control arm nut being a pain

[smokin91']

how many PSI should I have to set my air compressor at to get the nut off the front control arm bolt? i have it set at 125 now and the impact isnt even budging the nut.

 

[86bluecobra]

perhaps a little heat is in order. or even some liquid wrench to break the rust down.

 

[5LugFoxFanatic]

ROFL, I love control arm nuts, especially if you never did them before. We used a large gun…nothing. So then it was breaker bar time. Well a wrench with a pipe on it and nothing. So heat, and penetrating oil, and gun and breaker bar, and it finally cracked loose. It took a long ass time, but it came out. We use a lift too, so if you are lying on your back….find a lift.

 

[danshrader]

I ended up using a large wrench, PB blaster and the floor jack to bust mine loose. Its not the safest, but effective.

 

[bryce93lx]

i had to use a 3/4 inch impact gun to get the spindle bolts loose the first time i had them apart, so the moral is, when in doubt get a bigger hammer

 

[smokin91']

I just went out in the garage and was checking out my impact gun. It has a MAX torque rating of 225 lbs. So im tossing this thing in the trash and going to buy one tomorrow with a 400lbs torque rating, and we will see if that nut that has been soaking with liquid wrench all day/night will put up a fight. BTW does liquid wrench actually do anything? besides make your hands smell nasty? lol

I spent 17$ on a impact swivel + 7$ for an 18mm impact socket, whats another 120$ on the gun.

I knew something was up with this gun when it had trouble getting the lugnuts on my wheels loose. Guess thats why it came FREE with the compressor. Ill let ya know how the bigger impact goes.

 

[superhuaman]

LOL, dont bother with the $120/400ft-lbs gun, get one thats rated for 1000 ft-lbs. heehee. chicago pneumatic makes one, so does nitrocat/mactools, and matco. they're composite (plastic) as well, so its easier on your hands. I bought one from mac for $279 new cuz it was on sale, and i liked it so much i bought another one used for $169 and rebuilt it with $10 worth of parts. i am a professional tech, so i dont mess around.

 

[smokin91']

i dont have 300$ to spend on a air wrench, the 120$ is canadian $'s as well. 400ft/lbs should be enough to get my control arm nuts off. yes/no?

 

[stang8urimport]

All impact guns are not created equal... A MAC at 125 psi will put a lot more ft/lbs of torque then a Wal Mart special...

 

[smokin91']

Where is a good place to pick up a impact? Im in canada.

 

[superhuaman]

go to your local garage and ask them when the tool guy comes around. or borrow one that they already have...

 

[50gt1988]

i hung my full body weight off a wrench under my car before mine broke loose

 

[1988WHTGT]

Took me a Snap-on Impact with 600 ft/lb

 

[smokin91']

Now you guys have me debating if the 400ft/lbs one is going to be enough.

 

[superhuaman]

impact guns are just like engines...too much torque never hurts...until you stat breaking things...

 

[smokin91']

another question. Does using a universal joint with a impact reduce its torque output?

 

[superhuaman]

no, it just increases the amount of play between the impact hammers in the gun, and the nut youre trying to get off. make sure its an impact universal, or swivel as some people call them
chrome is a no-no, if youve ever got chrome flakes in your hand, you know what im talking about...

 

[smokin91']

yea its an impact universal(the black ones). I learned the hard way that impacts break things that arent made for them when I used it on my locking wheel nuts last year, it sheard the key right apart

 

[blackstangt]

how about doing it the smart way and taking the bolt off, not the nut that is attached to the control arm... try turning from the inside in other words. also with this procedure, you can use a jack to push up, i have been known to use a 10 ft long bar for some tight nuts, it takes little force...

 

[smokin91']

The nut isnt attached to the control arm. Im putting in battle boxes and the bolt doesnt have to come out, only the nut needs to come off.

altought, your the second person that mentioned using a jack to break it loose. How do you do that?