TL;DR: My spring retainer bolt has snapped and is stuck under the perch with no way out.

Existing research: I could only find 1 existing post from 9 years ago with no conclusion, https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/modi...htmare-295323/.

Problem:
I was removing the Teraflex rear spring retainers after 6 years of them being installed in New England conditions (corrosion). The bolt screws into a nut inside the spring perch, and has snapped, leaving the nut with the remaining bolt stuck inside the perch. It's just big enough to prevent extraction. Without it removed, I cannot install a new spring retainer.

Since the space is so tight, I can't really hold the nut to cut it with anything. Maybe I can find some really skinny locking needle nose pliers.

Overall, I'm looking for some tips in how I could deal with this. Pictures attached below.


This is the retainer, before removal

This is the perch, after removal

Inside the perch, here is the nut with the remaining threads after snapping. It's just big enough for it not to have clearance.

 

This is one of those problems that has an easy solution......if you can weld. Simply cut legs of perch on one side, bend up to get clearance, and weld it back together once retrieved. Option two that comes to mind is drill out the hole on the perch big enough to retired the flange nut, weld a big washer back on top to create a new hole the size you need. That said, guessing you do not weld. It might not cost that much to find a shop around that could do that for you. Curious if anyone else can brainstorm an easier solution.

 

Yeah totally -- I should have mentioned that is a constraint, I don't have a means to perform that work.

I've started a discussion on the 1 Ton Jeep FB group seeking non-welding solutions too, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1408...44466772528519

A few alternative options:
- Just give it absolute hell with a hammer & prybar (screwdriver, etc). It's a low grade bolt, so this just might work.
- Bore out the retainer hole to extract it from the top of the perch, and use a washer when installing new hardware (like you suggested, but without welding the washer)
- Cutting torch (melt it/cut it down)
- Air chisel (still not sure how I'll accomplish this given the angle to work with. Have to extract in the same direction of access)

These all feel like pragmatic options. I'm going to start with the brute force approach with a hammer & screwdriver next.

 

I think I'd opt for boring out the top hole. I'd rather have a washer welded, but that perch retainer ain't going to be shifting around so I'm sure just using a washer to narrow the hole and torquing things down would work fine for that application.

 

I don't see you being able to hammer that guy out. Realistically, I'd give you better odds using a sawzall and getting to that bolt.

 

If you can hold the nut in place a little then jam a pry bar under the nut to hold it up tightly against the spring perch, that should give you enough to drill the end of the bolt. If you can get a little bit of the material out then you should easily be able to remove the nut from the opening of the perch.

I wouldn’t suggest beating on a screwdriver since you’re just going to destroy the handle before you get the nut out. If you choose a brute force method, use a large punch.