Dgrown

try ratcheting it out while hitting it with a hammer

TXsilverado

iTrader: (19)

ive never unbolted shocks. just playd with the jack until it easily slipped out.

straped for cash

Even with an impact wrench mine took 4ever. I had to run it until it cut in and had to wait for it to air back up.

If you can get access to a torch try heating the bolt up to cherry red. Try a hand held propane torch. I have heard of touching a candle to the threads and the wax is supposed to wick into them and ease the removal.

Breaker bar would suck because once you reach a point it will be just as tough to tighten back up. Plus you can only rotate a half turn at a time.

Good luck

sierraboy

i was looking at ur pics and the problem is u got to get rid of the jack stands

jack it up with a jack and lower the jack until u allign the holes with the other holes so the bolt could go right in lower the jack then use another jack to go up and down on the rear end thats how i did it

the first jack holds up the chasis and the second jack the rear end mine bolted on with no problems

GMCtrk

iTrader: (27)

So you did it with 1 tire off the ground and 1 tire on the ground? I was going to try that but I didn't know how the spring would decompress and if I'd have to fight it to get the new shackle back on.

Based on what you are saying I'm gathering that this bolt should just slide right out. I have a feeling it's rusted in there pretty good. I'll do like you say and try and align the hole, and I think ill get that breaker bar, that should help break it free.

dirt track racer 81

iTrader: (45)

I always take the shock loose and jack up on the frame and leave the tires on the ground..you jack up on the axel and it puts the bind back in it.

006rcsb

When I did mine I did like you have done, frame on jackstands, and jack under the differential housing. I just jacked it up a little bit so the leaf springs had no load on them, and no weight from the axle hanging either. Mine took just a little hammering and came right out. The shackle might be in a bind sitting in the bracket, try hitting the shackle one way or the other, it might dislodge it. Or you can try putting a large prybar between the shackle and the bracket sideways to spread the bracket apart a little bit. As far as it goes for rounding the head of the bolt off, iirc you can put a socket or boxed end wrench on the end of the bolt to hold it, I believe it has a hex end. GOOD LUCK!

lo&sloSierra

iTrader: (8)

i remember i took a jack and a few blocks of wood and jacked up the truck by the frame and loosened up the u bolts a hair and did mine, the bottom one is always easy, the top sucks camel dick , but it can be put back in backwards

sierraboy

yes do one side at a time one tire will be off the floor

just play with the two jack up down up down untill u get it u dnt need to hit it with nothing will come right out

if ur truck is a stepside u need to take the two bolts off thats holding the bed by the shackles and the jack thats holding the chassis pic it up so the bed can go up with the chassis and the top bolt would come off

oh yeah no pry bar no hammer needed no shock removal the way i did it

budhayes3

iTrader: (19)

When I did mine, I had the frame on jackstands, and the axle on the floor jack, so I could just lift and lower the axle/leafspring to line up the bolt holes. I don't think that I touched the shocks IIRC. Do you have a nice sized punch? You could try putting the punch against the end of the stuck bolt and hammering on it, if you have room. This way you're not hammering directly on the bolt and damaging the threads. If you had air and an impact gun, you could put the socket on the bolt and run it, while doing so try to get behind the head of the bolt with a pry bar and work it out. It's a little tricky, but once you get a feel for it, it's a helpful method.