Rear Leaf Spring Replacement

[sugarloafur]

Hi. I've just purchased a set of rear leaf springs and shocks for my '94 XJ (no lift). I began taking things apart when I couldn't get the bolt on the front end of the rear leaf spring off. It unthreaded from the backside, but now it's stuck in a metal cylinder inside the rubber inside the spring. I can turn it with a wrench, but the cylinder turns with it. Any ideas? I'm completely out of ideas... (I've even tried winching it out, which just started pulling the vehicle off the blocks...) If you have any ideas that may help me, please reply. I've loaded it with Liquid Wrench, but still, nothing's happening.

Also... when I was taking the upper end of the old shocks off of the vehicle, both bolts sheered off. I've bought some easy-outs, but I'm not sure if that's going to do the trick.

To anyone who thinks their back end of their XJ is sagging, let it be known that replacing the springs and shocks is not easy.

[xj31]

The shock bolts are no biggie-especially if you have an air hammer.Just hit the broken bolts and they will come off.Then you can just drop a bolt in from the top.As for the springs, the bolts always get siezed in the metal sleeve that's in the bushing.Then when you try and take it apart,the sleeve just spins in the rubber.The easiest way I have gotten the bolts out is to cut the spring and cut the rubber out so you have nothing left but the sleeve and bolt.Then I hold the sleeve with a pipe wrench.

[sugarloafur]

Thanks, I've successfully taken one of the shock bolts out, and the other 3 sheered off. I'll try tapping them and we'll see what happens.

As for the bolt in the spring, I've yet to get it off. I'm thinking of heating up the bolt to red hot and filing a couple flat sections to get a pry bar in there.

Any other ideas on how to get that bolt out? I dont have anything that would cut through the spring.

Thanks!

[tozier9]

hey you ski at sugarloaf maine?

[sugarloafur]

Well, after another hour at it, I finally got that bolt out. I ended up cutting it off as close as possible and pryed the spring out. I haven't tackled the sheered bolts yet...

And yes, I do ski at Sugarloaf, in Maine. My favorite trail is either Narrow Gauge, Gondi Line, or White Nitro.

[JeEpBoY95]

did you try jacking the truck up by the frame and not the axle? if you find the sweet spots for all the bolts each one should happily slide out like there was no pressure on it at all....

[sugarloafur]

I have the new spings all attached now, I'm just trying to get the sheered shock bolts off now. I've drilled the bolts out with a 3/16, but I cant get the rest of them out... Is it easier to just drill it out entirely and just drop one in from above (or put the nut above)?

[xj31]

its easy to punch them out.they just have nuts tacked on from the top.I use an air hammer and it just pops the nuts off.then just drop bolts in from the top.if you dont have an air hammer you could probably use a punch and hammer.thay come off pretty easy.

[sugarloafur]

Thanks for all of the help! I've finished the job, the new shocks are on, and it looks fantastic. I'm suprised, it actually lifted the back end up a good 2". I guess the old springs really did need to be replaced.