• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Front leave bolt siezed to sleeve

4x4JeePmaNthINg

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
Currently trying to replace my leaf springs. The front bolt is coming out but it's seized to the sleeve and pushing the bracket open. Got a friend running over a propane torch soon, what else can I do?
 
last time that happened to me, i used a cut off wheel, cut the head of the bolt from the inside of the bracket, then cut the threaded end at the inside of the bracket. make sure you have the bolt turning before cutting the threaded end to make threading the rest of the way easier, i got mine all the way out and just used a bfh to straighten the bracket back out. dealership should be able to get new bolts for you if you dont have them.
 
Threaded end broke but has threads sticking out so that's good. Guess I'll cut the inner bolt head side.

I still have one more side I haven't even tried yet. Should a torch be last resort
 
No a torch can help the metal to expand and break stuff lose, arguably a better option before you spend time hacking things up.



That's what I did. My only issue was the carpet was starting to melt. I just poured water on the floor and it stopped melting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
if you can get a good grip with a vice grip you can try to heat up the frame side, i usually get it pretty cherry red, or if you can weld a big nut to the end of it. i have never had to take one out of that spot before, but have tried both with good results elsewhere.
 
I've battled this a few times .. I usually melt the bushing with the torch enough to reach the sleeve with an air chisel.. between the chisel , wd40 and some vice grips I have never had to cut the bolts .. this way is very messy though .. also helps if the rest of the spring is free to be able to work it side to side .
 
sawzall works great with a good metal cutting blade, I use the 24 TPI DeWalt, they cut the bolt no problem

what you do after that can be tricky. If you got the bolt to turn in the weld nut already then you might be able to notch the nub and turn it out with a screwdriver. Otherwise you may have to weld a nut to the nub and turn out with a wrench. Worst case drill through the nub. I have done them all.

Make sure you get new bolts first. I got some LCA bolts from a WJ at the junkyard, nearly identical
 
ehall,

i had the bolt moving little by little with a breaker bar when i started, but still consistent movement with some grit.
The leaf sleeve was so rusted to the bolt that it started backing out the bolt and spreading the bracket. I tried a torch to free it up, no luck. The bolt ended up breaking and leaving 1/2" thread sticking out of the rail leaf side. I cut the bolt head leaf side of the bracket, spring is out, remainder body side threads are stuck.

{[ -]>-
{bolt head
[ bracket
>nut
-- bolt

I can try notching a line for a screwdriver with a dremel for screwdriver to be used sideways like a breaker bar, my biggest concern now is removing too much material for other options of getting it out.

I dont have welding ability unless someone comes with a truck or something. apartment garage does not have 220v.

Im considering grinding a vertical notch on the rear side vertical bend of the nut bracket to allow sawzall access to the nut/bolt. ( only place it will fit) [ ] -[l ]>- l= grind a slot.
Is the body bracket threaded before the nut as well?


otherwise how do i put the old spring on and limp the jeep to a shop.
 
Last edited:
I don't see any comments about your use of any kind of penetrating lubricant on this. Have you done anything like that?

Kroil is my first choice, and that well in advance of working on the parts. Hit both sides tonight and let it set until tomorrow. If you don't have Kroil then use 50/50 acetone and ATF.

The next step is heat. Yes, keep a bucket of water and a fire extinguisher handy. The penetrant will burn, but it will burn off pretty quickly too.

I trick that I have not tried myself but have heard people swear by is to heat things up and then melt a candle on the hot metal. Even a candle from a birthday cake will do. I would be inclined to try this on your broken stub of a bolt.

After you have applied penetrant and heat and a candle then see if you can't get that thing to move with vise grips.

1/2" worth of stub probably isn't enough for a pipe wrench, but perhaps if you could get your hands on a fairly small one it might be able to get a clean bite on the bolt. Add a little leverage and see if that doesn't get it moving. The nice thing about a pipe wrench is that it tightens its grip as you apply pressure. If you can get a bite it could be the ticket to success.

Another tool that tightens its grip as you apply pressure is a set of Knipex channel locks:

https://www.amazon.com/Knipex-87013...rd_wg=Gmpt5&psc=1&refRID=GM7237VVXFJYP91Y64KB

I have seen those at Lowe's, so you might be able to source them locally. They are very well designed and might have a better chance of getting a bite than a pipe wrench. On the down side, they depend a bit more on the strength of your grip and you can't really add any leverage to them. However, once they do bite they really bite in with additional pressure.

If none of that works then I think you are looking for a local welder. I would not try grinding any of the stub away. You are going to need all of it you can keep.

Another detail, if you do manage to get it moving do not try to unscrew it straight out. Get it to back out 1/8 of a turn and then turn it back in 1/8 of a turn. Then get it to back out 1/4 turn and then turn it back in 1/8 of a turn. Then get it to back out 1/2 turn and then turn it back in 1/4 turn. Continue with that pattern. Treat it as if you were cutting new threads. You have a bunch of rust in there and no flutes in which to clear it out. Take your time letting those threads try to clear themselves as you work it out.
 
BTDT, wore out the T-Shirt.

Does your "garage" have 110V?
 
I just cut the springs or shackles off the bolts, its messy, and smelly, but it works.

But since you've already cut the bolt, you can always drill the frame rail for an access hole, and punch the bolt and nut through and either got to a loose bolt and nut configuration or tack another weld nut on.
 
I don't see any comments about your use of any kind of penetrating lubricant on this. Have you done anything like that?

Kroil is my first choice, and that well in advance of working on the parts. Hit both sides tonight and let it set until tomorrow. If you don't have Kroil then use 50/50 acetone and ATF.

The next step is heat. Yes, keep a bucket of water and a fire extinguisher handy. The penetrant will burn, but it will burn off pretty quickly too.

I trick that I have not tried myself but have heard people swear by is to heat things up and then melt a candle on the hot metal. Even a candle from a birthday cake will do. I would be inclined to try this on your broken stub of a bolt.

After you have applied penetrant and heat and a candle then see if you can't get that thing to move with vise grips.

1/2" worth of stub probably isn't enough for a pipe wrench, but perhaps if you could get your hands on a fairly small one it might be able to get a clean bite on the bolt. Add a little leverage and see if that doesn't get it moving. The nice thing about a pipe wrench is that it tightens its grip as you apply pressure. If you can get a bite it could be the ticket to success.

Another tool that tightens its grip as you apply pressure is a set of Knipex channel locks:

https://www.amazon.com/Knipex-87013...rd_wg=Gmpt5&psc=1&refRID=GM7237VVXFJYP91Y64KB

I have seen those at Lowe's, so you might be able to source them locally. They are very well designed and might have a better chance of getting a bite than a pipe wrench. On the down side, they depend a bit more on the strength of your grip and you can't really add any leverage to them. However, once they do bite they really bite in with additional pressure.

If none of that works then I think you are looking for a local welder. I would not try grinding any of the stub away. You are going to need all of it you can keep.

Another detail, if you do manage to get it moving do not try to unscrew it straight out. Get it to back out 1/8 of a turn and then turn it back in 1/8 of a turn. Then get it to back out 1/4 turn and then turn it back in 1/8 of a turn. Then get it to back out 1/2 turn and then turn it back in 1/4 turn. Continue with that pattern. Treat it as if you were cutting new threads. You have a bunch of rust in there and no flutes in which to clear it out. Take your time letting those threads try to clear themselves as you work it out.



and while you are doing all of this, especially the last bolded part, keep putting more penetrating fluid on it to help keep it moving.


I can attest that the candle wax trick does work.......
 
might be able to turn it with bolt extractors

024721016126.jpg
 
Back
Top