Bolts wont loosen - rear skid

Winston

Winston

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Joined
Nov 27, 2008
Messages
17
Location
TC MI
I can't get the front 2 bolts of the 6 loose to remove the skid...I am puzzled, because they were tough to initially crack, but now they both just spin seemingly without coming out. Is there any tricks to this? Is there anyway to "hold" something between the w-arm and the tunnel???
 
The issue is that the bolts are threaded into a round shaft in the suspension arm...the round shaft is spinning on you.

To remove the bolts:

Tighten up one side (side A). Then back the opposite side (side B) out a 1/2" or so. Find a open ended wrench that will just fit over the threads of the loosened side. Tighten up the bolt onto the open ended wrench (side B). You should now be able to back out Side A and Side B should be loosened enough (once you back that bolt out and remove the wrench) to remove it as well.

Doug
 
Hey, I will give that a try! I thought I was losing my mind trying to loosen those up. Thanks for the tip!
 
If you have air, you can run the bolts in and out a few times, and then all the way out. That works well, too.
 
The open end wrench trick usually does the trick. Alternate sides 1/4 turn at a time. Just dropped one earlier today in record time, track and all.
 
No shop air here...That would be nice, though. But I did manage to get the skid out with the wrench trick. Thanks again! This is my first attempt to swap tracks. So far, getting things apart were a little tricky. I'm sure it will get easier. I plan on tackling the chaincase and bearings later.
 
Skid was out in less than 3 minutes, Track and both axles in less than 20. I cheated though, the engine was already out and it was a Phazer so no coolant bottle, etc.

After you do this 30 times, you know exactly which tool works best for every bolt and where there are. Air tools and Makita cordless impact make this an easy job. Also wobble extensions in all sizes, ratchet wrenches, and a ratchet that works by simply twisting the handle back and forth (Thanks Cody) help also.

I have several Ziploc bags already marked to catch the parts from doing this over and over before.
  1. Loosen track
  2. Place a large crescent on the drive axle (this holds the axles for loosening bolts and nuts - when the parking brake just won't do it)
  3. Drain chaincase - (be sure to get some on the floor)
  4. Remove secondary
  5. Remove brake caliper and swing out of the way
  6. Remove chaincase cover - (get more oil on you, the belly pan, and the floor even though you put rags in-place)
  7. Remove nut and bolt holding the 2 gears on
  8. Backoff tenshioner and slide it out
  9. Pull gears and chain with washers, spacers, and collars (I put the gears in seperate bags to keep the spacers and collars with the right gear)
  10. Remove chaincase bolts (this is where some of the special tools help)
  11. Pull chaincase with brake disk and parking brake (catch the key, the thing you heard drop, and do not damage seals if you plan to reuse)
  12. Suspend sled slightly and slip boards in the track to slide the skid out of the track easily in a later step
  13. Remove skid bolts (start by hand 1/4 turn each bolt until both loose and then air wrench - this keeps the shafts from simply spinning)
  14. Remove bearing holders on clutch side (one on jackshaft and the other holds the speedo pickup gear assembly)
  15. Raise rear high enough to clear W-arm (or H-arm) in front and pull skid - (if you used boards it will slide right out by simply lifting the track over the rear axle wheels and carrier wheels)
  16. Bunch the track up around the axle and shove the axle towards the clutchside as far as it will go
  17. Remove the 2 Torx set screws on the axle bearing and remove the bearing (if the axle is shoved to the left, this can be done from above)
  18. Bunch the track again and work the axle free (go right and then left)
  19. Track should drop out (leave it somplace you can easily trip over it)
  20. Grab the dolly and run the sled outside for a bath (now is the time to get the underside and engine compartment really clean
  21. You can also find any bolts or other things that may have been dropped down there before
  22. I like to inspect everything for any damage or wear at this time
  23. You can pull the cable off the parking brake if you want the chaincase out of the sled to clean and replace seals and bearings (Do not disassemble the parking brake itself)
  24. Good time to swap the tunnel if that is in the plans too
Was going to make this a real brief recap, but now look what I have done . . .
 
whoa. I have a ways to go...Learning curve has only just begun here.
About the boards in the track step; do you have any pics to show this? I ended up getting the skid out (after quite a bit of tugging, etc.) by tilting sled on the side and worked the skid out.
 
Someone posted pics of the boards last year. A search ought to show it. All the boards do is hold the track away from the sliders enough that the drive lugs on the miss the sliders. Place them between the track and the sliders crossways on the sled.
 
Ding said:
The open end wrench trick usually does the trick. Alternate sides 1/4 turn at a time. Just dropped one earlier today in record time, track and all.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Guess I never heard of using an open end wrench under the head of the bolt. I don't understand how this works. Is it that the tightened bolt is now beyond the area of where the locktite would be? What am i missing?

I've always used a different bolt (usually a bit longer) with a jamb nut.
 
It allows the bolt that is loosened to be tightened again in order to hold the shaft from spinning. Then once the other one is slightly loose, it can usually be loosened again. If you just tighten the bolt again without the wrench, turning the other bolt usually just spins the shaft which re-loosens the same bolt. The wrench acts like a lock washer I suppose. I had used this trick many times before on automotive and ag vehicles.

The key to taking them out is to work each side a very small turn at a time. This is why you start it by hand.
 
Last edited:
Ding said:
It allows the bolt that is loosened to be tightened again in order to hold the shaft from spinning. Then once the other one is slightly loose, it can usually be loosened again. If you just tighten the bolt again without the wrench, turning the other bolt usually just spins the shaft which re-loosens the same bolt. The wrench acts like a lock washer I suppose. I had used this trick many times before on automotive and ag vehicles.

The key to taking them out is to work each side a very small turn at a time. This is why you start it by hand.
Click to expand...


I think I see what you're saying. Can't remember having issues with loosening both bolts. The problem I have is turning the last bolt out without the shaft turning with it. I break both sides loose and retighten then remove one.

Which is when I put a slightly longer bolt with a jamb nut into the first hole, tighten the jamb nut and run the other bolt out. Then loosen the jamb nut and remove the bolt by hand (with the susp. supported in some way).
 
If you alternate side to side a very small turn at a time, there should be no need to retighten. I do it by feel, and it only takes one hand turn on each side. Then air wrench. However, I for some reason have taken a proaction skid out far too many times to count.
 
Good question . . .

I pull it because I always either replace or repack it whenever I pull a track. Nasty things happen when those bearings go bad. You are right, you don't really have to pull it. I already had the engine out so it is right there to pull. Just 2 quick hits with the Makita cordless impact, and it is out.
 
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