94 Medalist leaf spring problem

LiquidVENOM · 09-21-2013, 05:12 PM

Hey everyone, I got a 94 ezgo medalist for $150 a couple weeks ago. It's in terrible condition, and I've been restoring it. It's NOT been easy. However, this week I was working on the rear leaf springs, which need to be replaced. I found that the only way to get the old ones off was to cut off the bolts holding them on. I finally got them off except now I have another problem. The bolts holding the rear of the springs in have some weird flat head on one side. I can't get them out of the hole. I have attached some pictures of what they look like. (they look like the one holding the top of the shackle in). How do I get these things out? I tried drilling them out but I just ended up breaking a couple of bits. Need advice please thanks.

yurtle · 09-21-2013, 05:25 PM

I would try and use a punch, but you should try and drive it to the outside.

EDIT: If you don't have a punch, a hardened bolt of smaller diameter should work. May need to support the shackle somehow - tree?

LiquidVENOM · 09-21-2013, 06:55 PM

Tried a punch, and a torch. It isn't budging. Any other suggestions?

yurtle · 09-21-2013, 07:06 PM

Did you try and drive it from the inside out? It looks like a stud with splines on it. If you look at the good one you reference, You'll see the direction it would have to go to remove.

Other than that, I got nothin'. I'll bet it's hardened (the splines have to dig into the softer shackle metal), so drilling it will cost a lot of time and cheap bits, but that's what I had to do on a hardened bolt holding my rear roof struts. I probably spent several days drilling, letting it cool, then drilling some more, until I finally broke through. I think I used 1/8". After that, drilling it with progressively bigger bits was much easier.

LiquidVENOM · 09-21-2013, 07:11 PM

Well, I'm done trying for tonight, but tomorrow I'll try to smash it again. I've been using center punches, don't know if there's anything more convenient. Unfortunately since I've got both the rear springs off and the rear jacked up it's pretty difficult to have any room to try and get it off from the inside to out.. seems like these things were supposed to be easy to replace...

yurtle · 09-21-2013, 07:12 PM

If you have to buy a drill bit(s), you may find a better harder drill bit might last longer. I just used what I had on hand. I have MUCH better drill bits now.

Maybe try Googling "drilling out hardened stud" or "removing broken hardened stud".

Springlake · 09-21-2013, 08:09 PM

My 95 had the same problem. After beating them into submission, I ended up buying new. My local shop had the whole assembly. Sometimes the fight is not worth it

Really looking forward to your build. I had a blast on mine!!

yurtle · 09-21-2013, 08:21 PM

Got a plan, of sorts. They were either pressed in, or the nut was used to pull it in. You need to look at the tools available to you. One possibility is to use a big washer or two on the outside, and something fairly small like a bearing to place in the middle of the stud on the inside with a quarter on top (something harder may be needed), then use 2 sets of vice-grips to squeeze it out, if that makes sense.

Think bottle jack, screw jack, vice grips, anything that applies a lot of force.

EDIT: If you do the vice grip method mentioned above, tape the washer in place, tape the bearing (or whatever) in place, then tape the quarter (or whatever) in place. With two sets of vice grips, squeeze, release, tighten, repeat. With two sets, you have two hands squeezing.

pachanga90 · 09-21-2013, 08:29 PM

Usually when they are splined,you have to pound them out from the inner-side towards the outside.Try using an air-hammer,with a punch-bit and drive it out.Set the side-bar on a vise,outside down,with a gap between the jaws for the diameter of the bolt.Trailers use the same style bolts,I hammer them out all the time like that.Hope this helps.

Kudaman · 09-21-2013, 08:30 PM

It's definitely a press in stud type connection. The bolt is probably seized in the sleeve of the bushing not allowing it to move. My recommendation is to hammer on the side bar to get that off.(not the bolt) You can use heat on the side bar if it's giving you a hard time. Then using a socket, hammer out the bushing as a whole. If the socket doesn't work fire up your torch and burn the bushing out.

