Posted by Gordon on Thursday, February 26, 2004 at 5:15AM :
In Reply to: Spring pin removal on C3-p/w posted by Dave on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 at 11:00PM :
Get a very large reverse thread screw extractor with a 3/8 square drive or something like that, and just ram it in the grease fitting hole - works for me every time.
The coarse thread on the screw extractor does remarkably little damage to the grease fitting thread, and it allows you to get enough leverage to do the one critical action when trying to remove these bolts - turning them.
Why turn them? - simple. Lack of lube often means that the pin itself is worn and the spring has 'dropped' where the bush has worn through. If you think about it you'll realise that leaves a ledge on the pin inboard of the spring, locking against the spring edge when you try to pull it. Turning the pin moves it on to an unworn surface and if it will turn, it will pull.
I must have done nearly twenty of these things over the years on my own trucks and other peoples. All you need is the screw extractor, hammer, spanner, and enough jacking or blocking to take the weight off the chassis and spring.