Help....The axle is stuck on!!!

[67Blacksheep]

Just when you get all pumped up to put the new rear end in.....
I started off fine, cutting away with the air tools any nut that wouldn't budge with a 6 foot pipe on the end of my breaker bar. Then all hell broke loose.
My craftsmen breaker bar snapped.
The U-bolts are apparently frozen in place.
The Panhard mount at the frame provided hours of fun getting the frozen bolt out.
And....now that every peice that needs loose is loose....the axle still will not pull from the arms. The u-bolts are froze tight in the sleeves. I even let the truck down on it's own weight and it didn't budge them. Short of following through with the Wiley Coyote ACME style plan that I came up with last night at 1 a.m. (It involves chains,hydraulics, a 6x6 post, and the ice sculpture of a water buffalo IF your wondering) I am at a loss. Any suggestions on how to safely separate it?? Thanks Fellas.

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67 Chevy C20 LB Stepside,
350 4-bolt with goodies.

[tom hand]

Sounds like you have a rust problem,I am glad we don't have that down here. First I would beg,borrow or rent a torch. Things that are not possible become possible when you have one. If you heat up the part that the u-bolt goes thru maybe can knock it out with a punch. If getting a torch to the truck is not an option it sounds like you will have to do it the hard way.Cut the top of the u-bolt off and remove the rearend,then remove the trailing arm and take it to some one that has a torch. Muffler shops will always have one.
If the u-bolt is so rusted that it will not come out,if you can find someone REALLY GOOD with a torch,they might can burn it out without hurting the trailing arm. The only problem with finding someone that is really good, is you won't know till after they have ruined your part. I have seen guys cut rusted nuts off bolts without harming the threads so what you need can be done. GOOD LUCK!

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72 GMC Sierra SWB almost finished---- 84 Softail
Olive Branch MS

[Fast68Chevy]

happy torching, you will need ot cvut U bolts just above the plate perches that are welded to the axle tube, and punch the studs that are left of them after cutting through the holes once you remove the axle.
or if you are bent on using tools stil you wil stil need torch, but have to heat up the nuts til are cherry and then remove them then, but dont start melting anything or you wil have to cut no matter what, i doubt any hardware will be salveagable, i necer even attempt to salveage any hardware when replacing anything on the chassis, its laways rusted so bad that they will never come loose or just snap off. u bolts arentusually expensive at all, if yo can find any around witohut having to have any made up for you, truck repair places can make some out of hardened rod.

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Randy- Lincoln, IL
randy@ccaonline.com 2177353230
*many GM parts bought, traded, or sold -am parting out: '81 Cutlass Supreme Brougham

current fleet: -71 C-10 350/CH465/3.07- basketcase, #1
-90 Cavalier 2.2L sky blue, a driver
-84 Z28 5.0L/700R4/3.73 daily driver
-84 Firebird/SE 2.8L/T-5/3.73/engine bad, project #2
-82 purple Trans Am, project #3
*Paint is overrated*
© RSS Enterprises 2000

[Longhorn Man]

A bottle jack from frame to axle could do it...and a propain torch is dirt cheap and a no brainer to use.
Of course, this is if the cutting torch thing is not a possability.

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'69 G.M.C. 350/350. Trying to clean up the left over damage from the Dope-Smokin-Old-Man
I've been dubbed the Longhorn Freak/Fanatic/Expert, I just hope I can live up to it.
FINALLY got the HORNIAC...a '70 one ton Longhorn with a Pontiac 350/350 and lots of 'personality'. Check out The Longhorn Webite.
E-mail longhornmail@yahoo.com
My name is Andy...not Randy...I'm in Ohio...Not Illinois...close enough?
Columbus Ohio