09-21-2013, 05:25 PM	#2
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: 94 Medalist leaf spring problem I would try and use a punch, but you should try and drive it to the outside. EDIT: If you don't have a punch, a hardened bolt of smaller diameter should work. May need to support the shackle somehow - tree?

09-21-2013, 06:55 PM	#3
LiquidVENOM Not Yet Wild Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 7	Re: 94 Medalist leaf spring problem Tried a punch, and a torch. It isn't budging. Any other suggestions?
LiquidVENOM Not Yet Wild Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 7

09-21-2013, 07:06 PM	#4
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: 94 Medalist leaf spring problem Did you try and drive it from the inside out? It looks like a stud with splines on it. If you look at the good one you reference, You'll see the direction it would have to go to remove. Other than that, I got nothin'. I'll bet it's hardened (the splines have to dig into the softer shackle metal), so drilling it will cost a lot of time and cheap bits, but that's what I had to do on a hardened bolt holding my rear roof struts. I probably spent several days drilling, letting it cool, then drilling some more, until I finally broke through. I think I used 1/8". After that, drilling it with progressively bigger bits was much easier.

09-21-2013, 07:11 PM	#5
LiquidVENOM Not Yet Wild Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 7	Re: 94 Medalist leaf spring problem Well, I'm done trying for tonight, but tomorrow I'll try to smash it again. I've been using center punches, don't know if there's anything more convenient. Unfortunately since I've got both the rear springs off and the rear jacked up it's pretty difficult to have any room to try and get it off from the inside to out.. seems like these things were supposed to be easy to replace...
LiquidVENOM Not Yet Wild Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 7

09-21-2013, 07:12 PM	#6
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: 94 Medalist leaf spring problem If you have to buy a drill bit(s), you may find a better harder drill bit might last longer. I just used what I had on hand. I have MUCH better drill bits now. Maybe try Googling "drilling out hardened stud" or "removing broken hardened stud".

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09-21-2013, 08:09 PM	#7
Springlake I Believe !! Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Panhandle Florida Posts: 1,419	Re: 94 Medalist leaf spring problem My 95 had the same problem. After beating them into submission, I ended up buying new. My local shop had the whole assembly. Sometimes the fight is not worth it Really looking forward to your build. I had a blast on mine!!

09-21-2013, 08:21 PM	#8
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: 94 Medalist leaf spring problem Got a plan, of sorts. They were either pressed in, or the nut was used to pull it in. You need to look at the tools available to you. One possibility is to use a big washer or two on the outside, and something fairly small like a bearing to place in the middle of the stud on the inside with a quarter on top (something harder may be needed), then use 2 sets of vice-grips to squeeze it out, if that makes sense. Think bottle jack, screw jack, vice grips, anything that applies a lot of force. EDIT: If you do the vice grip method mentioned above, tape the washer in place, tape the bearing (or whatever) in place, then tape the quarter (or whatever) in place. With two sets of vice grips, squeeze, release, tighten, repeat. With two sets, you have two hands squeezing.

09-21-2013, 08:29 PM	#9
pachanga90 I Refuse To Get Stuck!!! Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Hilton,NY Posts: 5,427	Re: 94 Medalist leaf spring problem Usually when they are splined,you have to pound them out from the inner-side towards the outside.Try using an air-hammer,with a punch-bit and drive it out.Set the side-bar on a vise,outside down,with a gap between the jaws for the diameter of the bolt.Trailers use the same style bolts,I hammer them out all the time like that.Hope this helps.

09-21-2013, 08:30 PM	#10
Kudaman Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Ottawa, ontario, Canada Posts: 292	Re: 94 Medalist leaf spring problem It's definitely a press in stud type connection. The bolt is probably seized in the sleeve of the bushing not allowing it to move. My recommendation is to hammer on the side bar to get that off.(not the bolt) You can use heat on the side bar if it's giving you a hard time. Then using a socket, hammer out the bushing as a whole. If the socket doesn't work fire up your torch and burn the bushing out.

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