On my 13 year old FL112 frieghtliner/RV...at home in the driveway today.

Using a 3/4" drive air impact and a short non regulated/ full pressure 3/8" air hose to get maximum performance out of the tool. (Tool really needs a 1/2" hose which I don't have yet.) I still didn't have enough azz on one lower shock nut, typical even with a 1/2" air hose sometimes. It's down low where it see's more road grime. Soaking it didn't help. Can't get my 4' breaker bar/pipe setup on it.

Pulled out my trigger map gas torch which is way hotter than a propane torch, which is like holding a candle under the nut to heat it up. Map gas wasn't hot enough.

But the map gas mixed with some oxygen was plenty hot enough and the nut came off after about 30 seconds of heating, not even close to cherry red. 1 1/8" nut.

Used to have a full sized acetylene oxygen cutting welding torch setup, one of my first big tools. But I got rid of it years ago after I got a plasma cutter because I was paying monthly rent on the welding tanks and it took up too much room in my small 2 car garage. Still have the cart, regs and hose in storage.

So this little cheap deal I use for heating up stuck hardware at home and soldering 3/4" or larger copper water pipes.

The trigger map gas torch(My fireworks/ bottle rocket lighter) on the right and then other two in the yellow bucket get blended together to get much hotter. Inexpensive setup that can be bought at any hardware store to keep around the garage for heat and soldering when map gas is not enough.

Making sure I have the right replacement shocks, got them from the freighliner dealer here in town.

The nut that needed some heat, nut is still good. Anti seize on everything and back together it goes.


Then the other side...the lower nut came off no problem with no heat...but the lower shock sleeve was seized on the lower mounting stud, also typical. I do this kind of heavy truck work at work but with better tools.

So I cut the other shock off the lower mount with a wiz wheel and my 4.5" angle grinder. Then took my torch and burned off the rubber bushing bonded to the steel sleeve. Then tried a few times to move it with a pipe wrench and lubricate, nope not yet.
Then took my wiz wheel and cut 2 slits at different places just barely through the sleeve and squirted oil into the slits and then I could spin the sleeve with my pipe wrench first and then channel lock enough to get it off without heat. Because my little red oxygen tank ran out burning off the rubber bushing . Bad part about small tanks, still handy to have a couple of each at home is my point.
I think you use like 3 red tanks to each yellow tank it seems?

Best/ fastest way to do them, cut the shock off, burn the rubber off and then either heat the sleeve,or ball peen hammer it which will expand the sleeve if the sleeve is thin enough and relieve it or cut/relieve it with a wiz wheel when it too thick like today.

The end result.

Ahhh that's not rust. That's patina. Come up north here and I can show you rust.
You guys south of Columbus...

I had a feeling some one would say that! True! LOL

It mostly sits during the winters but when it was newer I drove it and my race trailer to Detroit and Toledo during the winter months in snow a couple times for my sponsor when I was racing, 4 years in a row. I hated driving it in the snow with the trailer.

I saw what it's like up there when it's cold.

Why don't you invest in one of the portable Acet & Oxy tank setups? The two tanks (filled) with the caring case can be had for a couple hundred and then they are yours, not rental. Tanks can be exchanged anyplace that sells welding gas. Won't take up any more room then your bucket, and you will have efficient heating & cutting ability. Gene

Truthfully I don't need heat that often and have other ways to cut metal at home. I bought those little tanks about 3 years ago when I remolded the kitchen and changed around some 3/4 copper water line. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time I used them?

Then I have a full sized set at work 1.1 miles away that I can use 24/7 but much rather work on my stuff at home. Plus my RV won't fit in my shop at work, so I would be outside there too.

But agree in the long run the other setup would be best, but not something I could find at the hardware store at the last minute, if you know what I mean.

Since it's labor day I did some light labor...at home!
The rear shocks came off like butter. Done deal, can't wait to take it for a ride and see the difference.

And I did it in my light labor attire, knee pads and thongs. On my feet, the thongs/flip flops as my wife calls them.