Started to take the rear apart today to put the new leafs in.  Busted both of the U-bolts off and can't get the front leaf bolt to budge.  Don't want to bust it too so I stopped before I got angry....

I don't understand why you cut the leafs?   What does that help.  I have everything else off except for the bolt holding the front of the leaf on and the bolt on the rear shackle.  It has a hitch on the back so the bolt attaching the leaf to the shackle cannot come out until the shackle is removed as well....

If the bushing is rusted to the bolt you either have to cut the bolt or cut the spring.
By cutting the bolt you will have to easy-out the frame side of the torqebox this is a pain in the kiester. So the other option is to cut the spring. Are you re-using your pak? If so cut the bolt. If your not, cut the leaf at the spring eye at different locations around the bushing. Be caerfull not to cut the torquebox. Ounce you make about three cuts pry the the pieces apart.
Make sure you cut through the spring ,sleeve, and into the bushing. At this point remove all the metal from the bushing and cut it with a knife. At this point you'll see the sleeve that has become part of that bolt you need to save. The sleeve has a seem running accross it . Take a junk screwdriver or chisel and work it apart. This will free the bolt from it and allow you to use it again. Luckly XJs only have two like this (front of springs only).
Make sure you clean the threads on the bolt as well as the frame side fastener.

Thats why I cut my springs.

 Grinder and a couple of metal cutting wheels (electric). Also used a phenumatic cut off(safer) , but grinder works faster. 

-- Edited by threeEs99 at 16:17, 2008-10-04

The bolts will probably come out of the frame side, but the sleeve prevents it from coming out of the spring. Be carefull not to allow this to force the outer portion of the torque box to spred or bend out. Mine did this. A dremel should work good, grinder is faster.

Its weird your having this problem Andy, I mean, the jeep ONLY has 300k on it and I don't remember there being ANY rust on it. LOL. Good luck with the bolts, wish I was there to help. Oh and save the AAL kit on those spring packs if you can, I'll pass them along to someone else. I'm really excited about the build! Can't wait to get home and drive it. It will be my DD this winter along with the Scout (if some of the holes get patched haha) well good luck! Oh have you tried using magic to get the bolts off? Maybe whistle dixie while wrenching on 'em.

That would be fine, be sure to grab the tool oil and all the extra cut off wheels. I was going to suggest that but wasn't sure if you had a compressor or not. good luck,, im going back to sleep now, people just woke me up to put new light bulb in my room. later