so that's a "yeah" you got a sitter? didn't want to have any "issues" here either.

you can always borrow the caddy if we run into problems

 

sitter yeah, girlfriend is taking the kiddo too. Not expecting issues really, just those front bushing bolts.

The torsion bar adjusters look in surprisingly good shape too. I'd bet my guess on those being touched with the accident repair is accurate.

 

torch / hammer .....no prob

 

yeah torch is already in the truck lol. And 1 1/3 bottles of pane.

 

got a 100lb tank outside the garage......no extension cord for it ...hehehehe

 

lol better call the life flight now then. ROFL.

 

my coordinates are already logged in....marking my back yard. I have several friends that work there, 1 guy was even in my wedding. they know if i ever call them, they are landing in the back yard.....not waiting for anyone else.

 

I got orange paint I can bring lol.

 

PS....judging by the radar, we have until about mid-afternoon before the storm rolls in. we should be good in the garage with what we have to do.

 

Ok back, only good news I got is that we didn't break any tools or fingers or any other body parts.

Only worked on the passenger side. U-bolts took a little persuasion to come out, good thing I got those new ones.

The front spring hanger didn't go so well. The nut itself took a little coaxing and some redneck tools since we didn't have a 7/8" open ended with us. But the nut came off, however, just like the springs I picked up the bolt itself is seized to the bushing collar. The collar tore away from the bushing as expected but nothing was gonna break that bolt free from the collar. Especially since there is not much room to work with bcause of the gas tank on that side.

Jerry didn't feel comfortable with me Cutting off the head of the bolt, so we just put some new u-bolt on that side and butted it back up for me to tackle those bolts here in case I have to sit the truck awhile.

So my question is, other than cutting the head off the bolt, how are you rust belt guys getting these things off?

Jerry has the photos as they were all take from his cam.

 

1st comment.....who do we know who has done this in the good old rust belt?

yeh....so , kinda went about as aggravating as i expected in that where we live no exposed nut or bolt is gonna come off without an argument. no electric impact wrench is gonna do it either.

some ingenuity prevailed when it needed to, but there was certainly that point where there was a sensation (at least for me) that we were at the threshold of the point of no return......and things weren't looking good either.

 

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...cement-182589/

just a reference but same problem this is how he did it. BTW that thread is like 2 years old as well. I had bumped it a little while ago though.

and some photos from that same thread:



His happens to be on the same side as well.




And someone elses fix for it, pretty much the same thing

 

2nd pic.....nice big block and bumpstop

 

Our workspace for today. Tight fit, but I think we managed




My tail gate's home for the day. Kmart 1.50/can paint holding up pretty well.




Frame on jack stands and axle on the jack. Just like the FSM wants it.




One of the old u-bolts. Yeah, I don't think I will be using these anymore. Yes we shot them with PB and heated them with a torch and were still a PITA to come off. Notice the flat threads, I think they were used 1 too many times.

BTW: If anyone is considering getting a Harbor Freight electric impact, it's pretty much only good for lug nuts. It was no match for my craftsman 1/2" ratchet and 4" cheater bar that happens to double for my hi-lift jack handle.




And out rednecking of the tool setup for the spring mounts. That's an 8" pipe wrench holding the back nut and my small hydraulic jack pushing up on it. Then that 4' cheaper bar and my 1/2" craftsman ratchet.

Although the nut came off relatively easy, that sleeve is stuck. Ain't no way without cutting the bolt like in the above photos from that other thread, is it coming off.




The hangup that stop the whole project.




New u-bolts installed on the passenger side. I will eventually have to cut some length off them, because they are too long to fit a deep well socket on them.




Now 1 thing to note here as I really have no experience with them, but the u-bolts seem to hang up a little on the corners and have just the slightest gap between them and the leaf springs. Maybe this is because they aren't impacted or torqued down enough? Or possibly because I removed what was left (3 pieces) of my bump stop bracket? Should be fine for now as I don't drive like a maniac but would like to maybe fix that before RC trip.

 

More reference threads. Will edit as I find em.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...y-arse-200426/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-ideas-207624/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f115...t-help-152507/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-bolts-132903/

 

So the spring swap didn't happen??

The gap in the U-bolts is because of the missing bump stops.

 

thanks rob, is that issue with the u-bolts a safety concern or?
And nope, spring swap for the time being didn't happen.

Every thread so far has led to the need to cut or grind that head of the bolt like I thought. I already have new 3/4 hardware to put in there as well and won't be using the 9/16 sleeve with the poly bushings. Just a little worried that the bolts I have is gonna be a little too long to clear the gas tank, a few washers on the outside of the hanger should solve that though.

 

the u-bolts i used fit fine on the top. it's just how they were made

here is the link for the u-bolts

part number: 361-368
they are $14 for a pair and hardware, and $11 shipping for 2 sets

 

Was the hang up concerning the seized bolt not taken care of due to safety concerns? Gas tank is there could pose a problem right or am i missing some thing? Might i suggest letting Jerry torque on that thing as he seems to have gorilla strength. Just kidding man make a heat shield out of wood, metal, or some thing and block the tank as you hit that bolt with a grinder with a fresh wheel. Take it from a guy that "got" to deal with a vehicle fire last year have a fire extinguisher ready as well. Just be safe and angle the sparks away from the tanks and do this far away from the house. Like roll the truck down the driveway first.

 

Yeah fire extinguisher was at the ready when I applied heat to it. Sparks was one of Jerry's concerns, but it got me to thinking, if I were to use an angle grinder and whatnot then there would be sparks. He also confirmed with the sawzall there wouldn't be much spark, then I tested out a 4" cutting disk on my cordless drill on the hangers from the springs I picked up with the same issue with the bushings and made very little spark, but he just didn't want me to get stuck there with the truck if the whole cutting deal failed to get the bolt out of there. Plus it being in his garage didn't help either.

I did mention that a wet rag on that side of the gas tank would suppress most of the sparks as well, but also remember my filler neck is shorter than your standard one and is right under there as well because of the flatbed. Faint smell of gas as well, probably from the filler. Fumes are more flammable than the gas itself.

I'll figure something out here. Gonna rain most of the day tomorrow. And not much light left today for me to mess with it.