Help...

The driver side lower control arm rear bolt is stuck. I assume it is rusted to the metal sleeve inside the bushing. The sleeve has apparently ripped lose of the rubber inside the bushing as the bolt will turn. However, the bolt will not come out, or even budge horizontally.

Any suggestions?

 

Troy, I ended up selling the boxed arms from the 66 I have sitting on
a trailer. Both were stuck and spinning. I was able to break both bolts
because they were seized. I was then able to use a punch and some voodoo
juice, (acetone-trans fluid), a punch and a BFH, and finally got them to release.

Oops, just realized you posted FRONT lower control arm...following...

 

This is exactly the problem. Unfortunately, brute force is your only option. If you can get a hacksaw blade or cutting disk between the bushing and frame tabs without damaging the frame, you can cut the bolt and drop the arm out. If not, you may have to attack the bushing itself between the sided of the arm and cut and hack until you cut enough of the bolt to get it out.

 

That's what I was afraid of. I was hoping not to, but so far I am unsuccessful. The bad part is where it is located on the frame and the angle (about 45 degrees I am guessing) of the frame just behind the mount. Esentially, any brute first applied, either by hammer, hammer and punch to get a better swing, or air hammer is always applying half of its force up and the other half to the horizontal out direction I want to go. Force coefficients may be a bit off, but I know I am not getting the full force in the out direction. So far, I have not been able to get a large enough, but not too large of a C clamp on it either.

The only good news is the frame is bare and upside down now. I also tried to drill a hole in the bushing to get lubricant down into the sleeve, but it has not yielded any results yet.

 

What? You're not on your back with metal chips and rust falling down into your face? Heck, this is EASY...

Seriously, assuming that hole goes all the way into the inner bushing, try dropping a metal rod into the hole to lock the inner bushing to the outer shell. That may allow you to turn the bolt head to break the rust free. If possible, use an impact wrench as the impacts and vibration will help.

 

What can I say, some times I take the easy way😀. Yes the hole goes into the sleeve, I will try placing a rod down in there. I also thought about making a bigger hole and putting the air chisel on the seam of the sleeve to see if I could spread it a little. Getting ready to each lunch, will keep advised.

 

Take a Sawzall/grinder and cut through the bushing until you cut the bolt in half. Then remove both halves of the bolt and the LCA will come out.

 

Bolt 3 - Troy 0

I thought I had a hole in the sleeve, as I went through metal then rubber and started to get metal shaving again. This must have been the bit taking extra out of the side of the hole on the outer casing. I've tried drilling, chiseling, Sawzall, heated with a hand torch, and I have yet to make a hole or widen the sleeve. Man, you would think that sleeve was titanium. Back to the drawing board.

 

The sleeves themselves are SUPER HARD.....tried cutting one held in a vice one time using a new bimetal blade with a Sawzall.....the sleeve just laughed at the blade. Die grinder time or grab the sleeve now that you've exposed it and try twisting the bolt.

 

 

From the looks of the pic, try get a chisel and put it where the sleeve is split and widen the split. Spray any kind of penetrating oil inside the split while you are widening it. Hopefully, you may spin the bolt free. Good luck.

 

An acetylene torch is an invaluable tool when working on old cars.
Troy, let me know if you need me to send this to you.

 

If the first two tries don't get something apart, I reach for the torch. I don't have enough free time to screw around with finesse. Upper mounting nuts on front shocks are the typical example. The trick is just to avoid setting the splash shields and plastic inner fenders on fire.

 

Well said Joe. Troy, I bumped my old post on the torch set-up because
the pics I posted wouldn't open up full size to view.
Well worth the $125 I'm asking for them, just let me know.

 

That is what I have been doing, so far it hasn't moved a bit.

 

The only problem is I don't have one. Often thought about it, but could never cost justify it. Barrier to entry is too high. Once you have everything then it is not a problem.

I'm checking into it but so far I'm $500 to $750 into tanks, gas, hoses, gauges and torch. That's a deep cut into the build budget.😩

 

Adam, I am sure they are, I may get back to you, as noted above it is a big chunk to get everything else. We will see. Depends on how frustrated I get, which is pretty frustrated right now😋

 

Check out Harbor Freight. I think you can get into it a lot cheaper there.

 

You will likely never be able to "spread" the sleeve open with a chisel....as I mentioned earlier these sleeves are super tough (at least the originals are) and are fairly thick.

