Rusted/seized bolts

[GaPrix]

So I'm trying to redo the rear suspension and have a couple bolts that just wont move. The chassis to trailing arm bolt I think is seized into the arm itself, the passenger side came off just fine but not the driver side. And the spring retention bolt is stuck as well...thats in much worse place. Ideas on how to get pass these two? I'm trying loads of pb blaster, I'm thinking to take off the whole spring/lat arm assembly I wondering if they'll be seized as well. I dont think these have been touched since it came out the factory.

[94 olds vert]

Do you have access to a torch? Heating up the bolts on the TA mounts will help. But make sure you let the PB blaster dry off.

 

I did my friends TA arms on his monte. I didn't think they would come off. I had him soak them with PB blaster every day and night for a week before iI did them. They didn't want to come free after that. After I heated them up a bit and got a 3 foot breaker bar on it while it was up on a lift the bolts came off.

 

 

I would recommended getting new bolts.

[GaPrix]

I dont know, I can see if anyone I know has one. I was thinking I may have to that route.

[94 olds vert]

If you don't have any one you get a torch from. This a cheap alternative.

 

http://www.homedepot.com/Plumbing-Torches-Soldering-Irons/h_d1/N-bqmdZ5yc1v/R-202185038/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

I just used one of these when I replaced the water heater in my house and had to sweat the pipes on. These get plenty hot.

[GaPrix]

Oh, thats interesting. Could be a good alternative.

[reddroptop]

Propane is not hot enough for seized bolts. Mapp gas is hotter and will do what you want.

[tornado_735]

You may have to use a cutoff wheel. We had to cut the bolt off the driver side body mount on a friend's Monte Carlo.

[GaPrix]

You may have to use a cutoff wheel. We had to cut the bolt off the driver side body mount on a friend's Monte Carlo.

 

This is what I'll probably go with, I dont think I'd be able to hit it with a torch, its ridiculous either the bolt is rusted to the inside of the arm or is just pure pressure on the bolt. Terrible spot for getting a decent angle to cut, might just grind the head off.

[MonteCarloDude]

You may have to use a cutoff wheel. We had to cut the bolt off the driver side body mount on a friend's Monte Carlo.

What he said!

[BXX]

air hammer, problem solved:lol:

[GaPrix]

air hammer, problem solved:lol:

 

I wish I had one, I sliced it off....I swear such a waste of time. I was supposed to have the rear completely done this weekend. I'm leaving the stock transverse spring/lateral arms on pairing them up with the new struts/springs and trailer arms. The old shock/strut was completely blown. Thanks guys.

[Schurkey]

I'm trying loads of pb blaster

Penetrating oil is WAY over-rated.

 

Most of the time, it's impact wrench, oxy-acetylene torch, or die grinder/cutoff wheel for me. I don't bother with penetrant except in unusual circumstances. The typical issue is that the oil sprays on the outside of the joint and fastener(s), and never does "penetrate" to where it might do some good.

[virtuetovice]

I dunno about that Schurkey... PB Blaster has helped me a ton in the past. The trick is to leave a good amount on the bolt and let it sit for a couple hours, spray it again then smack it with a BFH and it will be easier to turn.

 

In all fairness, most people do just spray it on and immediately expect miraculous results. Every once in a while that's enough but when we're talking rusty-ass bolts time is the key.

[white4d96]

WD-40 and/or PB Blaster are my saviors.

 

I had the same issue with my trailing arm. The bushing was bad and the sleeve inside would just spin with the bolt (I even had the nut off, but the bolt was seized to the sleeve) I had to pound it out. As for the rear spring, those 4 10mm (or was it 8?) that hold the spring shackles in are the biggest pains in asses EVER. I soaked them in WD overnight and they still took a 6-foot cheater bar to turn. None of the bolts were reusable and two broke in the process. I didn't particularly care because I'm going to run coilovers but thought anyone else interested in this should be forewarned.

