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Leaf spring center bolt removal
https://auszookers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12284		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  lordfury007 [ Sat May 29, 2010 4:06 am ]
Post subject:  Leaf spring center bolt removal
Ok, Picture this:

Car towbar sitting on 3 tyres, both rear wheels off the ground. Right rear wheel removed, shock and shock mount removed, u-bolts removed. Axle supported by strap to chassis (don't have axle stands). Rear shackle unbolted at the eye to the leaf spring, leaf spring only attached at the front now.

Now there's a bolt with a circular top in the center of the leafs. When i try and undo the nut the whole thing spins, and i cant grip the top well enough to stop it. (the whole thing is soaked in wd40)

I've read you can heat it up, but the best i can do is a heatgun (don't have oxy sets or welder, so i think i need to cut the bolt off with an angle grinder and replace.

Any better method?

And replacement bolt just needs to be high tensile right?
Author:  5ierra [ Sat May 29, 2010 4:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
Vice grips? grinder? If they are that much of an issue don't put them back in :D haha
Author:  BlueSuzy [ Sat May 29, 2010 4:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
Vicegrips normally do it for me.

Last resort grind them off. You will need a gclamp or similar to clamp the springs back up again to get the bolt through again. Possibly..

Also, All bolts that i have seen for the location, are only soft. I have replaced with hightensile with ground down heads to suit diameter of hole in plate/diff. anyway. I have tried to undo some and they snap..
Author:  lordfury007 [ Sat May 29, 2010 4:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
5ierra wrote:
Vice grips? grinder? If they are that much of an issue don't put them back in :D haha


I need to get it out to get a leaf out...I'm pretty sure its holding the tension of all the leaf springs together at the moment, so i have to clamp it together, cut off the bolt, then remove the leaf, then replace the bolt, then can unclamp it and continue on putting it all back together
Author:  S13RR4 [ Sat May 29, 2010 4:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
when doing Choppy's we used vice grips on the top round bit and spanner on the nut, ended up just snapping them cause I'm mega strong and they were rusted together, and yeah replace them with high tensile.
Author:  S13RR4 [ Sat May 29, 2010 4:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
lordfury007 wrote:
5ierra wrote:
Vice grips? grinder? If they are that much of an issue don't put them back in :D haha


I need to get it out to get a leaf out...I'm pretty sure its holding the tension of all the leaf springs together at the moment, so i have to clamp it together, cut off the bolt, then remove the leaf, then replace the bolt, then can unclamp it and continue on putting it all back together



yes, this will probably be the way to go, definately replace it, its there for a reason,
Author:  BlueSuzy [ Sat May 29, 2010 4:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
S13RR4 wrote:
I'm mega strong


Image
Author:  S13RR4 [ Sat May 29, 2010 4:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
:lol:
Author:  royce [ Sat May 29, 2010 4:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
stop what you are doing, go get a couple of cheap F clamps and some small vice grips, clamp the spring pack together and put the vice grips on the round head of the pin and undo it

otherwise your gunna struggle to get it back together without 7 hands
Author:  lump_a_charcoal [ Sat May 29, 2010 5:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
Yeah, I agree. Keep the pack clamped together.

I can't remember how I got my pack back together previously, but it was a prick of a job!
Author:  pyrohamish [ Sat May 29, 2010 6:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
I gripped the bolt head in the vice and then undid it with a spanner.
Author:  lordfury007 [ Sat May 29, 2010 6:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
S13RR4 wrote:
lordfury007 wrote:
5ierra wrote:
Vice grips? grinder? If they are that much of an issue don't put them back in :D haha


I need to get it out to get a leaf out...I'm pretty sure its holding the tension of all the leaf springs together at the moment, so i have to clamp it together, cut off the bolt, then remove the leaf, then replace the bolt, then can unclamp it and continue on putting it all back together



yes, this will probably be the way to go, definately replace it, its there for a reason,


I've got some BM70 High Tensile Bolts, They're not the black high tensile bolts though. Not sure which grade i needed, and i couldn't get the black ones at short notice so i went with this grade.

I dont know what the bolt does, other than hold the leaf pack together when the shock mount plate isnt attached (ie, the leaf pack is sandwiched between the diff and the shock mount plate) I can see that reason being reason enough though, with the leafs being a pain to get back together once they spring out.
Author:  royce [ Sat May 29, 2010 6:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
ummm its kinda there to stop the diff sliding back and forward on the springs

between this and your vehicle support methods, quit while your ahead and get a better idea of what you are doing before doing it, nobody wants to see you have to type one handed
Author:  lump_a_charcoal [ Sat May 29, 2010 7:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
I snapped a pin in my old EH wagon when the diff lost a tooth, was a pretty nasty experience, which ended way better than what it should have.

Use good bolts.
Author:  lordfury007 [ Sat May 29, 2010 8:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
royce wrote:
ummm its kinda there to stop the diff sliding back and forward on the springs

between this and your vehicle support methods, quit while your ahead and get a better idea of what you are doing before doing it, nobody wants to see you have to type one handed


Thanks for your concern regarding my health, I know its not the ideal way of doing things (ie: car on tyres and straps holding diffs) but i've made sure the car is as stable as its going to be, and i test it every time before i go anywhere near it. The strap is more than strong enough to hold the diff and i've now got some G clamps to hold the springs.

I've never really been very good mechanically, but i'm getting there. I fully understand the concept of what i'm doing already, i'm not going to understand anything more without actually doing it (like i understand the entire concept of how an engine works, but i have no idea how to rebuild one). So, part of my plan of making it safer (both while i'm doing it, and also the safety of my car on the road) is asking questions (even stupid ones) to make sure everything is right. The amount i've learned from these forums over the last few weeks is incredible.

Again though, Thanks for your concern. Didn't really expect that but its nice to know people care :)
Author:  lump_a_charcoal [ Sat May 29, 2010 8:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
You have taken the springs right out haven't you?
Author:  royce [ Sat May 29, 2010 8:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaf spring center bolt removal
its totally possible to do this by jacking it up and sticking stands under the chassis and lifting the diff up one side at a time just enough to get at the center bolt without removing the springs, ive done it plenty of times :)

the less you disturb the less you have to worry about, but stands are pretty cheap :wink: and the clamps stop the rest of the leaves moving so the bolt drops back in

when you put the ubolts back in make sure you do the nuts up a little at a time so they pull in even and recheck then after a drive and after 1000km
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