Or 6'3", 290#, with arms like a gorilla...

A useful trick I've found is putting a drift on the head and smacking is 2-3 times with a good-sized mallet - I usually use a 3# cross-peen, and it helps. Breaks up the crud.

Punch it down, then tighten/loosen it a bit.

If you're going to use a "blue wrench" (torch,) do so with care - especially if you're not going to replace the springs (you'll wreck the bushings.) If it's a captive or welded nut, do not heat the nut! Heat the bolt instead, it will expand and force the nut open. Replace the bolt, the heat-treatment will be wrecked (that's why you don't want to heat the nut, if you can't replace it.)

I've detailed a useful technique elsewhere, you can probably still find it.

 

i've found the best solution when i had this issue on my other vehicle was to find a REALLY good penetrating lube. i can't remember what exactly i used but it was a lot better than PB blaster and more expensive. you've gotta spray it every couple hours for at least a day and then let it soak

and soak

and soak


and soak


and it should work. it did for me anyway.

 

If a breaker bar won't do it, an electric impact won't even come close.

 

If you heat the bolt up and then let it cool, that can help also. Cooling back down brakes loose the rust and dirt and makes it easier to remove.

I agree with everyone else that heat is the ticket.

 

You have a 90% chance the bolt to the front will break, It happens all the time. Hit with PB to get the rust loose on the nut side. Do that threw slots in frame. When you do go for it get a grinder and new bolts to cut bottom section to get at nut and replace. You can take to welding shop latter and have nut tacked and weld in section you cut out.

 

I have *just* been through this the past few days.

Don't waste your money on an impact - won't work. I've got an IR TI235 (or whatever the model # is) and it wouldn't budge them.

Take a hammer, like a 2 or 3# hammer, and smack the bolt heads a couple times pretty good. Soak behind the bolt head, in between the frame brackets and leaf spring and inside the unibody pocket where the welded nut is. Do this everyday for a few days.

Get a long 1/2" drive extension - long enough to get the breaker bar outside the door where you can stand on it. Support the breaker bar with a jackstand, so you can REALLY get on it. Use the longest 1/2" breaker bar you can find and then put the longest cheater pipe/bar on it you can find. The longer you can make the breaker bar, the better. Now stand on the cheater and it will come loose. May be tight and popping like crazy, but it will come. If it won't, put more weight on the cheater (get a heavier buddy) or if you can't, make it longer so you're weight will move it.

I had the passenger side bolt come out using the above methods.
The driver side unscrewed from the bolt in the body BUT the bolt was corroded solid to the sleeve that is inside the leaf spring bushing. I had to use a long pry bar to pry the leaf spring hanger open a bit, then slide the leaf spring in toward the body to create a gap between the leaf and the bracket (on the bolt head side). I cut the bolt in two there using an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel. Then I cut the leaf spring off at the eye of the leaf spring and cut what was left of the leaf spring eye into, rotate it 180* and cut it again so it would come off the bushing.

Next, using the angle grinder, cut the rubber bushing off. Once you get the bushing off you'll see the sleeve that is corroded to the bolt. Just cut the sleeve and bolt both in two in about the middle, so you leave enough sticking out to grab onto and unthread from the welded nut inside the unibody. Don't cut it off flush with the unibody!

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