Chevy & GMC Vans

OK, so I got my Overland lift kit for my '95 and older composite spring van.

Two things:

1.) Is there some secret for getting the lower shackle bolt out? I got both the upper and lower nuts off, but the lower bolt won't even rotate. I've beat on it extensively, I put a breaker bar on the bolt head and beat on it and can't even get it to turn. I, of course, sprayed everything with liquid wrench yesterday and let it soak overnight.

2.) My 2" lift kit came with four bolts taped together that I thought went with the new rear shackles. They aren't the same size as the originals and didn't come with any new nuts?

Any suggestions?

The AWD 2" kit will have

6 - 2" blocks. Two of them will have larger diameter center holes. These two are for the center subframe mounts on either side.

6 - Subframe to body bolts. Two are a larger diameter for the two larger center blocks mentioned above.

2 - Lift shackles. No new bolts supplied. Reuse the old ones.

1 - Emergency brake cable bracket. It's exactly the same as the original with an extra hole drilled in it.

1- Two wheel drve steering shaft. Or supply your own. I get them from the junkyard for around $7.

Getting that lower bolt out of the leaf spring can be a f%^#&@g nightmare if it is rusty. I've done a couple but I still have not completed the lift on my sons van because of those same bolts you mention. The only solution I have come up with is to completely remove the leaf springs from the van and have the bolts pressed out by someone with a press. Unfortunately you have to drop the gas tank to remove the front hanger bolts for the drivers side spring. If someone has an alternate method PLEASE speak up.

Just to clarify, the rear eye of the leaf spring has a rubber bushing installed which in turn has a steel sleeve sealed into it. The bolt goes through this sleeve. The bolt then rusts together with the sleeve. That is why it won't come out. To make things worse, when you try to break it free you have to deal with the flexing of the rubber bushing making it impossible to break free.

Thanks for the clarification on the supplied bolts. They were taped in a group of four then two, so I presumed that the four were for the rear shackle bolts and the two were for the front spacers. I see now that the spacer blocks are spread out amongst the 6 frame to body bolts.

I have a 12 ton shop press but I REALLY rather not remove the whole spring, thats a lot more rusty bolts to deal with.

What I'm going to try is to cut the bolt head off and use a gear puller. Set the threaded bolt of the puller in a centered punch mark on the cut off shackle bolt. and then attach the "legs" of the gear puller to the backside of the bracket that holds the bolt, rubber bushing, and bolt sleeve. Hopefully when I start tightening it down it will force the bolt out and not start mangling the bracket.

I'll report back if that works as it will be a lot easier than pulling the whole spring.

Do you have access to an impact wrench? I would suggest a very strong air impact wrench to at least try to break the rust free. That is the hardest part of the lifts some times. When you put it all back together, use LOTS of never-seize on everything.

I had to cut both ends of the bolt off, then use a Ball joint press to press the center metal sleeve and bolt out. They were rusted into one unit as Lockdoc explained. I think I made a new sleeve out of a piece of steel tubing or I may have bought new bushing that came with a new sleeve, can't remember, then I used one of the frame bolts to replace the rusted one as they were the same size since the new frame bolts would be longer.

howabout putting a piece of pipe or a big socket aroundthe head end of the bolt and using a clamp to press it out?

What a nightmare!

Got one side done.

Here's what I did. There was no amount of bashing that was going to get it out. Bracing against the tire with a breaker bar I couldn't get it to even turn (I'm 6' 205lbs, not weak)

I cut off both ends of the bolt with a plasma cutter/sawzall and took off the shackle. Then I ground the bolt head end (more room on the side facing in) smooth.

I center punched it and then used a two armed gear/bearing puller. After trying to use my impact (didn't work, always went off to the side) I just went back to wrenching. The damn rubber bushing just kept giving without the bolt/sleeve coming completely out. So after I had it pushed in pretty good I took a MAPP gas torch to the aluminum bracket the whole thing is in.

After it got good and hot the whole thing started sliding out. Once I had it out I could take it over to my shop press and get the bolt and sleeve out of the rubber bushing.

I then took some 1/2" pipe cut it to length and then split it lengthwise for a new sleeve.

It is my habit to replace bolts/nuts on jobs like this. I couldn't find any 14mm hardened bolts 6" long. I called a dealer and kept getting put on hold by the parts department. I am under some time pressure because right now this is my daily driver. So the next closest thing I could find is some grade 5 bolts in 9/16". They are almost exactly the same size.

I will probably replace them with new factory bolts. Until then I'm not worried about the 9/16 grade 5 bolts (120,000lbs tensile/ 72,000lbs shear) failing any time soon.

OK, posting this gave me a chance to rest, it's time to do battle with the other side!

I feel your pain!

Thanks for the update on your solution.

I tried a c clamp like suggested above but it just doesn't have enough pressure.

Huh? > what do you mean about rusted bolts....?

Signed from, "Confused in Karlyfornia"...... haha!

lockdoc wrote:I feel your pain!

Thanks for the update on your solution.

I tried a c clamp like suggested above but it just doesn't have enough pressure.

LMAO, I remember that day well.


Good to see you have got the 1 side done Astro1,let us know how the other side goes.

Got the other side done the same way as the first. The key for me was to get the pressure on the whole thing with the puller and then hit it with the heat. It smokes/stinks but it comes out!

When I fabbed the new sleeves I also had to turn down the rubber bushings to fit the slightly larger bolts/sleeves into the bushing, and then still fit into the spring bracket eye.

I also installed a set of timbrens, I will have to make some spacers to get them within an inch of the rails with the 2" lift. I installed longer Rancho shocks too. I anticipate adding a 1" block to the axle bracket and perhaps a 1" bump up via torsion bars? to augment the front spacers for a total 3" lift.

That, with some 29" M/T's will get the ghetto sled up to snuff for now. I have other plans as well!!!!!

I was lucky... I needed a set of replacement springs so I didn't even bother with those bolts...

You can get those bolts at Fastenal they have to look em up in their books and order em it will cost ya about 5 to 7 bucks a peice with nuts and washers cuz you got to pay for shipping too. but thats where I got all the subframe bolts and one rear shackle bolt for TW