Rear coil R&R?

[70 net440]

Anyone got any tips or tricks on removing rear coils on a 67 SWB? I can't seem to break the bolts loose the hold the sprng retainers. Tried WD40 and a 1/2 inch impact wrench on the lower ones and can only make one of the retainers spin. I can't seem to get enough levarage on the end wrench to keep the retainer from spinning. I may try warming things up with a butane torch and using our shops 3/4 impact. Any tips on getting to the upper bolts? Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Fred T]

First, WD40 is not a penetrating oil. Get a can of PBBLaster, works a whole bunch better.

On mine, I was replacing the rear coils, so when the bolts wouldn't come loose I simply torched the springs. Then I could get the impact wrench inside the coils, where it needed to be.

If you don't want to cut the coils, you will need a lot of heat. Iirc, the lower retainers had nuts welded on, best if you can grab the retainer with some vise-grips. Heat the nut until it's red. You might need more torch.

Uppers, there is a nut on the very top. It's tough to heat and not toast the bed. If you have one, use a nut-splitter. Otherwise you might have to use a pair of long wrenches and break the bolt.

[Joe67]

When I disassembled my bent '67 frame last week, I ended up cutting the coils to seperate the frame from the trailing arm. If I were to replace those rear springs, I agree with what Fred T posted, that would be the only way to get any type of access required to break that top fastener free.

Good Luck

[me3]

I cut the head of the bolt off then it poped right out then took it to the vise and heated it up and used a pipe wrench works a lot better then a vise grip

[1972C10]

I use a breakover bar and a deep 3/4 socket Put the breaker bar into the coil spring

Be sure to put a backer wrench on the other side. It dont take too much to snap a 1/2 bolt either so if there so stuck you cant get them off and you dont have a torch try tightening them.

[dubie]

I blocked up the rear of the frame so it wouldn't fall, used a torch and cut the bolt heads off. Slid the old springs out, slid the new ones in, put in the retainer cups and used some new bolts to tighten em down Took about an hour with the torch from start to finish

[70 net440]

Thanks for the tips. I'd rather not cut the coils, just in case we want to go back to stock. I'll probably use the old hot wrench on the bolt heads.