How to remove 33 year old leaf Springs? Pics.

[Elkchaser1973wag]

Hit another road block with putting in my lift. Removing rear leaf springs.
Got the rear part ot the spring unbolted and the nut off the front of the spring. But can not get it to slide off the bolt. Any Ideas? Thanks.
I have tried the following:

-Days of BP Blaster.
-Heating the Bolt.
-Prying with a 5ft bar.
-O and Beat the *#&% out of it with a Big hammer.
http://img277.imageshack.us/img277/2845/p4300030333vv.jpg

[KaiserMan]

I've been there 6 times over. I ended up having to cut the spring on top of the eye wrap so the spring pack would fall off and expose the bushing. Then I had to chisel the bushing off.

I don't think it would be a good idea to heat the post. It's a hardend, so heat may weaken it.

[Gambler68]

I found when working on the Gladiator, that simply saying in a calm but firm voice "I'm selling you for parts and buying a Ford" always seemed to do the trick. :D

[Desert Beast]

try an air hammer.

or cut it off w/ a torch.

[Stuka]

I have almost always had to cut them off with a torche. Otherwise a puller will work the other times. Use a big 3-4 arm puller that is beefy. You may need to drill a tiny pilot divet in the center of the stud to keep the puller centered.

[Elkchaser1973wag]

Thanks guys for the input, I thought I might have to cut it off. Just was hoping maybe another trick. I will have my Uncle bring over his torch this week end. Thanks again. JR

[Stuka]

The best place to cut it is along the front edge of the curved part of the leaf. That way it basically cuts the eye in half, so the spring will just drop away.

[Dirtball]

Dang, this is making an SOA look more and more appealing... with one of Tad's shackle flipper thingies in the back, of course... he can be really persuasive... lololol

[tkiller13]

try heating the spring not the bolt. Burning the rubber bushing out might help also.

[waggin'ear]

Burning the rubber bushing out might help also.

That's what I had to do on one side. Of course it was the second side and we were already congratulating ourselves on how easy the shackle flip was going to be. It took like 3 days of beating etc to finish!

[tkiller13]

Thanks guys for the input, I thought I might have to cut it off. Just was hoping maybe another trick. I will have my Uncle bring over his torch this week end. Thanks again. JR
without torches are you using a little map gas torch?

[Stuka]

Dang, this is making an SOA look more and more appealing... with one of Tad's shackle flipper thingies in the back, of course... he can be really persuasive... lololol

Tad's kit only works for 76 and newer FSJ's, and they have an entirerly different spring setup.

[Tad]

Tad's kit only works for 76 and newer FSJ's, and they have an entirerly different spring setup.
SHHHH!!!
4 weeks and those folks are taken care of.

First off, do not torch that post, it's all you have right now.
You mess that up you have nothing.

Cut the spring, not the post (you have new springs so those are usless to you now).
Get a pipe wrench on it with a pipe handle for leverage.
Do not try to do to much.

I did mine with an air hammer after that, like many, I just had the sleeve and some rubber left (bushing seperated from sleeve).

Same strategy, back & forth, it will move, little by little.
If you screw up that post, it will be hard to find another.
Be patient.

[Stuka]

SHHHH!!!
4 weeks and those folks are taken care of.


woh woh woh... are you saying you have a shackle flip kit for post mount rigs?!

[Elkchaser1973wag]

SHHHH!!!
4 weeks and those folks are taken care of.

First off, do not torch that post, it's all you have right now.
You mess that up you have nothing.

Cut the spring, not the post (you have new springs so those are usless to you now).
Get a pipe wrench on it with a pipe handle for leverage.
Do not try to do to much.

I did mine with an air hammer after that, like many, I just had the sleeve and some rubber left (bushing seperated from sleeve).

Same strategy, back & forth, it will move, little by little.
If you screw up that post, it will be hard to find another.
Be patient.

Yes, I'll I had was a small map torch and tried burning out the rubber. I was thinking trying what Tad said about cut the spring so I can get a big pipe wrench on the eye of the spring and work ir back and forth. Was just nervous about cutting the spring because I might lose all my lever point and be screwed. But I guess at this point what do I have to lose. Thanks guys. I did try a air hammer between the spring and mount, no luck.

