I tried to install my 2 1/2" coil spacers today, and needless to say, I've gotta be the worst mechanic ever. I had to disconnect the track bar in order to get the axle to drop enough for the spacers. The cotter pin the holds the nut on the track bar was rusted so bad I could only remove it in chunks, well, I missed a chunk and when I turned the nut off it scewed up all the threads inside the nut. When I tried to put the nut back on, I accidentally cross threaded it. I drive 20 miles to Home Depot to grab a new nut, but I forgot the original at home. I called Advanced Auto and they informed me that I would need a 16mm fine thread nut. I bought one and drove 20 miles back to my house only to find out that the nut was too large. By this time all the auto parts and hardware stores where closed, so I tied smashing the original nut on with a hammer. BAD idea. Now I'm worried that I messed up the threads on the track bar. Tomorrow I'm gonna buy a tap and die set and try to reform all the threads. This project should have taken me only a couple of hours...crap.

 

Them crusted cotters can be a bitch, it should be mandatory that they be made out of an alloy not prone to rust.
I spent about an hour wrestling with one of those damn things doing my ball joints a few months back, finally popped off and nailed me right in the eye, just for insult.
I was considering melting it down with a torch or grinding it to dust to get even, but after I walked away for half an hour or so I got over it.

 

sometime $hit just goes wrong and there's not anything you can do about it.
did you get your spacers on ?

 

Lol yeah I thought about doing something like that but I'd probably just end up hurting myself or my truck even more.

Yeah the spacers went on with no problem once I got the dang track bar off. I'm leaving in a few minutes to try and find another nut, a tap and die set, or a whole new track bar. Not sure if I can save the threads on the bar or not. I also need to get some new bushings for the track bar since I destroyed the frame side bushing trying to pry it off. Is there a certain way I need to position the axle to make the track bar slide in easier? Or do I just smash it with a sledge hammer until it does what I want?

 

If the axle side is bolted... have a buddy get in your truck and turn your wheels left and right while you try to pop it in the hole. That worked on my buddys truck when we did his track bar. See what happens.

 

If you are alone , you can use your foot to push the body to one side or another to line it up. Do the bolt end first.