Bernie's u-bolt saga.

[BernieQ2]

Me again, just thought I would move the spring problem off the good morning thread.
Back good enough to do some fiddling no not that fiddling
We, me and next door, have been jacking and un jacking the spring and the u-bolts.
So far with little result. a cuppla pics.

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IMG_0276.JPG

In the first pic, we are jacking the spring up till it hits the bump stop,
Second, I found a piece of steel thick enough to not bend, under the u-bolts
There does look like there is some slight movement on the front bolts.
Might be me hoping
At the moment we have two jacks under the front bolts and the one jack with the steel bar under the rear bolts, plus old mate next door said to soak them with acetone, which is happening now...next we will try vinegar , all out of tomato sauce Jon
Bernie.

[T1 Terry]

Diesel and brake fluid .... not mixed ..... are also fluids I've heard about working good as a penetrating fluid. I've had the most success with Penetrene, Wurth penetrating oil and something Brian scored from the steam train mob ..... but I can't find a can of it now to check the name, but I think it was called liquid wrench ....
Check out a you tube video about home made penetrating oil and various brand names
Penetrene works best if it can be soaked in the solution, so maybe wrapping rag over the upper part of the U bolt and then soaking the rag with Penetrene and leave over night.

T1 Terry

[BernieQ2]

I haven't heard of Penetrene since I was a unruly kid Terry
I'm going to try and get a small jack between the chassis and the spring and jack down, there's not a lot of clearance between the two, I really need a porta power of something much like one
Bernie.

[jon_d]

Porta powers are extremely cheap on ebay.

[Shirley]

Can’t you cut thru the U bolt?

[BernieQ2]

No Shirley not enough room to swing a cat.
Thanks, the book says to use oxy... but the book doesn't have the air bag suspension that I have. The oxy would be frought with danger.
But it may come down to that... thanks.
Bernie.

[Noggins]

A good hit on the casting usually does enough to vibrate it enough to loosen it.
It will need a good SOLID HIT with a big hammer !
Barring that a cut-down chisel driven under the spring, or the top of the U bolt, has worked for me in similar situations .

[jon_d]

Barring that a cut-down chisel driven under the spring, or the top of the U bolt, has worked for me in similar situations

good idea. Driving a wedge between the spring and u-bolt might just push it up.

[BernieQ2]

Thanks you two...
We have tried all of the above to no avail
I have decided to cut the U bolts across the top, has to be on a angle because it's the only way to get in to then. I have a reciprocating saw battery driven...but no steel blades only wood So me being me I tried the saw...it works but I'm running out of blades, I got about 3/4 through the first of the U bolts, but have come to a standstill till I get new blades
Closest is Maryborough...so it can wait till next Thursday when we are going shopping.
I may if it's not to wet use my angle grinder to finish the first one...if it will fit between everything that's there.
To be continued
Bernie.

[BernieQ2]

We can see daylight
The U bolts have been cut away, only the sway bar joint holding the spring in..i bloody hope.
Nothing easy about this whole episode I guess they didn't want stuff removed
So hopefully the spring will be out today.
Now getting the U bolt shanks out is another subject I'm not looking forward to.
Bernie.