stuck leaf spring bolts

600dollarxj · Jan 4, 2008

I know its a common topic but all of my searches came up with 35 pages of threads and I couldn't find what I wanted...

So my front leaf spring bolts are stuck, and I was looking for some picture tutorials of bolt removal. I was going to cut the spring, cut the bolt (leaving enough to grab with vice grips), and heat near the threaded end with a torch.

88manche · Jan 4, 2008

Just spray some PB blaster - you can get it at most puto parts stores - around the thredded end, and what i did - mines an '85 - was take a star tire iron, the one with four sizes, take the correct size, and pull up onone side, push down on the other. it will take some muscle. alot of it. i belive the bolt head is a 13/16

pierceME311 · Jan 4, 2008

Mine was seized in the bushing so I cut the bolt on each side of the spring eye with a sawzall and used an EZ out to remove the stub left in the body. There's no real easy way out of this.

Jed · Jan 4, 2008

I pulled so hard on mine the weld broke loose on the nut inside the frame. You don't want this to happen to you!!! Pull the carpet up and spray the bold and nut with PB blaster. There is an access hole you can use to spray through. Work it back and forth to make sure the oil gets in there.
good luck!

Blaine B. · Jan 4, 2008

pierceME311 said:
Mine was seized in the bushing so I cut the bolt on each side of the spring eye with a sawzall and used an EZ out to remove the stub left in the body. There's no real easy way out of this.

Thats very probable. Like on mine, the bolts came out far enough to become unthreaded in the nuts, but wouldnt come out any further. Had to torch the leaf eyes apart.

XJ&CHZ4ME · Jan 4, 2008

I pulled mine out with my teeth.

Actually I used a good industrial penetrating "Kreep oil" and an impact that hits like a mofo. That along with a 4 ft. cheater bar got things going....and a case of Miller Lite...

Browncoat · Jan 25, 2013

For whomever reads this from now on, I may have the answer to stuck leaf spring bolts and bushings problem. I used PB Blaster every few days for three weeks, even to the point of taking the rear bumper off so I could shoot the top shackle nuts. The front main leaf eye bolts have a small hole in the body that you can at least spray them. Three weeks, still would not budge.

Then I tried Loctite Freeze & Release, which "ultrafreezes" the nut and bolt causing "microfractures that draw in the penetrant", according to their website. Not only did this break the nuts free, it also loosened the bushing sleeves around the bolts, so no bolt cutting for me!

I do not know if it was the PB or the Freeze & Release or the combination, but they are all off now!:guitar: It was about $17 a can and each bolt gets a 5 - 10 second blast, so it will not last long, but that was a whole lot cheaper than my time to cut a hole in the floor or frame rail and weld in nuts.

kastein · Jan 25, 2013

jeeps are cryogenic... they generate cries of frustration...

I haven't tried freeze and release yet, I guess I really should. The theory is solid... thermal stress breaks rust free whether you heat something up or cool the other thing down, it's just a matter of whether it's easier/safer to cool the inner part (and shrink it away from the outer part) or heat the outer part and expand it away from the inner part.

br1anstorm · Feb 18, 2013

I'm about to start wrestling with my Jeep's rear leaf springs. After 20 years and 150k miles, they're a bit saggy and need replacing (no need for comments about any part of the owner - or his wife - being in a similar condition!).

I've looked at the way in which the bolts at each end are secured into captive nuts which are completely enclosed inside a metal bracket or casing (more like a pocket) on the chassis frame rail. Who designed that?

Some other threads talk about cutting holes in the floor from above to get at the welded-in nut. But I've just seen Browncoat's comment above in which he says, " The front main leaf eye bolts have a small hole in the body that you can at least spray them." And I see that Jed also mentions, "There is an access hole you can use to spray through."

Where exactly is this hole? I'm guessing it (or they, as there must be one each side) might be somewhere under the rear seat. Can someone give me a clue on where to look - or even better, has anyone got a pic? I ripped out seats, carpets, underfelt and the whole interior about 3 years ago to check and rustproof the floorpan. I do remember various grommets and circular seals on the floorpan - but I hope I don't have to strip everything out again just to squirt stuff at those captive nuts! By the way we have similar stuff over here to Loctite 'Freeze and Release' - it's called 'Shock and Unlock' . Hope it works - but first I have to figure out how to get access in order to spray.

redmanusa · Feb 19, 2013

I tried heat and WD40,breaker bar and a cheater.The problem was the bushing was frozen to the bolt.Since I was replacing the springs anyway I opted to torch the leaf and sawzall the rubber and a little heat and breaker did the trick.BTW at 14 buck per bolt I was able to reuse them.Just wish the 2 seat bolts and shock bolts I snapped off were as tough as them. good luck

tbburg · Feb 19, 2013

If you haven't started the project yet and you're treating with PBBlaster or other penetrating oil , here's an idea I came up with:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1047750

Worked for me - Zero broken bolts, weld nuts, or stuck bolts in bushings,.. and they were badly corroded too.

Kingkong0192 · Feb 19, 2013

I find that Kroil works way better than PB Blaster for loosening rusted bolts.

redneck · Feb 19, 2013

X2 for Kroil and it smells great too!

Hypoid · Feb 19, 2013

br1anstorm said:
Some other threads talk about cutting holes in the floor from above to get at the welded-in nut. But I've just seen Browncoat's comment above in which he says, " The front main leaf eye bolts have a small hole in the body that you can at least spray them." And I see that Jed also mentions, "There is an access hole you can use to spray through."

Where exactly is this hole?

My '90 had a hole in the back side of the frame rail...I think. There is a hole for the bolt to protrude into the frame, it's just a spray and pray application. I would not worry the slightest about drilling a small hole in the bracket holding the captured nut.

When I helped a bud do his springs, we made a hole through the floor pan, above the nut, to put a wrench on it. We'll never make that mistake again!

br1anstorm · Feb 19, 2013

tbburg said:
If you haven't started the project yet and you're treating with PBBlaster or other penetrating oil , here's an idea I came up with:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1047750

Worked for me - Zero broken bolts, weld nuts, or stuck bolts in bushings,.. and they were badly corroded too.

What a neat and elegant trick! I think I'll try it. A lot easier than having to cut holes from above, or take an angle-grinder to the pocket if the weld-nut breaks loose.

And by the way, how amazingly clean is the underside of that Jeep in the pics! Was it sprayed or sandblasted? Mine has a thick layer of black rustproofing covering everything (which might prevent chassis corrosion, but can't stop bolts and nuts getting stuck solid....).

stuck leaf spring bolts

600dollarxj

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88manche

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pierceME311

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Jed

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Blaine B.

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XJ&CHZ4ME

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Browncoat

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kastein

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br1anstorm

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redmanusa

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tbburg

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Kingkong0192

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redneck

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Hypoid

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br1anstorm

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