[94 olds vert]

Penetrating oils do work. It's best if you give it more time to work. That's when you will see the best results. Anthony is right about hitting it hard with a BFH. It helps to brake the rust free. Sometimes it's beyond that and you have to use a torch or brake out a cutting wheel.

[white4d96]

I've never heard the hit-it-with-a-hammer approach. I'll have to try that on stubborn bolts.

[GaPrix]

WD-40 and/or PB Blaster are my saviors.

 

I had the same issue with my trailing arm. The bushing was bad and the sleeve inside would just spin with the bolt (I even had the nut off, but the bolt was seized to the sleeve) I had to pound it out. As for the rear spring, those 4 10mm (or was it 8?) that hold the spring shackles in are the biggest pains in asses EVER. I soaked them in WD overnight and they still took a 6-foot cheater bar to turn. None of the bolts were reusable and two broke in the process. I didn't particularly care because I'm going to run coilovers but thought anyone else interested in this should be forewarned.

 

Exactly what happened. I did try letting them soak in pb blaster practically all day Saturday, the 4 10mm bolts (I only remember 4) they turned at first and were coming out then one of them abruptly got hard to turn. I think it was just twisting the bolt after that, I probably could have just twisting until it broke since they werent going to be used anyway.

[white4d96]

The two that I had break broke off in that metal thing inside that they thread into. I didn't have any way to extract them so each shackle is held in by one bolt.

 

Of the 8 I took out (including the donor subframe) I only had three bolts that were even remotely straight afterwards. All the others bent from the heat/friction.

[94 olds vert]

I've never heard the hit-it-with-a-hammer approach. I'll have to try that on stubborn bolts.

 

I swear it works. I've done that quite a bit.

[GP1138]

I have to do this as well today on a trailing arm to body bolt. It's already rounded off at one end so I will be cutting the bolt head off. I'll be buying the $20 grinder from HF.

[virtuetovice]

Or spend it on a NICE set of vice grips.

[Crazy K]

I've dealt with all these things...

 

I actually pulled the tank due to low fuel pressure and decided to do the trailing arms this weekend at the same time. I had to use an electric impact to separate the trailing arm to chassis bolt from the trailing arm. Otherwise i would have used a cutoff to remove the head and shaft of the bolt. I wirebrushed the bolt and installed it in the new arm with plenty of antisieze in the hopes that it is never frozen again. As for the trailing arm to spindle, one of those bots was frozen in the bushing too, fortunately i had a spare bolt.

 

 

As for the leaf spring retainers... they snap in place and can be removed through an access hole in the frame. if the bolt shaft is stuck in them you will have to bend and beat them to extract... I replaced them with good used ones I pulled from the j/y, but they may still be available from the dealer. pb blaster really helps with those bolts, as well as the technique of turning them in and out over and over to help chase the threads as you extract them...

 

 

VERY GOOD TIP: sometimes frozen fasteners need to be tightened before loosening, this breaks up some of the rust holding them down... and if the fastener is stiff once loose remember to reverse the direction as this cleans the threads and generates heat forcing rust on the threads to give way as you turn. I will spray pb blaster as a lubricant during this extraction and you can smell it vaporizing under the force, but then you get a clean, free, and reusable bolt to do the job...

 

 

P.S. WEAR SAFETY GOOGLES when dealing with grinders or rust, and use EAR PLUGS when grinding!!!

[GOT2B GM]

Even better buy a full face shield while grinding under the car,

 

I've had a metal chip scraped off my eyeball at a hospital, not fun.

 

 

[GaPrix]

Haha, that was me yesterday! I like seeing the sparks fly cutting metal.

[GP1138]

Same here earlier. Got the siezed bolt cut off, and the new trailing arm installed. The other side was easy and trouble-free. $20 Harbor Freight special did the job! I did go through two cutting wheels though, and the cheapo thing shut off halfway through and I had to let it cool. It's made by "Drill Master" or something.