Heating the bolt is exactly what you don't want. If anything you want to heat the bushings and cool the bolt, so the bolt "shrinks" and the bushing and area around the bushing "expand".

I mean, I don't know what else to tell you, but soaking in mouse milk, kroil, but it sounds like your already doing that. You can't get rotation in either direction? Cause then You can rock it back and forth to try to help the soaking process. If not get out the cutting wheel.

 

I would go back and forth on them. Tighten and loosen it till it breaks free.

 

Get the nut off and hit them with an air hammer. Thats the only way I could get mine off. Took a while but they'll come eventually.

 

cant help on this one, i had no problem with mine

i used 2 wrenches and ALOT of elbow grease (got it on sale) and they broke free no prob

 

Well, I got ONE loose... Saw it had about a hair bit of turn to it, so I kept spraying it and turning it back and fourth. It's loose, but won't come out...... Well, it's out half way and I'm still working the rust out of the bushing enough to get it out.

And yeah, the nuts are off.. The bolts won't move at ALL. (3 of 4) If I can't get the rest to move I was thinking of cutting the shackles and maybe getting new bushings if they have em (check before you cut... lol)

But if I cut the bolts, what can I use as a replacement??? can I do that??!!! I'll cut em, I don't give a shit, just as long as I can get new bolts and get the old ones out of the damn bushings.

 

You can get bolts at any hardware store.

 

Welp, they don't have the bushings, so cutting anything isn't a good idea. If the bolt is seriously STUCK in there, then I'm really screwed.. But I think it's mostly the bit of threads around the sleeve. The nut section was fine..


Got one out.. :-\

 

I think I'm gonna cut the rest off and drill the bolts out of the holes..

 

Air hammer the sum bitches. Or get a bfh and hit the bolts not a mini mallet a 3 pounder or bigger. Throw a 3/4" impact on and the bolt is just a regular old bolt. Prolly metric like everything else. Or soak the bolts for a few days and keep hosing them down.

 

You will have a hard time drilling them out cause of the hardness level of them and will eat through drill bits.

 

Moz said something right! lol The bolts being hardend will be a bitch to drill out.

Now, as a last resort if you have tried everything...then cut both ends of the bolt so that the spring will come out. When it does you will need to undo the front as well. When you get the spring off, lay it on its side with a nice heavy block under it supporting both sides of the spring. hammer that bitch out then...No way in hell will it stay in there with support on both sides like that...A nice hammer, and of course some kind of metal punch, like a bolt that you dont need, and she will fall out asap. Sucks cause you have to take the whole damn thing down. BUT she will come out. Works so much better when you can brace the side your not hitting allowing the hammer to tranfer MUCH more of its energy on the stuck bolt that just hanging free air on the truck.

Keep in mind, that the side your supporting on the block, MUST of course have a hole for the bolt to come out of..otherwise your just banging away for nothing.

 

^ I got good bits. They drilled fine, the angle is a problem tho. And the air hammer on the cut end would have been a bad idea because the mushroom would enlarge the bolt and REALLY wedge it in there. Got the pickle fork out too. Motha FAK YOU!!!

#2 is out.. (driver's side) Got the air hammer out and half of my DeWalt tool collection too. Heated it and kept spraying it. Just took some fenagling and some patience. Only swore a couple times.


I'm committed now. I cut the shackle to get in there.

 

Running out of blaster now... On a coffee break for a second..

 

ehh, plenty of shackles around. LOL glad you got it off. And yeah, even with good bits, the problem's still there. Once you try to drill the middle of the bolt, the bit will walk or slide over..and basically eat everything BUT the damn bolt you want it too!

 

^ Maybe that's why it took off up top after I got half way... I figured it would help to get some blaster between the bolt and sleeve..

And I figured this out. If the bolt will spin, get it to where you can wedge the pickle fork in there. Spin it over with the impact and pry it out with the fork. If it gets tight, let the bolt spin to help clean the crap out and loosen stuff up.

-=EDIT=-
Last one is half way out.. (Exhaust one)... Pain..

 

Keep up the hard work. It will pay off :thumbup:

 

Got it... Thanks guys...

I'll post pics when it's done 100%. Just gotta shuffle around the jack stands again to get this higher.

 

I've got spare shackles if you need em.

 

I also have a set of shackles if you decide to go back to stock at any point. My trick for removing the bolts is to have a friend spin the bolt with an impact gun or wrench then you hammer it on the other side while he's spinning it, I only had one hang up on me though.

REMEMBER to anti-seize them all when you put it back together, if you buy stainless replacement bolts Vaseline works better than anti-seize with stainless.

 

Stainless is nice but costs more lol but yes anti-sieze or oil the bolts before putting them back.

 

Don't need stainless, as long as the threads are good on the stock bolts, just wire brush them well, clean with some brake cleaner, and put some anti seize on the unthreaded part.

 

I anti-sieze the whole thing lol

 

Yeah I bet you anti seize the whole THING.

 

I have a set of bushings if you need em. $5 plus shipping.

 

If you go stainless, just remember the farther up the stainless chain you go the softer the stuff gets. Not always good for bolts that may be under impact load time to time.

 

Good point. ARP and a few others make stainless bolts with a strength equivalent to Grade 8which is suitable for suspension use. But I don't believe you will be able to find a high strength stainless bolt in the size you need. Stainless steel bolts typically have a rating equal to a Grade 2 or 5.