BeaglesXJ

Ok guys here's the deal. I bought a 3.5inch RE lift with full packs a while back and I am just now getting around to putting it on. Tonight I tried to get the rear end done and well lets just say that Its still got the old springs firmly attached. I managed to get the bolts out the connect the shackle to the leaf as well as the u bolts. but as for the front bolts that connect the leaf to the frame I couldn't hardly budge. One of my questions is how do I go abouts getting those 2 bolts out? It seems that they are in a very aukward position and I cant get good enough leverage to get them to even turn. I also got the 1 of the lower shock mount nuts out and broke the other. So my next question would be on how would I go about replacing that bolt? I attempted to get the upper shock mounts out but had little success and I believe I stripped them. I have soaked them in pb blaster for a couple weeks straight now and Im still having no success . It seems that everything that could possibly go wrong with this build, is going wrong. I have most of the tools needed to complete this project however I do not have a torch, cutter or an impact gun. I need some advice from you guys on here to try and help me out. Any and all info would be very helpful.

-Ryan


And sorry for the novel I wrote.

OOdynamite

Ok, you sir should get a torch. Torch the hell out of those front spring bolts, and pray to god they come out. Try turning them out, then tightening them back I again, that will break the rust. If they still don't come out, get yourself a cutter, cut your leaf spring eye off so it's just hanging there with the bolt. Cut the spring eye off and remove the old bushing, chances are that the metal sleeve from the bushing is rusted onto the bolt, so then cut that off the bolt so that you are left with just the bolt, and back it out.

As for the lower shock mount breaking, I have no clue.

And for the upper shock mounts, I guess if you rounded the bolt off, all you can do is try to extract it.

BeaglesXJ

Thanks for the info. Ill try that tomorrow. Im taking a break from that pos till I can figure out a way to do all of this.

btm24

I'm a week ***** so I always use air tools. Try that

Brandon

Daltonamorph

PB blaster is your best friend.

OOdynamite

I know it's easy to get frustrated, iv been there. I have 20 hours in my lift. I feel you pain. Having been through it I can not stress enough how important it is to not freak out. If you get angry you are going to hate the whole process and just be miserable the whole time. Just remember, it will get finished, and it will be awesome. And then you can look at it and say, "I did that".

Also, air tools are nice, but not needed. I did my whole lift with hand tools.

BeaglesXJ

I wish I had air tools. but I dont. I have to use what I have. But another question, I broke the rear lower shock mount on one of the shocks. How would I go about fixing that?

btm24

Did you brake the stud off of the spring plate? If so just get it re welded on or get "new" spring plates from the JY

Brandon

BeaglesXJ

I broke off just enough to where the shock is the only thing that can go on the stud.

Daltonamorph

Cut off the stud as close to the mount as possible then drill it out for a 9/16" grade 8 bolt and weld it back up

btm24

I was going to say that but I think that if he dose not have air tools he's not goin to have the ability to weld nor the trims to do so.

Brandon

dboots

Same thing. Happen to me with the front leaf bolts I heated them and then snapped em both no that was a headache

mr white

Spray them with a little bacon (pb blast). And spray them again a few hours later. Repeat process a few times. Then get a pipe, and slide it over your wrench. I used roughly 4 cans of bacon when I did mine.

TheJerm

Problem I ran into was once I got the front leaf bolts out of the frame, they got stuck in the bushing sleeve. Had to take a hack saw to it and buy new bolts.

Edit: heat and lube is your friend. Be careful because bp plaster is toxic if it vaporizes. Best is a mapp torch and some GM heat valve lubricant. Get around the hole hot, put just alittle heat valve lube on it and watch it get sucked into the hole. break loose while hot

Daltonamorph

I agree, but there's not very many options to fix that problem other then welding a new bolt in. May have to pay someone or get a friend to do it