Stuck Bolt Leaf Springs

First I let me outline my situation. I have a 2000 4x4 tacoma whose leaf springs have broken...not that uncommon. I ordered some replacement shocks and springs from wheelers and they were wonderful, quick shipping good communication. I get the shocks on with a little elbow grease and move on to the leafs. I start tackling the U bolts and soon realize the project is going to suck as most of the bolts were quite rusted, I even sheared off two of them, and broke two socket wrenches but I'm getting replacements and moving past that. I've hit a wall with the bolt that runs through the front bushing and secures the leaf to the frame. I've unbolted it, but it absolutely refuses to move when I try to knock it out of the bushing. I soaked it in WD40, used a 3 foot metal pipe on the wrench for leverage, hell I even climbed under and hit the end with a sledge a couple of times, and all I got was a shower of rust flakes.

Does anyone have any ideas/expierence dealing with these bolts that seem to have rusted/welded themselves in place??? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

 

maybe try soaking them in PB Blaster for a day. That stuff works great!!!

 

i had to use a torch and cutoff wheel to get the main eye bolts out for my springs.....had to cut them bastards out. keep soaking it in pb blaster...but if that doesnt work, you will probably have to cut them out.

 

pb blaster ftw.... if that doesn't do it then you'll have to cut em out

 

Cut em off, you need to replace them anyway. End the knuckle busting headache now and move onto the fun part of putting the truck back together.

 

yep....thats what i'd do.


just use a cut off wheel.........go across the bend in the spring that goes around the bolt, then it should break free.....cut the old seized rubber bushing out, and the bolt will come out. then you can either reuse and use some anti seize on it, or get new main eye bolts.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I guess I'll just cut the dam thing, sounds easier and it will make me feel better haha.

 

I went ahead and cut off the bolts, it was quite cathartic. Once I had the springs off and got a closer look at how rusted the bolts were it became quite clear that they would have been impossible to get out. Now waiting on the new parts from wheelers and the joy of reassembly. Thanks for the advice.

 

I started hitting mine with PB last night and hope they won't be that bad. They don't look that bad...

 

Mine didn't look terrible, but once you try to actually turn them and get them out its a whole different story. Sometimes the frustration isn't worth the money you save.

 

I ran into the same problem. I found a reciprocal saw (sawsall) to be a simple, if not elegant, solution. Cut the bolt like butter. Be careful not to cut the perch. The replacement bolts are $6 from Toyota...or you can get grade 8 bolts from Home Depot for about $2.

 

After the first PB Blaster dried, I went out a few hours later and hit them all again with it - the nuts and bolts look like new and they had no visible rust prior, they just look clean and hopefully unstuck. I'll keep hitting them with PB twice a day until Sat and hope for the best. It's good to know Home Depot has replacements as I can jog to the one a mile and a half from my house.

 

just make sure you get the fine thread ones from home depot with the ny-loc nut. dont cheap out. they are worth it. it is what ive used on my suspension and for countless race cars and trucks. i snapped my spindles in half before the bolt even thought of moving.

 

Grade 8, fine thread. Check! I know the nut strength should match, I assume they have G8 nuts too?

In this application, I don't think the nuts have to be as strong though as it's not a compressive load that I should be worried about, but the shear strength of the G8 bolt, right?

 

pretty much. but the g8 bolts you will never have a issue with. you can go balls out and get f-911 bolts. (aircraft grade) but those are some serious coin and not worth it for a stock truck that isnt seeing some SERIOUS bashing. technically grade 5 would prolly work for you but those bolts always seem to be semi-pitted and very very porous. just stick with the g8's and the ny-lock nuts. you will never have a issue. ill also suggest a g8 washer on the outside of the hangar on either side.

 

exxaccctly. i have some 11.5 inch long 3/4 inch diameter fine thread g8's i can mail you if you need them hahahahaha.

 

I don't remember seeing them there, so I figured I'd be paranoid and check it out ahead of time to see if it's OK to go with G5.

Definitely going nylock style. Thanks again.

 

no grade 5! no no no. those suck nuts.

 

I wouldn't skimp on the bolts in this application, just checking on the nutz in case they didn't have them in stock.

Worst case would be G5 nutz for a week until I could get the right ones and swap/re-torque.