Tried to pull my leafs this weekend, and it didn't go so well. The bolts are more than stuck in place. I tried heat, penetrating oil, the impact wrench, the air hammer to free the bolts and there was no moving them. I put over 8 hours, 3 ratchets, 2 extensions and shattered one socket trying to break them free. Any Ideas? I am getting close to cutting out the mounts all together and welding in new steel to mount to. Please help before I have to take drastic measures.

 

Are you replacing the whole spring or just adding leaves?

 

well... both kinda.... I bought a "new" set from a jy and built my aal packs using those. I may rip them back apart to save the headache, and just cut the U-blts

 

i had the same shenanigans with my leaf packs. we used pb blaster, a torch and a 2 foot breaker bar and it took all the strength i could muster! don't cut, you'll get 'em!

 

If you have a torch you can heat the nuts to cherry red and they will come off, but if you have to do that you might as well get new ones.

You don't have to remove the main leaf to install a bastard pack. Just leave it in and same yourself a lot of work.

 

so how do you add extra leaves wthout removing the ones on the xj I'm having the same problem!!!
FRED

 

Cut or remove the Ubolts and lower the axle. Then clamp the spring pack together and then cut the clamps and the center pin, I used am amgle grinder and it worked fairly well. BE VERY CAREFUL!!! CENTER PIN UNDER ALOT OF PRESSURE!!! After that remove the lower leafs and put in your aal and re-assembly with a new center pin and new clamps. Then bolt up the axle. That should cover it.

 

might sound dum, but what do I use as a center pin just a grade 8 bolt and nut or something else
thanks in advance
FRED

 

Fred,

My aal kit came with new center pins. You can get them from a spring shop, or google them and you can find them on 4 wheeler supply sites for any where from .99 to few bucks. Not sure about using a regular bolt, I'd personally pick up the correct part since it is such a low cost.


Glad to help.

Adam