[dsmag68sb]

Hi everyone,

Finally able to spend a bit of time on my 68, with the help of the brother in law got the 8 inch rear end ripped out.

However, we coudn't get the front leaf spring bolt removed, just got the rear shackle apart and the U-bolts which hold the rear end to the leafs.

Any tricks to getting that front leaf spring bolt out ?, other than a sawz-all or something like that.

Does anyone have the TCCN "how to" document that they wouldn't mind passing along ?

Thanks much, merry christmas and happy new year.

David

 

[68PUMA]

David, I don't know if you're having the same problem that I had, but when I tried to loosen the nut on the bolt on my left leaf spring, the bushing started to spin. What I did then was wedge a tierod seperator between the bracket to the left of the bushing and the bushing itself. I was then able to take the the nut off of the bolt using a deepwell socket and rachet on the head of the bolt and I believe a short socket and rachet on the nut. I then tapped the end on the left side of the bolt gently (with a rubber mallet I believe) and then pulled the bolt out with a plier. Good luck John

 

[dsmag68sb]

Thanks for the help John, we got the nut off just fine but the bolt won't budge. I'm going to try an air hammer to push it out hopefully, the bolt will turn slowly after I took an impact wrench to it so hopefully the "rust-bond" between the bolt and the inner metal sleeve has been broken. Failing that some kind of press (C-clamp ?) and lastly cutting/grinding.

My apologies to the Forum as I just noticed quite a few older threads on this subject.

Thanks again, David

 

[polanskys]

Try soaking the bolt with PB Blaster. I have had some i could remove with an air hammer, and one that needed to be cut with a cutoff wheel. Good luck.

Steve

 

[ClawIt]

I had to use a hacksaw blade slid between the spring eye and frame and saw by hand.
Not fun!

 

[dsmag68sb]

Thanks for all the help guys, we got out an angle grinder and some 7 inch cutoff disks and cut the bolts inside the leaf spring brackets on both sides, actually was pretty easy, took about 1 hour to do both sides, my rear ends all apart now (lol). Can now clean up all the rust in the cavity above the rear-end (under the rear seat), the frame, around the gas tank, etc, etc. I want to Por 15 everything as well before putting it back together (including the axle housing), will look nice hopefully and last a long time. Thanks again.

David

 

[fast Ed]

Never tried this method myself, but you can check it out anyway ...

http://web.archive.org/web/20030217050901/http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/3573/Special/spring.htm


cheers
Ed N.

 

[1969XR7Vert]

Never tried this method myself, but you can check it out anyway ...

http://web.archive.org/web/20030217050901/http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/3573/Special/spring.htm


cheers
Ed N.

I like this idea. I hacked one out of dearly departed Clevelands Rocks (that I was junking) when the SawZall failed cut the bolt.