bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 14:06:55 GMT
|
|
Ive been struggling with this all day and am not getting very far. What should have been a nice simple job changing a pair of leaf springs for uprated ones has turned into a nightmare.
Basicly the problem is this. The front spring hanger is held up with a single bolt which passes through a bush in the front spring eye as you would expect. I have got the nut off by using a bar but I cannot get the bolt to come out in order that the spring can be seperated from the vehicle. It appears that the bolt has adhered itself solidly to the rubber bush in the spring eye. I cannot get it to move by hammering it or using big breaker bar to turn it.
Ive tried getting a hacksaw blade into place so that I can cut off both sides of the bolt but after 3 hours of hacksawing ive barely scratched the surface.
Suggestions much appreciated. I daren't try and burn the rubber out as its right next to the fuel tank, but I don't think I could get good enough access to get in there anyway.
|
| |
Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 14:11:28 GMT
|
|
Chances are there's a metal crush tube bonded into the bush anyway, and the bolt's rusted into that - so burning it out wouldn't work anyway.
Cutting the ends off the bolt and then drilling/grinding back through the mounting holes would seem to be the best option. Grinder, cut-off tool, die grinder and dremel will all be useful here.
|
| |
|
|
stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,866
Club RR Member Number: 174
Member is Online
|
Stuck bolt.stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
|
Nov 16, 2012 14:12:34 GMT
|
|
Heat is pretty much the only answer.
|
| |
|
|
bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 14:15:55 GMT
|
|
Excuse me for being thick but what do you mean by a cut off tool? Lathes are springing to mind but I'm sure thats not what you meant.
|
| |
Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 14:17:15 GMT
|
|
Does it turn at all?
You could try turning it and hitting it at the same time...
Also spray plenty of GT85 / WD40 around the area while wiggling the spring so some of it gets between the bush and the hanger...
Otherwise I'm running out of ideas if you don't want to burn it out...
Do you want to keep the old spring or not? You could grind through the spring hanger and then cut the bush and pull it all off the bolt... That would definitely get the job done but it will mean scrapping the spring and possible grinder splash damage if you slip off.....
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 14:39:06 GMT
|
Cut-off tool = mini angle grinder without the angle.   Chopping the spring up could be a good option. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 15:09:39 GMT
|
buy yourself a mini inductor  not very helpfull I know ;D |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 15:28:51 GMT
|
|
they sieze like a good un , chances are oiling it is a waste of time , hacksaw .grinder or whatever to cut down each side is the only way forward , shouldnt be too bad with a decent hacksaw blade
|
| |
91 golf g60, 89 golf 16v , 88 polo breadvan
|
|
bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 15:31:20 GMT
|
|
The spring is scrap anyway 3 leaves are broken. Ive been using the remainder of one leave as leverage. Oh and I have had a degree of success.
After 3 hacksaw blades and a selection of drill bits I cut the head of the bolt and drilled down clear of one side. So now the only thing holding it is the fact that the stub of bolt on the other side is a touch to long to allow me to pry it out. I will cut that off in a bit and it should just pull off.
|
| |
Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 16:48:26 GMT
|
|
I had exactly the same PITA with my cortina recently. I tried plusgas, wd40, hacksaws, airsaws, impact wrench, molegrips and various interesting curse words. Eventually, I got the grinder out, cut the spring as far forward on the bush as I could, then bashed the rest out of the way with a hammer. Then I cut the bush, crush tube and bolt in half with the grinder, de headed the bolt as well and hammered them out of the mount. Brutal, but effective.
|
| |
To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
|
bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 21:23:32 GMT
|
|
Well it took a while but success was had with a combination of blow torch, drill and hacksaw blades. Would have been easier with the grinder but I didn't have electricity to work with.
The most annoying thing though is that it took all day started the job at 8am and finished at 4.30pm. Oh and having to go and buy a new breaker bar after snapping the old one was not what I really wanted to be doing.
|
| |
Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 20, 2012 20:51:05 GMT
|
|
at least you got it off in the end :-)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 21, 2012 10:18:34 GMT
|
buy yourself a mini inductor That's a neat tool. Might have to try making myself one of those. edit: Yes! |
| |
Last Edit: Nov 21, 2012 10:29:12 GMT by Clamity
|
|
