In that case resistance by the bolt was not futile. It took "Fire and Fury" and about 1/2 hour with about a 2000 ft=lb impact to get it out, after days of grinding tours to get everything cut off the bolt so I could torch the bolt for 30 minutes net time.
 
I left the upper shackle bolt alone because of the hitch being in the way.

I would scrap the bolt in the photo, especially if you plan to reuse the welded nut as its threads probably look worse based on what I found on mine.

Congrats on getting lucky I used a 3/4" breaker bar and a 6 foot longer cheater pipe and a 2 ton floor jack 6 foot from the bolt, and used the jack to push on one end and the jeep weight on the other (bolt attached to the jeep) and nearly bent the 3/4" thick breaker bar. In that case resistance by the bolt was not futile. It took "Fire and Fury" and about 1/2 hour with about a 2000 ft=lb impact to get it out, after days of grinding tours to get everything cut off the bolt so I could torch the bolt for 30 minutes net time.


I would leave the shackles alone but they are in bad shape. So, the hitch is hiding a nut?

Yea, I did feel lucky until I started bleeding the brakes and broke the FIRST bleeder on the right rear wheel. Can't get the drums off either.

Dang, that's a LOT of leverage................ I'll bet you were pissed........
 
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