Front Leaf Spring Bolt Broken

I broke the front bolt on the driver side leaf spring pack today. Part of the bolt is still sticking out, so I can't even remove the springs. My drill can't get a straight shot at it because of the pinch seam. The bolt is only sticking out 1/2" from what I can tell. Any ideas for getting it out? Here are my thoughts, feel free to correct, criticize, or shed light on a better way to get the bolt out of there.

1. Bend the outside metal piece of the spring hanger out enough to slide the spring pack out of the perch. Screw a nut onto the piece of the bolt that is sticking out, weld it in place, and crank it out. I don't have a welder so I'd have to find somebody with a welder willing to bring it out to where I live, and I've already spent a couple hours trying to bend that piece out enough, and it's moved a lot, but not enough to get the springs out.

2. Cut a hole from inside to access the inside of the frame rail. From there I could cut the nut off and have a new one welded in place. Problem with this is that if the nut were not welded in the exact right location, I'd have future problems getting the bolt in and out. It seems like it would be difficult to get it exactly right. Maybe tack weld it with the bolt in to get it lined up right and then finish it off with the bolt out. I'd then have to have something welded to fix the floor.

Those are the only 2 ways I can think of so far. Bolt extractors wouldn't work because of how stuck the bolt is. If I drill it out, I'll have to re-tap it, and then the bolt would be a different size and wouldn't fit through the standard spring bushings. Anyway to do this without a welder? Any ideas. TIA.

I had a similar problem on my Toyota when lifting it, and ended up having to cut the bolt with a hacksaw to fit it out. The gas tank was in the way on that, if I recall. It's not a pretty way to go, but that might give you enough room to get teh remainder out. You'll have to look at the situation and decide whether that will help or not though

Check out the thread in the OEM section labelled "Ideas for spring bolt". Perhaps the idea of cutting through the spring would work if your replacing the springs. I'm trying to figure this out prior to running into the same situation you find yourself in and as usual everyone has been helpful.

I went through the same thing last week. I used the spring as a lever and pulled outwards from the vehicle enough to get a sawzall in between the spring bushing and the nut area and cut the rest of the bolt off, which then released the entire spring pack. Then I ground the nub flat and drilled it out with a 15/32 bit and chased the threads with a M14x2 tap. Just do your best to drill on center.

I'd try option 1. As mentioned, if you're replacing the spring just cut the leaf itself.

Maybe you can pull the leaf pack away enough that you can cut it to make the broken bolt shorter but still have enough left to weld a nut onto and turn out.

Option 1 is my choice too, just trying to figure out where to get a friend with a welder I'm not replacing the spring pack so cutting that isn't an option. I already tried to pull it out enough to cut it off but leave some to still weld to, but my angle grinder doesn't reach, and I don't have a sawzall. And did I mention I'm broke. Oh well, I won't be able to get to it again until tomorrow morning or Saturday.

what about using a file and trying to make a hex head out of it??? and then fitting a socket over it and voila
The trick would be to choose a size that would not mean that you have to file your life away and that it would not leave you with something that'd round of easy...

You'd probably would want to use a hand file as not to damage the hanger, and make sure it's a NICE TIGHT FIT between the socket and newly fabbed hex head...

Kejtar

Well, the saga continues. I got the spring pack off using the springs as leverage, so I can see the bolt now. There's probably an inch sticking out, but the nut on the other side is broken off already, so it is all loose, but I can't get it out. I noticed that there is a little pocket slightly outside of the frame where the nut is welded. Would it be better to go through the floor inside the Jeep to access it and weld on a new nut, or just cut that pocket off and weld it back on?

Try drilling a couple of holes in the out side of the pocket and rosette weld the nut back whee it goes. Then weld a nut to the end of the broken bolt and turn it off with a wrench. Get some good penetrating oil like PB Blaster or TKX.

HTH Dan