Some comments on removing seized suspension bolts

[3p141592654]

While they are fresh in my mind, some comments on replacing the lower control arm cam bolts that have seized in the bushings.

First, Comadreha's guide covers just about everything you need to know.
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84302

In the guide he says that it is possible to remove the bolt with only one cut. At the time, it wasn't (at least to me), really clear what he meant, but I understand now. This method only works if you plan to replace the arm with a new one, like I did. (It may also work if you have only one seized bolt so that you can wiggle the arm around to free it from the bracket after the cut.)

a) Cut off the control arm right at the seized bushing with a Sawzall. Only takes a few minutes since the arm is soft steel, but obviously the arm is toast after this.

b) Cut through the bolt on the *bolt head* side. This leaves the arm stuck in the bracket but with just the bolt end sticking out of one side. You can then wiggle it around to pull it out without cutting off the other side of the bolt.

I used the thinnest cut off wheel I could find for my angle grinder (0.045 inch as I recall). Probably took less than 10 minutes to cut through the bolt and bushing tube with a fresh wheel.

You do not need to remove the ball joint from the spindle. Instead, I just removed the three bolts that hold the ball joint to the arm and slid it out once the arm was free from the car.

Cut the bolt as far away from the bracket as possible to avoid damaging the bracket.

Here's a pic of my shiny new arms.

 

[shaeff]

I have been through this hell. I ended up using a combination of a torch, cutoff wheels, and a sawzall to get them out. I reused both my lower arms, but pressed in new bushings.

That was not fun.

 

[comadreha]

Thanks for the comments 3p. With your permission, I would like the option of using some of your comments to update and repost an updated guide.

 

[Kckazdude]

On frozen suspension bolts you can also squirt some brake fluid onto the problem fasteners. Let it soak for a few minutes and they will most likely come free or at least become workable enough to replace them. This also goes for exhaust bolts and nuts.

 

[shaeff]

^ Heh, have you ever dealt with the above bolts? Trust me, I tried EVERYTHING. They refused to bust loose.

 

[Kckazdude]

^^ Actually yes. On a car from NY as I recall. Came into the dealership with a cracked control arm making noise from all the rust. Took me a bit of work but it came loose. Wasnt useable afterwards but I used no cutting tool.

 

[Piratetip]

Yeah I tried soaking heating soaking heating sitting heating ect... No budge.
IIRC only 2 of my cam bolts came free, all the rest where completely shot.

I torched them and attacked them with a sawzall.
Didn't have to destroy my control arms.
Pressed in new poly.

 

[shaeff]

^^ Actually yes. On a car from NY as I recall. Came into the dealership with a cracked control arm making noise from all the rust. Took me a bit of work but it came loose. Wasnt useable afterwards but I used no cutting tool.

You got lucky. LOL. I tried everything in the book, my friend. No matter what I did, they didn't even show the slightest sign of breaking loose.

Yeah I tried soaking heating soaking heating sitting heating ect... No budge.
IIRC only 2 of my cam bolts came free, all the rest where completely shot.

I torched them and attacked them with a sawzall.
Didn't have to destroy my control arms.
Pressed in new poly.

I did the same, except replaced the bushings with Nylon.

 

[3p141592654]

Thanks for the comments 3p. With your permission, I would like the option of using some of your comments to update and repost an updated guide.

No problem at all.

 

[3p141592654]

As an experiment I took one of my mangled bushings once i had it off the car, supported it well and tried to drive the bolt out with a hammer and drift. No way, didn't budge at all. This car spent most of its life in SoCal, I'd hate to see one that had been through some real winters!

 

[adampecush]

On frozen suspension bolts you can also squirt some brake fluid onto the problem fasteners. Let it soak for a few minutes and they will most likely come free or at least become workable enough to replace them. This also goes for exhaust bolts and nuts.

hahaha....no. If the bolt is seized in there well enough, no penetrating lubricant will help. The buildup of voluminous corrosion product will prevent the parts from coming apart.

I destroyed a front subframe trying to bang one of the bolts out. Luckily, I had a parts car with a good subframe.

 

[7Mboost]

My cutoff wheel blades last about 1/4" of ONE cut..(trying to do my front poly bushings right now).

 

[shaeff]

Yes, those bolts are tough as hell. I went through a fair amount of cutoff wheels, sawzall blades, and finally decided to carefully torch them out.

 

[figgie]

Jewlers torch on O2/acetalyne or the Torch that uses MAP/O2. I use the latter. Focused heat. Cherry red nut. I only do that on sized bolts. It is coming off at that point.

Another idea if you have the equipment, TiG without adding material to the nut. Works well.

 

[7Mboost]

Just had to cut another one yesterday 2 sawzall blades per CUT!

 

[black89t]

i just went through that yesterday. :icon_evil

i couldn't align my car because of the seized bolt on the right lower control arm, plus the bushings were toast. so i grabrf a spare with good bushing to find that that bolt was not coming out of that bushing sleeve. so i did what i had to do on my mazda. on word. SAWSALL. and of course the right blade. i use a tungstin(sp) blade that doesn't really have teeth. just a very hard course blade. that riped right through the bushing sleeve and bolt. and i went from the inside where the arm sits in the subframe. instead of trying to cut the nut and head off.

 

[3p141592654]

I used one 4.5 x 0.045 cutoff wheel per bolt. Even then, afterwards it was maybe an 1/8" smaller in diameter than a new one. What sort of wheels are you guys using that you need two per bolt! And yes, you cut on the inside of the bracket.

 

[adampecush]

I used one 4.5 x 0.045 cutoff wheel per bolt. Even then, afterwards it was maybe an 1/8" smaller in diameter than a new one. What sort of wheels are you guys using that you need two per bolt! And yes, you cut on the inside of the bracket.

interesting jackstand placement you've got there...

 

[lppro]

i had to cut ALL of mine out (it was a new york car untill late 2002) i used a sawzall and a cut off wheel as well. i went through like 15 saw blades and 2 wheels
i replaced everything with the A-1 racing stuff

 

[grimreaper]

^ im jealous of the a1 bits!! looks good man!


make sure to put anti seize on the new bolt, should help prevent it for a few years.