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My strut rod bushings on my 98 were plenty worn so I decided to replace them. Well, I've got both sides torn down and I can't for the life of me remove the strut rod thru-bolt. I have the nut off on both sides but no matter how much I impact, hammer, PB Blast, breaker bar them they won't budge. They are seized to the sleeve on the inside of the strut rod bushing. Does anyone have any idea how to remove them? I was thinking maybe heat them but I am trying here first to see if I may be missing some trick?
The rod has no load on it and is completely disconnected at the hub end and is just dangling in mid air.
i believe the suspension (since it's in the air) is pinching down the joint, locking the bolt in place. try to unload the suspension by carefully placing a jack on the lower control arm and jacking upwards until it unlocks the bolt.
keep in mind, the new bushing needs to be clocked a certain way. also the whole assembly needs to be torqued when the suspension is loaded (or on the ground). to do this on the driveway, i jack up the lower control arm upwards until the car comes off the jackstand a bit. this is how i simulate a loaded suspension while still having room under the car to tighten everything. secure the car so it won't roll away. the ramifications are obvious!
i believe the suspension (since it's in the air) is pinching down the joint, locking the bolt in place. try to unload the suspension by carefully placing a jack on the lower control arm and jacking upwards until it unlocks the bolt.
keep in mind, the new bushing needs to be clocked a certain way. also the whole assembly needs to be torqued when the suspension is loaded (or on the ground). to do this on the driveway, i jack up the lower control arm upwards until the car comes off the jackstand a bit. this is how i simulate a loaded suspension while still having room under the car to tighten everything. secure the car so it won't roll away. the ramifications are obvious!
I know about tightening it on the ground and clocking it the right way but this has no load on it. The 2 bolts on the hub side are completely disconnected and the strut rod is dangling in mid air.
It may sound silly but have you tried moving the rod up/ down as far as possible then side to side. Looking at your picture the thru-bolt appears to be flat on the bottom so it should resist turning as the rod is lifted or lowered. Could there be a retaining clip of some kind that was missed during disassembly?
It may sound silly but have you tried moving the rod up/ down as far as possible then side to side. Looking at your picture the thru-bolt appears to be flat on the bottom so it should resist turning as the rod is lifted or lowered. Could there be a retaining clip of some kind that was missed during disassembly?
Yes, I have. The inner bushing is separated from the rubber bushing so moving the bar doesn't do anything to the bolt.
jack/tie up the strut rod so it's parallel to the ground (roughly same position as it is when installed and the suspension is compressed). Then try to hammer it out or (preferably) unwind the bolt, (lefty-loosey) it out. If it doesn't want to turn, use a longer breaker bar.
Removal is tricky when you let the bushing get really bad, as the threads int he bolts start to eat into the bracket material a bit.
Might have to get a little creative, but if you have a 2 or 3 jaw puller, try to get the hooks around the inner bushing support somehow, then try screwing the device into the bolt, pushing it out the other side, while working the hex head back and forth, like PD said. You could also use a crowbar, secured at one end, and a suitable spacer to apply pressure at the threaded end, pushing it out while trying to turn the hex with a wrench. This is where it would be nice to have 3 arms. If you have to hammer on the bolt, be sure to put the nut on to protect the threads!
It doesn't look like I'm going to be able to fit any sort of puller on there. I torched it as well today and still nothing. Got some Chanel locks around the metal bushing sleeve to try and hold it independently from the bolt and still nothing.
I've even tried cutting the bolt and metal insert sleeve with a sawzall and it's just eating up my metal cutting blade like nothing. I'm at a loss on this one. I did my motor mounts yesterday and I'd rather do them 10 times over than run into this **** again... I have a video I'll post up soon of exactly what's happening to better explain.
With that being said, they're still stuck, both sides. Seized in the metal bushing sleeve. Anyone else have anything creative?
I would have used a nut as a guide to keep an air hammer centered on the bolt and used a strong air hammer on it. It is amazing what high frequency air hammering will do. There really is nothing to use a torch on to heat with a rubber bushing there and all the nice painted underside stuff, that is no place for heat and flames. And this may have been something better left to a dealer or shop that deals with this stuff daily.
If you have a spare car and time on your hands, try spraying PB liberally into the notched portion of the bolt. Repeat twice per day for a couple of days. Then take a good air impact (600lbs+) to the bolt head with the correct impact socket without any adapter or swivel (which will significantly reduce torque). Harbor freight has one for $99 currently on sale that is rated 700 lbs and it's made quick work of everything I've thrown at it including flywheels, axles and main pulleys. I got mine for $79 at one of their tent sales .
03-30-16, 06:52 PM
Seized strut rod bolt.... help
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