Cutting Shock Bolts

SGTJOE wrote:
I've been told that the bolts holding my shocks in place will have to be cut in order to replace the factory shocks. This is from two places who have not seen the motorhome. I looked under it and saw no signs of rust or dirt on any of the bolts holding the shocks. I also sprayed a penetrating oil on all of them.

Is it normal for the bolts to be cut off? Anyone ever had this happen?

My MH is a National Tradewinds DP 2001 on a freightliner chassis. The Blistins were installed when she was new.

Well Sir,
I answered you in your other forum but, here it is. First, don't be so quick to butcher off ANY bolts until you put a couple of wrenches and or an impact on them. Unless you're doing this for a living and, you're working at a flat rate, you're not in a hurry. So, an attempt or two at loosening the bolts in question may reveal they're not on all that hard. Or, it may reveal they're rusted solid. But, you won't know 'till you give it the ole' College try.

Second, SOME folks cut them off because the bone heads in assembly some how set them up so they cannot come out due to insufficient clearance for them to be COMPLETELY removed. Now, you say you've looked under the coach to see them and, you've sprayed a bit of penetrant on them, correct? If so, do look under it again to see if there is sufficient clearance for complete removal.

If there isn't, then yes, it might be necessary for them to be cut. But, to just crawl under there with torch/saber saw/sawzall, whatever the cutting utensil is, and start cutting, without first attempting to remove them in a regular manor, well, that's up to you. It's much like seeing a door kicked in BEFORE trying to turn the door knob to see if it's unlocked.
Scott

Diablo reciprocating saw blades are awesome.

SGTJOE wrote:

Stim wrote:
Why are you opposed to cutting them off?
Sometimes it's the fastest way, time is money.

I'm thinking that they are part of the undercarriage, so they would have to be welded back on. Am I wrong, are they a bolt and nut not attached to the undercarriage?

Typically it's just a rather ordinary machine bolt and a nut, running through a bracket welded to the frame and the eye of the shock absorber (and bushings and washers and so forth). The bolt and nut are not welded to the frame. That, of course, is assuming the shock doesn't have a threaded stud sticking out the top that gets attached to a mount with a nut and bushing and washer at the top, such as is common on cars and/or some front suspensions.

I'm sure there are other variations on some vehicles, but these are the two general types of mounts that I've come across.

Stim wrote:
Why are you opposed to cutting them off?
Sometimes it's the fastest way, time is money.

I'm thinking that they are part of the undercarriage, so they would have to be welded back on. Am I wrong, are they a bolt and nut not attached to the undercarriage?

Why are you opposed to cutting them off?
Sometimes it's the fastest way, time is money.

Usually some penetrating oil and an impact gun will do the job. Sometimes heating the nut with a torch works. Last resort is to cut off bolts with a torch.

Looks like a THIRD call is needed-- perhaps to someone who has done suspension work on a Freightliner chassis.

You can speculate until time ends if you want. Or, you can put an impact driver/wrench on the fasteners and . . . . . CRANK. Then, see what happens. You'll have your answer. If you need to be more aggressive with cutting tools, then you do. IMO, that's the time to decide. If not, keep doing what you're doing. Every vehicle is different depending on where its been and for how long.

It's just my personal opinion but I really try to avoid buying vehicles with evidence of the previous owners/mechanics/technicians tendency to over use cutting torches, crow bars, and sledge hammers. But, sometimes its the only way.

Chum lee

The only ones I had to cut off were from trucks that ran in the strip mines in Penna. and I've worked on trucks that were from 1942.

Most heavy truck shocks are cut off. Those bolts a rusted even if you can't see it.
Cut em off, pound em out and use new bolts. Job done.