Frame/Springs: cutting rear spring bushing inner sleeves...

[junior]

yesterday I spent 3hrs in a -19C garage cutting through one bolt in order to remove the front of my driver's side leaf spring...I went through 6 sawzall (18tpi metal-cutting blades) (not cheap junk ones either). I think I invented some new swear words. What are the sleeves made of, kryptonite??? Anyone else have as much fun as me? Any alternative means of removing the through bolt when they are rusted so badly to the sleeve that the sleeve rotates in the rubber of the bushing? Don't want to spent 3 hrs. on the passenger side. not happy, and exhausted...junior

[DEEPNHOCK]

Try SawZall brand blades called 'The Torch'...
Awesome blades.... Made for this kind of work....
I swear by them...
Jeff

[RadioRoy]

I took my 51 to a professional mechanic back in 74 and he could not change them. I'd love to find out a method.

[DEEPNHOCK]

You mean to say you haven't fixed that in 39+ years!?!?

I took my 51 to a professional mechanic back in 74 and he could not change them. I'd love to find out a method.

[WCP]

Had that problem many years back with an Avanti. I used a pneumatic reciprocating saw with a short length of hacksaw blade. It took a while but did the job.

[junior]

Try SawZall brand blades called 'The Torch'...
Awesome blades.... Made for this kind of work....
I swear by them...
Jeff

ok Jeff, will try and locate some of these. The blades I was using were Bosch. I swear the bushing sleeves are hardened steel...why Studebaker would use hardened steel I have no idea. Replacement ones I got from SI a couple of years back are mild steel...and speaking of Studebaker, 1954 grade 5 steel must be a whole lot better than modern grade 5 steel. The offending through bolt was cut about two thirds the way through when I said `screw it`and decided to tighten it until it snapped off...well it took a 3ft snipe on the breaker bar to snap that friggin nut and bolt shank off...unreal. Wish I could have done the same thing on the head end of the bolt too. Each blade was only good for about for about 1-1.5 mm of cutting. My hands were too cold to continue cutting...will try again when the weather warms up. (we had wind chills of about -40C which is the same as -40F on Friday...Brooks (a town about 1.5hrs away) had wind chills in around -52C...too cold for this time of year. cheers, Junior.

[RadioRoy]

You mean to say you haven't fixed that in 39+ years!?!?

Yup. Talk about a CASO. To be truthful, it hasn't been driven in a few years, but they were floppy when I got the car in 1974, and they are still floppy now. I'm not proud to admit it, but better men than I couldn't get them out.

[gordr]

Junior, I took the front spring bushings out of a '59 frame back in October, and the trick was to first tighten the through bolt as far as I dared. That seems to break the rust bond between the bolt and the inner sleeve. Once I loosened the nuts, the bolts came right out, no problem. And this was an old field car, not a nice driver. And on the rear shackle bolts, I failed to do that, and every one needed the torch.

Tighten first.

[Lenny R2]

On 62 Champ last year I changed the rear spring bushings I used my air hack saw.Cheap blades
didn't work I had some starret blades & they cut ok.To get some of the rubber out I made a
little fire to burn the rubber.

[Lark Parker]

Lots of people here (and gone) addressed their methods in 2007. I thought it sounded familiar and here is the search result.
http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...g-bushings-out

[dean pearson]

Sawzall's are variable speed, run it slow as not to just smoke your blade. If that doesn't work go to your local welding supply or hardware store and get some .045 cut off wheels for a 4" grinder.

Dean.

[stude1964]

I usually burn mine out. A little smokey but doesn't take all day although if it's 19 degrees out it might take the edge off!
Rob in PA.

[Pat Dilling]

I used a sawzall to cut the ones on my 54 Conestoga. I also went through a few blades. As mentioned I ran the sawzall on a medium-low speed and moved the blade in and out so it was not always cutting on the same place on the blade. I also cut some, then turned the bolt about 30 degrees then cut more, and so on. That way as the cut got deeper it would be cutting a thinner piece of metal. Took me about 20 minutes a side. I was working in 70 degree F which is certainly more comfortable than you were. I admire your gumption to tackle this in such cold weather. I whine when it is in the 30s F here.

[WCP]

Just finished removing the two 7/8" bushings from the rear of the frame using 7/16-20 threaded rod and coupling nuts. The process is slow and I had to stop a couple of times to straighten the rod. It's important to keep the "pusher" square to the frame bore. A tip is to trim the excess rubber extending from the bushing with a razor blade before beginning, as the bushing rubber will be collapsed and tend to put the "pusher" off center. The '64 Daytona has ample room outboard of the frame to allow a 9" rod length. It wasn't necessary to remove the fuel tank or lower the exhaust pipe. With my "advanced" age, it was necessary to use a 24" bar on the socket. Now to reverse the process!

[junior]

I usually burn mine out. A little smokey but doesn't take all day although if it's 19 degrees out it might take the edge off!
Rob in PA.

oh not 19 degrees, minus19C which is around -2F...my cut off temp for working on the car is -20C, then it`s just down right nasty. lol, junior