Regarding removal of the spring eye bolt on the rear leaf spring: BTDT last
winter...
First, I did everything except raise the body and use a BFH to drive out the
evil bolt. I used PB-Blaster, heat (propane and MAPP), crow bar,
bolt/washers/socket puller, etc. Don't ask me what happens to your carpeting
when you get that MAPP gas really fired up, because I can now speak from
experience.
Using the propane, I burned out the rubber portion between the inner and outer
bushings in the spring eye. Good ventilation in the garage is a must. With the
rubber essentially gone or loose, I pried the spring assembly toward the
outside of the car some 2 inches, exposing the inner bushing. I then used a
cutting wheel on a drill to slice upward and outward through the bushing and
spring eye bolt. (I had already decided to replace the bolt once I removed it
because of all the heat applications). My theory was that, in cutting off as
much of the exposed bolt/bushing as possible, I would reduce the "gripping
area" by some 35 percent. After cutting the bolt, the leaf spring assembly
could be completely removed, and it left a diagonally cut section of the bolt
protruding from the frame approximately 3/4 inch. Using a 2.5 lb hammer
sideways, I was able to tap the bolt inward, exposing the head by a good 1/2"
on the other side of the frame. I was then able to extract it a bit further
with a pry bar. I finished the extraction with a slide-hammer affair I had
rigged up by cutting 5/16-24 threads into a 3-foot rod, threading one end into
the head of the spring eye bolt, placing a lead hammer head on the shaft (after
drilling a hole through it lengthwise), and capping the end with two nuts,
against which I could slide the weight and "hammer" out the bolt. In my case, I
believe the spring eye bushing was providing most of the "grip" that was
freezing the bolt and preventing extraction.
The spring eye bolt on the other side of car came out "like buttah." Go figure.
Bill Stagg1960 TR3A
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