Have you tried grabbing the sleeve with a good pair of large vice grips? From your last pic it doesn't look like you've cleared away enough of the rubber and outer shell to do so.

I'm thinking.....grab the sleeve with vice grips and try using a 1/2" drive impact wrench on the bolt....hit it in "tighten" mode then "loosen" mode, rinse, repeat.

Don't know if you'll be able to get a good enough grip on the sleeve to keep it from spinning but that's one thought.

 

How about the harbor freight long nose die grinder? I got one a few years ago and it would work well in this application.

 

I would try pawn shops & such places, they usually have small(kangaroo type) oxy/ace. torch kits relatively cheap. Then you can get either/both filled at a local gas supply house for about $25.00 per tank.

 

See if there is a local welding shop that has a service truck, explain your situation and ask if they would come over and cut it out. A lot of those guys are hotrodders.

 

Or bring it to the nearest auto mechanic shop and tell them use their torch and let them cut it off.

 

That's gonna be tough because he can't get it off the car and the car can't be driven that way.

 

Sawzall and some good blades...about 15-20 minutes.

Touch would be best, however, a Sawzall will do the trick.

 

 

I'll try a couple of more things tonight. I bought a new cut off wheel for the 4 1/2 grinder. I might go after it with that. My biggest concern is if I get it cut, it may still be stuck on the ends. I am also trying to borrow a torch set.

It may have to transport. It can be done as the body is off the frame and the frame is upside down at the moment.

The part that stinks is with the exception of a couple of lines the frame is ready to go to the sandblaster and he said it is a good time to come this week.

 

If you had an air chisel it would make quick work of the bushing sleeve. Also could use that to drive the bolt out. It the best air tool I have bought. If you can get a cut off wheel or grinder disc in there to cut the bolt in half would work.

 

I did mine last winter, same problem, I cut the head and the nut off with my dremel and a cutting disc.

 

My wife says I have a stubborn streak, maybe she is right.

I did locate and borrow a small kangaroo torch set up, and had planned on using it Sat, when I could take my time.

In the mean time, I wanted to open the bushing up more to get a better view of the sleeve to cut. Opened up the sleeve, and started to chip away at the rubber, as chunks were already coming out. Then couriosity got the cat, "I wonder what happens if I take the propane hand torch to the rubber". Prepared to douse a big flame, when the rubber caught, I was surprised to find the rubber was harder to light and was a slow burn. Burn a little, take a screwdriver chip away little pieces of rubber, repeat. I also thought that a little heat on the sleeve couldn't hurt. This is what I did the last couple of nights. For about a hour Tuesday and Wed. nights.

For the record air chisel doesn't seperate the seam.

Tonight, thinking if I can get a small pipe wrench on the sleeve, maybe I can break it free. (Stubborn streak alert- can't wait till Sat, and this thing is not going to beat me). Opened up the casing more, but pipe wrench doesn't hold sleeve, teeth don't dig in. Alright, I am going to heat this more with the propane torch. Beat it with a hammer. Repeat. In less than an hour from when I started tonight, the bolt looked like it moved. A few minutes later, it's out of there.😀

Here are the pics.

 

A couple of others for the record. Rubber that was burned that ended under the control arm on the frame.



While my attention was directed at the bolt, I didn't notice the sway bar link hole. This doesn't look right to me. Is it?

 

Does this mean you got the bolt out?

 

Yes I did!! I cannot say this is the easiest way, nor would it be much fun under the car. Particularly with the possibility of catching other things on fire, but in the end it worked for me.

 

Troy-1, Bolt-0

 

Well done Troy. Now for the other side?

 

Congratulations on your accomplishment. You will need to give a 10 minute speech at the next Nationals you attend describing the process in detail. HAHA! Good for you for sticking with it though. That was a tough one.

 

The other side is already out. It was easy.😀😄. Now it's pull the brake and fuel lines. Heat up the lower frame rail, where some one put a lift in the wrong place, and take the dimples out of each side, and off to the blaster.

 

Nice.

 

Unfortunately, no. That's been egged-out by bad sway bar link bushings. You need to weld that up.

 

I am always good at explaining the least efficient way to do something. I find that way, naturally. 😀 Determination is a must with any old car project, kind of like removing paint from inner fenders. Definite sense of accomplishment! Nice job by the way.