HELP!!!!! Spring troubles!!!

[erhild]

Ok, getting started on my lift and I got the springs off the front of my YJ except the rear bolt on the driver's side... Seems to have rusted itself to the steel sleeve inside the rubber bushing... I have the nut off, but I broke a socket trying to break the bolt loose with an impact wrench, my BFH didn't do anything, and heat from my propane torch just made the rubber melt a little...

I am thinking about trying to press it out with my HiLift jack, but i don't wanna break that too... I am also considering buying an electric cutoff wheel and slicing the eye of the spring in half, then the bolt and sleeve (once the spring is outta the way)...

Anyone got any other suggestions???

 

[olyeller]

if it were mine, i'd torch it, since the springs are being replaced anyway. you could cut the old spring off and then burn away the rubber bushings and cut out the bolt and steel bushing.

i put new spring bushings in my cj and i can tell you that when a bolt siezes inside a bushing, it can be hell to remove.

you may want to try pb blaster before taking out the smoke wrench.

 

[erhild]

LOL... Smoke wrench... That's funny...

 

[BakedAlaskan]

Do you have access to a air hammer?? Cut the bolt with a grinder. Then simply stick the flat blade of the hammer on the bushing where the spring wraps back to it self. hammer it straight through the spring eyelette. You'll cut the outer bushing sleeve in half and will push right through.

Torching it will smoke you and the Neighbors out. Ain't worth it IMHO.

 

[Snitty]

we had the same problem... we simply cut the bolt off at the mount, then bent the mount out... thenthe spring dropped out... then pounded the mount back straight

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Don't cut that spring, you can get $50 to $100 for a used set, depending on the area. Cut the bolt ends with an angle grinder, then bend open the spring hanger enough that the spring can fall out.

 

[erhild]

Ok, Thanx for the replys...

I went out and bought a Air compressor and air hammer last night... After pounding on it a bit, I went deaf and didn't move the thing a millimeter... Sooo, tonight I am getting the cutoff wheel thingy and going to work...

Thanx for the help guys... Knew I could count on you...

 

[erhild]

Ok, Here is what I did...

I whacked off the end of the bolt at the "ear"...
Then, I cut most of the way thru the bolt between the ear and the spring...
I pried the inner ear out enough to clear the end of the freshly shortened bolt...
Then, I air hammered/chiseled the remaining portion of the bolt off...

CLANG!!!

CHEER!!!

BEER!!!

Thanx for the help and advice...

 

[Tug-n-pull]

If it is any comfort at all the removal of the old is the hardes part to the lift. Good luck in the completion of this project. Tug

 

[Snitty]

glad we could help