Removing bolts from front Spring bracket?

[Macdon221]

Anyone have a technique or easy way to press them out?

Cheers

Macdon221

 

[dadsbee]

You talking the main big bolt or the 4 nuts holding the bracket on. Lots of rust breaker fluid and a bit of heat. Chances are they all snap off so I'd highly suggest buying 8 new studs and nuts. Big bolt.. if it's OE correct still will not come out without removing the bracket before it's removed as it comes out towards the center of the car and hits the frame rail.

 

[Macdon221]

Sorry.. I should of been more specific...yes the 4 pressed in bolts holding the bracket to the car. All 4 nuts are off...but curious how to remove the 4 pressed in bolts to refurbish them and the bracket.

 

[69Bee]

 

[69Bee]

What is to refurbish? If the studs are good, glassbead bracket with studs and paint. If threads are boogered, chase, glassbead, then paint. There is no need to remove them if they are okay.

 

[gkent]

Those studs are welded in when installed - I don't know what they call the process but its basically like a spot weld only it fuses 4 places. Removal is futile unless you want to totally wreck the parts. Blasting works well on that stuff. I don't care for glass beads because they are more or less a "single use" media - once they hit something they disintegrate and they're done, I use a fine aluminum oxide - second hardest substance on the planet - and it leaves a very nice finish and will cut through any rust or paint.

 

[dadsbee]

Some maybe Stan, but mine were splined press ins..

 

[Macdon221]

I didn't realize they were welded in. I thought there were just pressed into the hole into the "tapered" star pattern. One of them is out anyway so I thought just pressed in.

 

[Macdon221]

Yes Dad'sBee...that is exactly what I want. The bare metal bracket and the black stud appearance. I thought just easier to remove them to refinish.

 

[dadsbee]

Buy new studs.. you'll never press them out without damaging the first few threads.

 

[Macdon221]

New studs and nuts are on the way.

 

[andyf]

Anyone have a technique or easy way to press them out?

Cheers

Macdon221

Captain Obvious says use a press to press things in and out.

 

[SassyPants]

I am fortunate to have a press. However before I got the press, I did use my bench Vice with some success. This one looks to be a challenge because of how the "legs" are, but perhaps if you use a correct sized Socket on the Head side and put the part on the outside edge of the vice, they might "press" out. Slow and steady. Or if you have new studs coming, you can cut the old ones off close to the part and then use a punch with backing on the head side (a correct sized socket) to hammer them out. One of mine fell out while removing them from the car. The others were ok so I just media blasted them and they look/work fine. Good luck on this frustrating job.

 

[Macdon221]

I got them out. Actually it was not too frustrating at all. I had a new set of bolts and nuts. A quick smack with a hammer while protecting the bracket and they popped right out. A quick sand blast in the splined hokes to clean them...and the new bolts i pressed in with a c-clamp and a socket over the bolt threads. They went right in!