REDZMAN

Same methods as usual, there's always questions on this.

1. Heat/Cooling cycles.
2. WD40 or even better, PB Blaster, soaked on, both directions.
3. Sledge.
4. Cut it off.

Or my personal always works work around, TIGHTEN the bolt/nut with your impact, then loosen.

Always works for me.

Polaris

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (radu_rd2 @ Oct 29 2008, 10:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>For the front one - I jacked the control arm up a bit so that its weight was not supported by the bolt anymore, and hammered it out while turning it with a socket.

If it's seized up (can't turn it with a socket), you can use the wheel lug wrench, I had a cross-shaped one and one of the four ends had just the right socket (19mm i think). With the cross-shape wrench, I pushed with my leg on one side and pulled with my arm on the other side and made the bolt my b****.</div>

Essentially did what you did radu.
The first time about a week ago I broke a socket using a breaker bar trying to get it out. Somehow it finally came out with turning and hammering. The two nuts came out using a vice clamp to hold the back. I'll finish installing the rest of them this weekend because right now I'm wiped and have to head back to school tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help.

DTN

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RED ZMAN @ Oct 30 2008, 12:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Or my personal always works work around, TIGHTEN the bolt/nut with your impact, then loosen.

Always works for me.</div>
I remember you posting about the discovery of this technique. Now every time I try to loosen a stuck bolt, I think about this and give it a try. I've not found it to be any more effective after using pb blaster as metal-on-metal tapping. It does give you a different angle though. Maybe I'm doing it wrong or something? Any special technique?

Stocker

When I was in the Navy, the airframers taught me to tighten before loosening. It has saved me a BUNCH of times when just loosening didn't cut it. You can't always have penetrating oil handy, but you can almost always reverse the operation of whatever tool you are using.

Polaris

I used the tightening technique on about 3 of the other bolts that were pretty stuck in there and it works really well, but it didn't work on the one bolt that didn't come out.

REDZMAN

DTN, yes, the special technique is to pull your head out your ass, flip the switch to FORWARD, and pull the trigger on the impact wrench.

If it doesn't work, your car hates you.


To the OP, did you try a sledge on the pointy end of the bolt? Have you tried putting a jack under the A arm there and jacking it up a bit?

Polaris

Yea, I already got it out last night, i posted that a few posts above, I just have to install the struts and springs this weekend and go to the hardware store to pick up a few new nuts.

Stocker

offtopic.gif Chuck Norris and Lance Armstrong got into a nut-counting competition. Chuck Norris won by five.