[Tad]

woh woh woh... are you saying you have a shackle flip kit for post mount rigs?!
Yep, but not for the 74-75 rigs.
You guys are are screwed :)

[Stuka]

Yep, but not for the 74-75 rigs.
You guys are are screwed :)

Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogley?!

(ok, this is just random text because the forum toldme my post was too short :rolleyes: )

[Stu]

I've had that problem before just like everybody else. Fortunately for me i was able to cut the bolt out and replace it. If you can get the spring off, and either shred or burn off the rubber portion of the bushing, heating the cr@p out of the metal portion of the bushing with your torch should get it to break free. Mine were rusted in place (may still be around here somewhere) but rust doesn't expand like steel when it's heated. It usually just brakes. Hot tip for you though, don't put your hand between your spring and your axle when doing a SOA....it hurts. The medical bills hurt too

[Desert Beast]

or you could just cut off the whole shebang, and either inboard the springs, or make normal spring mounts for the rear mount.

60 bones for hangars and some fab time and your set.

[Stuka]

The stock hangers are quite difficult to remove. They are riveted and welded through the frame (the post goes all the way through)

[Tad]

Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogley?!

(ok, this is just random text because the forum toldme my post was too short :rolleyes: )
:D
GOTCHA!!

[pb]

To get mine off, I sprayed with PB blaster for awhile, then used a prybar behind the spring while I banged on the spring eye with a hammer. It seemed to move a little with each blow while I had constant pressure on it from the prybar. IIRC I hit the spring in/on once or twice to break it loose, then worked on prying it off.

[rustywagoneers_com]

or you could just cut off the whole shebang, and either inboard the springs, or make normal spring mounts for the rear mount.

60 bones for hangars and some fab time and your set.

yup
especially for the 74-75 units which are (per tad) screwed :)

and if you are inboarding, you dont absolutely HAVE to get all the old post parts off... but we all know that is at least somewhat hack...

peace
Dave

[RustyJeep]

Ok, I got mine off by first starting to motion with a big pry bar. Then, once I had it slid just enough, I got a large pitman arm puller on ther and hooked it around the backside of the spring. Then I let the impact do the work. voila! all you have left is the inner sleeve that then comes right off.

[Tad]

yup
especially for the 74-75 units which are (per tad) screwed :)
peace
Dave
Gees, thanks, it was a prank, a joke, something I thought Stuka would think was ironic/funny etc.
I was wrong.

[rustywagoneers_com]

sokay,
mine too!

peace
Dave

[Arborigine]

Not screwed, here is a brand new rear spring for a 74 with 12 inches of lift. This is going to get weird.

[chr1s]

Arborigine.....:eek:

[Desert Beast]

Not screwed, here is a brand new rear spring for a 74 with 12 inches of lift. This is going to get weird.

:eek:

thats a hell of an arch.

shooting for a flexy suspension?:D

[Arborigine]

:eek:

thats a hell of an arch.

shooting for a flexy suspension?:D

Well, yeah, but it looks like I may need to build a Panhard rod for this one. The body will be lighter and lower than a waggy, I won't sweat it until I get some work done and see where it sits.
I measured the difference between the Chero frame height and that of my Jeepster at the T-case and that's what i got.

[Stuka]

Arborigine: I take it you are just a mudder? Those springs wont flex at all for trail use. If you just wanted 12" of lift (which is a tony of lift) there are other ways to go about it and keep a some what flexy suspension (I spring over plus 4" springs gives you about 11")

[Arborigine]

It is already a springover in the rear. I am probably going to remove that 3/4 inch thick overload, I don't want a 1 ton rating, even though the rear end of the frame will carry 2 jeep cans, a 35 inch spare, 200Lbs of tools and gear, plus whatever else I weld on.

[Stuka]

If you spring over the front and put a shackle flip in back you get 7-8 inches of lift, with stock springs. So you keep the nice factory ride. Or go with the SOA/shackle flip with 4" springs, and you have 11-12" of lift. Those springs are going to ride very stiff because of how much arch they have. My 6" springs are stiff, those are going to be like having no suspension at all.