Help with rear shock bolts

mattyj858 · November 19, 2016, 07:51 PM

I am in the process of replacing my rear shocks. I soaked the bolts with PB blaster and it seems the bottom bolt is just spinning rather than the nut loosening. I believe the bottom shock bolt is a captive bolt, no bolt head ( that I can see) to hold in place with another wrench. Am I missing something here? There's no wiggle in the shock but I can move the nut with some force of a socket wrench. Any suggestions on how to proceed? Need to get the bad shock off and replaced.
I used a breaker bar and didn't use excessive force, don't recall hearing a bolt snap.

mattyj858 · November 20, 2016, 02:26 PM

After looking at it today looks like the nut is skipping threads, the bolt isn't moving. The nut is moving but isn't loosening up on the bolt
Any ideas? Thinking about wedging a flat head screw driver under the nut to force the nut?

LJ-TJ · November 20, 2016, 03:04 PM

You may be forced to put a cut off wheel on your drill and cut it off. Yeah you could try to wedge something in there. It's just one of those pain in the a#% jobs.

mattyj858 · November 20, 2016, 03:17 PM

Yea tried to wedge a screw driver between the bushing and the washer with no success can't get anything under the bolt itself. Really hoping not to cut off the nut as I know I will eventually hit the bot and screw up the threads

LJ-TJ · November 20, 2016, 03:36 PM

Maybe this will have to be your solution? Hm?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR-ylWWah5I

mattyj858 · November 20, 2016, 04:14 PM

Ha! I'm literally driving to Napa right now to buy one of those. I feel a bit more confident on that rather than using a cut off wheel. Thanks!

LJ-TJ · November 20, 2016, 04:38 PM

Awwwh just remember the Boy's at N.A.P.A are now your best friend. Every time we've had trouble with our rig, if I could limp it to the nearest N.A.P.A. store they have bailed our ares out every time. Twice they even delivered parts to the Walmart parking lot for us. L.J. and I can't say enough good thing about the service the lads at N.A.P.A. have given up. Shoot while your there pick up a Vacuum gauge test kit. Just got one and worth it's weight in gold.

mattyj858 · November 20, 2016, 04:47 PM

Yeah they're good guys! Thanks for the heads up on the vacuum gauge

mattyj858 · November 20, 2016, 08:13 PM

That nut splitter did the trick, highly recommend one of these things for stubborn bolts

LJ-TJ · November 20, 2016, 08:15 PM

Congratulations. I love it when a plan comes together.

Rickf1985 · November 21, 2016, 06:11 AM

Check those threads real good because I will bet they are bad. Even if they are still there you are going to have to run a tread restorer over them before putting on a new nut. If the threads are no good where the nut is then a new nut is not going to tighten down but what you can do is either double up on the nuts or space it out with washers so the nut grabs better threads further out.

mattyj858 · November 21, 2016, 10:33 AM

Quote from: Rickf1985 on November 21, 2016, 06:11 AM
Check those threads real good because I will bet they are bad. Even if they are still there you are going to have to run a tread restorer over them before putting on a new nut. If the threads are no good where the nut is then a new nut is not going to tighten down but what you can do is either double up on the nuts or space it out with washers so the nut grabs better threads further out.

Thank you I noticed that. It's tight but seems to skip a thread if I wanted to tourque it down really tight, was going to use a second nut