Tips for getting front leaf eye bolt unstuck

[jumpkickyergunt]

I have pb blasted and nearly pulled my back out trying to loosen this thing. It seems like it's stuck in the sleeve. It's a 79 k10 and the bolt is the 13/16 on the front end of the leaf eye. My socket wasn't giving the best torque but it still should have broke loose I think. Everything else came out fine. It was really frustrating. I didn't want to hammer away at the end in fear of flattening the top of the bolt. Rubber mallet did nothing of course. Hammering onto a piece of wood did not budge it one bit. It twists a little bit and I can see the rubber bits twisting too, but it's like it's welded into the sleeve. It makes me feel old that I can't break it free.

[Irish_Alley]

its rusted to the inside of the sleeve. what we usually do is cut the head off the bolt remove the spring from truck and then catch the rubber on fire and let it melt away.

[bake74]

its rusted to the inside of the sleeve. what we usually do is cut the head off the bolt remove the spring from truck and then catch the rubber on fire and let it melt away.

     If it is really rusted, short of drilling it out, Irish method is the best alternative.  Oh course you are going to have to replace the bushing and sleeve after you clean it up really good.

[jumpkickyergunt]

I'm not sure how I can cut the head off the bolt. It's seated into a cup inside the mount. I can get a sawzall into the slot between the mount and the leaf eye, but it's not getting through it at all.  Maybe I'll have to get to the store for some new blades. Sigh.

[hobbz]

A good blade should only take a few seconds to cut thru it

[frotosride]

You can also go get a $10 dollar nut splitter from any auto store and bust the nut off real quick the tap the bolt out. A good nut splitter is always a handy tool the most don't recognize when they see one

[bake74]

You can also go get a $10 dollar nut splitter from any auto store and bust the nut off real quick the tap the bolt out. A good nut splitter is always a handy tool the most don't recognize when they see one

     If the bolt is rusted to the sleeve, beating it out might be a chore.

[frotosride]

Beat it out or heat it out. Either way either the head or the nut has gotta go. I do like fire!!!

[roundhouse]

Use a sawzall

Get a new blade.  The most expensive one you can find

A $5 blade should slice right thru it
Cut on both sides of the leaf and it will fall out.  Then you have to drill or burn the rubber out

Then you gotta go back to the store for a new bolt

You can try putting the nut back on till it's even with the
Threads and pound it with a big hammer

Then once you get it to move as far as it will go you can use a punch or drift to hammer the ready of the way

If you hammer directly in the end of the bolt it will mushroom and wont fit back thru the sleeve

That's what I did last time
Put the nut back on till it was even with the end of the bolt and used a 10 lb hammer
Had to hit it a lot to get it loose

[roundhouse]

You talking about the front axle or rear axle?

The rear axle is even more fun since you can't get to the other end to pound it out or saw it off

[jumpkickyergunt]

I'm going to try heat next. I will not be defeated. I did get a spring and shock put into the other side so at least I'm making some progress.

[Irish_Alley]

We use cut off wheels on a grinder to cut the bolt. We run it in between the shackles and bushings. Try to aim to cut the lip of the bushing in half so you don't hit the shackle or leaf

[jumpkickyergunt]

Yeah i got the bolt to spin with heat but now the sleeve is spinning with it and cutting into the mount. Good grief. I tried to cut it with a sawzall but the blade isn't doing jack on that sleeve. Will have to try my grinder.

[bake74]

Yeah i got the bolt to spin with heat but now the sleeve is spinning with it and cutting into the mount. Good grief. I tried to cut it with a sawzall but the blade isn't doing jack on that sleeve. Will have to try my grinder.

     Don't try to cut the sleeve, try to cut the bolt. 

[jumpkickyergunt]

Ok so with the tools I had I ended up having to cut through the sleeve. No big deal at all. Got the leaf out and the new pitman arm in so my front end is completely done now. Really happy about that. The rear is going to have to be the same way. I can cut the head and nut off of the rear eye, but I'll need to chop through a little bit of the leaf to get the nut side of the front eye bolt out. The shackle bolts have come out so far. Here's hoping I get this done tomorrow.

I need some help with torque settings. What are the leaf eyes (both eyes for front and rear), u bolts, pitman arm cross bolt, and shocks set to? I'm getting lots of conflicting information on this. Again, it's a 79 k10. Thanks for all your suggestions everyone. Really really helpful.