The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 49 Panel truck, I'm Stuck!

I’m Stuck,really stuck. I’m trying to remove the rear shackle bolt and nut on the front leaf springs of a 49 Chevy truck. I replaced them about five years ago, but I don’t remember if they unbolt in the conventional manner, that is counter clock wise, or do they unbolt in a clockwise manner. The truck has little or no time on it since rebuilt, so rust should not be an issue. This thing just will not budge, and of course laying on the floor in the garage with very limited room does not give much leverage, or make the job easy . I even put a bottle jack under the braker bar and pumped it up pretty good and it still did not budge. Please can nay one help I’m really stuck. Thanks for your help.

God bless,

Dave

My son has a friend who is perpetually turning bolts the wrong way. I have called him "Wrong Way" so many times that I can't remember his name anymore.

Brute strength steady pressure seldom works, an impact of some sort will work better. If you can put a breaker bar on it and give it snaps instead of grunt force you should have better luck.

Yes, but does it come off counter clock wise or clock wise?

Dave

They unbolt in the conventional manner, counter-clockwise.

As Vern posted, a breaker bar or an impact wrench will help (WD-40/etc, too).

As the shop instructed says "Righty tightly, Lefty loosly." They are a right hand thread.
This might be the time to look at Harbour Freight for their 1/2 inch electric impact tool. I have one and it works pretty well on spring bolts. They are usually on sale for under $30.

Penetrating oil and heat also help.
Good luck

I have had luck warming the nut with a blue bottle propane tourch first. then power by armstrong.

When I did the ones on my old landrover, I just stuck the trolly jack under the break over bar. The truck was sitting on tires, NOT jackstands. So I just let the jack lift the truck with the breakover bar, and then jumped up and down in the box. I found that either the bolt loosened, or sheared off.

These days, I'm not as energetic, and take things apart with the cutting torch, when I know I'm going to replace them.

I've been told I get a bit "ram-y" though.

If you haven't already done so,jack the body of the truck up and block it so that there is no weight on the spring pivot. Then try it.

Are you trying to get the nut off, or trying to get the bolt out?

Also, if you are looking at the bolt from the head end, the nut will turn off clockwise. If you are looking at the bolt from the nut end, it will be counter-clockwise.

Easy to get turned around, so to speak.


Kurt