96' leaf bolt (towards cab)- size?

Wondering if you guys knew the size and length of the bolts that hold the front of the rear leaf springs on my '96?

I have ordered all other hardware/bushings/parts to do a complete suspension swap this coming weekend but couldn't find the specs on these two bolts. And since I plan on doing the swap on Sunday evening in a warehouse where I will not have another vehicle at the time & suspect that I may have to cut them off, I would like to purchase them ahead of time.

Thanks guys!!!

 

I doubt you'll have to cut them off. mainly because if you have to cut them off, youll have the tools available to remove the bolt normally. impact guns. best thing to do to help you is clean the threads that are stuck out of the nuts in the mean time. penetrants will prep it. if you have a wire cone that you can put on an air die grinder, do that. it will work perfectly.

 

Yep - started spraying everything down with penitrant tonight. It's a '96 with 202,000 and all original suspension (only rear shocks have ever been changed). Just figured since I am changing all other hardware involved I would change them too. I might dig thru my "random nuts" box and see if I can find a nut that will thread onto the end so I know what size then measure length with a wood clamp/caliper. Just don't want to get this thing all apart and realize I need them or one of them and not be able to get one on a Sunday night with no wheels.

Though maybe one of you guys jus knew what they are from doing it yourself.

Thanks!

 

honestly you may want to keep your original. mainly because nobody really has that high grade of steel in a metric bolt. and in that size!

 

We have a McMaster-Carr account and they will next-day anything we need right to our shop, and they carry just about anything one could imagine. I'm sure I'll figure it out tomorrow, just thought it was worth a shot from my couch tonight.

Thanks again for the help!

 

Try ATF mixed with acetone. Its by far the best penetrant.

 

For what it is worth I have never been able to ever get any of those bolts out without cutting !!

The steel sleeve in the bushing seizes fast to the bolt.

The nuts come right off.

The only way I have removed these bolts is cutting off both ends prying the spring hanger apart enough to allow the spring to drop out .

I have tried everything I have yet to be able to find anything to break the sleeve loose and allow the bolt to be removed

After changing as many springs I don`t mess around I just cut them out


I hope your changing springs !!!

Living about 2 hours north of you in the great brine belt .

Really the people living in the Southwest and California have never experienced the interesting things we deal with on a daily basis

 

Yep - I've OME 880's, trim packers, OME nitrocharger shocks, wheelers 4 leaf springs, bushings kit, u-bolts, hardware kit, greasable shackles, and brake lines.

 

I was lucky enough to get mine off by putting a box wrench on the nut and using a floor jack on it. Broke free just fine. Redneck cheater bar...

 

The nuts come off easy !!!

It is the fact the bolts are seized to the metal shell inside the bushing !!

The bolt will spin just fine along with the bushing it just will not come out.

Being the steel bushing OD is larger then the hole in the spring hanger is what makes it interesting !!!

I tried everything .

I would have tried burning enough of the bushing with the Oxy-Fuel torch to drive it out bolt and all.

It was just easier to just cut both ends of the bolt off pry the hanger open enough to pry out the spring eye and bushing

Having needed to do about 8 of these vehicles I don`t mess with them just cut the bolts and get the old springs out.

 

You northerners and your rust.

 

The bad part is the factory brake and fuel lines last about 2 winters !!

 

I had this same scenario when I did mine, just would spin in the bushing. I had to cut them out and replace. My truck spent it's whole life in Kansas.

 

I ran into this same thing. the bolts seized in there bigger then shit!

time to cut. id like to got the same route on my truck.

 

Just going off my tattered memory, but I think those bolts are the same as the studs for the wheels...maybe. m14x1.5 or x1.25.

They should be the same size as the rear bolts you have for the shackle.

Use a standard ruler and measure the length in both mm and inches. If you can't find the right metric bolt you may can find an SAE equivalent. Don't count the head in the length. Don't forget washers either. If you get them too long the driver's side may not work.

I ended up cutting mine off and didn't have replacements on hand. Then take a cut piece around town until I found some that'd work. We've got one hardware store in the 3 horse town here that has almost every metric bolt known to man. He's saved me countless times. Bolts for a custom tow hook, plate bumper, front diff, bolts for my VW, etc.

 

Thanks guys - I'll let you know how it goes!