I have a 91 RS that I am putting a 4th Gen rear in. I am replacing the control arm bolts with new ones from sophn. One of the front bolt that mounts the control arm to the chasis wont come out. I can turn the bolt, but the bolt is rusted to the metal sleve in the control arm bushing so the bushing just rotates with the bolt. I have used an entire can of Liquid Wrench on it. I have spent hours hamering on the bolt with a seldge hammer! And I even tried a propane torch to heat the bolt up before I smacked it. What other tricks can I use to get it off? I was thinking of cutting it off, but I dont have alot of room under the car for a big sawzaw.

Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Mark B

 

I had the same problem when I installed my Ford 9", except it was a rear mounting bolt. I had to use a sawzall on mine. Hammered on it so long and much actually spread open the bracket a bit. Sorry, but there's not much of any other choices that I'm aware of. Just get it up on jack stands and cut from the bottom upwards, lots more room to work that way.

 

What kind of blade did you use? I tried using a regular metal blade on a sawzaw to get my front control arm bolts off last winter and tore through 3 blades before I had even make a dent in the bolt. Did you use a special blade... or should I just go get nicer blades. (I was using pretty cheap ones.)

 

I was using some pretty good metal cutting blades, but it still took 2 blades for each side (had to cut it off both sides since it was rusted completely together - just like yours sounds).

 

4" angle grinder with a cut off wheel works like a charm where you can get it in.

Otherwise, beat the **** out of it with a hammer until it breaks loose. Keep the nut on the end of the bolt to give yourself a bigger target so you don't miss as much.

 

Just throwing out ideas, but would a dremel work?

 

Don't think so. Have to reach in a couple of inches to get through the bushing radius to get to the bolt....

 

Any ways to make sure I dont dammage the two flanges while I am cutting?

 

I'd either get a big pry bar and try to open up the outer flanges a bit to make room for the cutting,

or,

Cut in a little bit, 1/4 to 3/8 inch or so to make sure you don't cut the outside flanges.

 

I use 14TPI bi-metal SawZall blades. Keep the speed down and use lots of oil.

RBob.

 

I had same issue. Tried the PB spray, torch and and every toll I had.

Try an air hammer with a point on it.

Drive it into the bolt, when I did this it broke the rust and I was able to unscrew it.

Only took a few seconds!

 

I had same issue. Tried the PB spray, torch and and every toll I had.

Try an air hammer with a point on it.

Drive it into the bolt, when I did this it broke the rust and I was able to unscrew it.

Only took a few seconds!

 

I had the same issue with one of my front control arm bolts and with one of my PHR bolts. I tried PB blaster, heat, BFH, air hammer… nothing moved them. Sawzall might work if you get lucky, but in the case of my PHR, not only where the parts harder then hell but would move some preventing the saw from really cutting. With the PHR I ended up putting a 7” abrasive cutting wheel in a 4.5” angle grinder with the guard removed (safety first…) and went straight through the side of the bushing between the PHR and the bracket. I barely left any marks on either the PHR or the bracket. On the front LCA, well I was parting out the car and I didn’t have time to putz around with it so I gave my brother and angle grinder and had him hack it out with a chunk of the K-member still attached to it (probably not an option here, huh?)

 

Flamewrench


I had to get it out to swap on the spohn aarm the other week. 1 bolt was stuck in the sleeve inside the rubber bushing.

 

geez, i'd be more concerned with having my fingers staying on my hand then anything else.... 4.5" disc won't fit in that area eh?
dremel with flexy attachment?