Leaf spring removal woes

Burn 'em ?

Steve

Grinder?

Nigel

its been a while since i did mine, but i think i had trouble because a lot of the shackes themselves were threaded and all the bolts that went into these would not shift.

I ended up replacing most of my shackles too.

Nigel uttered summat worrerz funny about:

And an 'ammer and 'it it 'ard again.

I've a vague recollection of many a happy hour with a hack saw blade too.

Lee D

On or around Mon, 6 Nov 2006 16:50:14 -0000, "Mike" enlightened us thusly:

chances are they're seized into the middle of the bushes.

I'm fairly sure that *both* the shackle bolts screw into the plate the far side. The chassis bolt at the front of the spring I think just pushes through, but it's almost always necessary to start off by turning it; they very rarely shift simply by pushing. If you have an air impact gun, put that on it, else a big breaker bar and a strong socket.

If it really won't shift you need heat on it. heat the bolt-head good and hot with an oxy torch and let the heat travel along it, then ideally cool the bolt itself down and then smite it.

You may end up having to cut the head off the front one and drive it through inwards with a suitable bit of bar and a 14lb hammer.

Thanks to all that have replied.

I have already got all new shackles, bolts & nuts to replace the old ones....

I did consider using a blow torch to heat them up, but the slight smell of petrol around the rear fuel tank put me off ! and I don't really want to remove the fuel tank just to replace the springs.

I have got a grinder, but I'm loathe to use it on metal.... last time I did the damn thing dug in... I couldn't hold it and it ran round the garden faster than a cat on speed... then ended up running up my leg... good job I had thick jeans on.. all I ended up with was a purple bruise were it hit my ankle.

I think I have a centre punch somewhere... I could give that a go with the hammer

Cheers.... I'll let you all know how I get on tomorrow.

Mike.

Mike uttered summat worrerz funny about:

My handle broke on my grinder... best thing that ever happened to it as I replaced it with a long coach bolt twice as long as the handle was previously. It can be a PITA when in tight corners but for the extra control and leverage you get when it occasionally does grab it's well worth the mod.

Also (without wanting to say hold the egg up this way :-) ) makes a big difference if you don't use the right part of the disc's cutting edge relative to the handles etc.

Always treat them with caution .... pesky things!

Lee D

Seriously - start acting like a man, grab hold of it firmly and show it who is the boss. The only real excuse for a grinder jumping out of your hands is that either you're not concentrating on the task at hand (easily solved), or that you're scared of the grinder (in which case you have no business using it). And yes, I'm speaking from real world experience (I have a scar on my stomach from a grinder that escaped the grasp of an apprentice many years ago) - either master the beast or leave it alone but don't try and take the middle ground because injuries will result.

WTF do you think a centre punch is going to do? You only have 2 realistic options - cutting it apart, or getting a good quality breaker bar (one about 2' long would be a good start) and full hex socket onto it and giving it a decent seeing to. If half-hearted measures were going to undo it you'd be finished by now.

Keep unscrewing them as they are threaded into the hangers, I know this because i beat ten bells out of mine untill I didcovered this.

What ever strategy you go for, remember that the shackle plates are threaded - grinding the head off the bolts is a last resort!

Richard