Suspension Loosening seized control arm bushing bolts

AnthonyA1234 · Aug 16, 2022

My 92 gt has a reverse rake. It sits about an inch higher in the front. It was like that when I got the car and even now after I put new shocks and springs it’s still doing it. When I got the car aligned the alignment guy who was very knowledgable about foxbodies told me something wasn’t right. He pushed down on the front of the car and noticed the car didn’t bounce as much and as smoothly as it should. He told me to try and jack up the car and loosen the control arm bushing bolts and then lower the car and tighten them on the ground. Does this sound like a good idea?

I was able to get the front bolts off on each side but my impact gun doesn’t fit to get to the rear ones and there’s no way I can take them off by hand they’re super tight. I was planning on tightening up the ones I took off and going to my local tire shop so they can take them all off with the small air guns and then I’ll torque everything on the ground.

90sickfox · Aug 16, 2022

Yes, that's how all front suspension bushing bolts are supposed to be put on. You just barely snug them, let the car down on all fours, and tighten them up. I hate seeing people tighten control arm bolts with the weight of the car off the suspension.

AnthonyA1234 · Aug 16, 2022

90sickfox said:
Yes, that's how all front suspension bushing bolts are supposed to be put on. You just barely snug them, let the car down on all fours, and tighten them up. I hate seeing people tighten control arm bolts with the weight of the car off the suspension.

By any chance do you know what the torque spec roughly should be for those bolts?

Mustang5L5 · Aug 17, 2022

Taken from here

https://lmr.com/products/fox-body-mustang-suspension-steering-torque-specs

AnthonyA1234 · Aug 17, 2022

Mustang5L5 said:
Taken from here

https://lmr.com/products/fox-body-mustang-suspension-steering-torque-specs

Thanks!

limp · Aug 17, 2022

Get a 2 or 3 foot long breaker bar.. They are a beetch...

KRUISR · Aug 17, 2022

limp said:
Get a 2 or 3 foot long breaker bar.. They are a beetch...

Or put a piece of pipe over a regular ratchet or breaker bar to extend your tool.

AnthonyA1234 · Aug 17, 2022

KRUISR said:
Or put a piece of pipe over a regular ratchet or breaker bar to extend your tool.

Just tried sliding a 6’ pipe over my breaker bar. It did nothing. I even put the jack under the bar and used that to push the bar and still nothing. I think my only option is a air impact gun that’s more compact than my electric one. Like I mentioned before im gonna head over to one of my local tire shops one of these days and see if they can break it for me with one of those air guns.

Mustang5L5 · Aug 17, 2022

I love my electric impact gun, but every once in a while it runs into a bolt that requires dragging out the compressor and pneumatic.

Still, usually a breaker bar should do the trick, especially with a 6 foot cheater pipe. You might need to give some heat on the nut end first to break apart all that rust and corrosion. But be very careful you don’t melt the bushing.

limp · Aug 17, 2022

My 83 had lock nuts on it... I got them broken free pretty easy, but they did NOT want to spin off.... Air gun did the trick..
Where I removed my LCA, all you need to do is get yours loose a couple of turns....
Did your bolt turn while you were wrenching on the nut??

KRUISR · Aug 17, 2022

If a 6' cheater bar did not do the trick, someone REALLY tightened those suckers.

AnthonyA1234 · Aug 17, 2022

So I borrowed my buddys compact air gun rated at 700 pounds of torque. Went at the remaining three bolts for about 10 minutes each with that thing and none of them moved at all. I have no idea how I was able to get the first one off so easily.

I’m going to try heat like Mustang5L5 said but if that doesn’t work I’m just going to live with the reverse rake haha.

AnthonyA1234 · Aug 17, 2022

What’s the proper method for heating a bolt? I’ve never done it before. You go in a circle pattern and stop when it’s glowing red right? Then you try loosening it right away?

Rdub6 · Aug 17, 2022

limp said:
Get a 2 or 3 foot long breaker bar.. They are a beetch...

More like a BeeAtch!! Lol

Rdub6 · Aug 17, 2022

limp said:
My 83 had lock nuts on it... I got them broken free pretty easy, but they did NOT want to spin off.... Air gun did the trick..
Where I removed my LCA, all you need to do is get yours loose a couple of turns....
Did your bolt turn while you were wrenching on the nut??

I love watching your thread @limp
I’m just turning 50, and it gives me a lot of inspiration watching you do your thing! I have a lot of “life gets on the way” things right now, but I’m gonna push through and be a car guy at 65 just like you!! Keep wrenching my man!!

limp · Aug 18, 2022

Rdub6 said:
I love watching your thread @limp
I’m just turning 50, and it gives me a lot of inspiration watching you do your thing! I have a lot of “life gets on the way” things right now, but I’m gonna push through and be a car guy at 65 just like you!! Keep wrenching my man!!

Thank you for the compliment and its 67 by the way..LOL..... let me assure all that if I put in over 4 hours I feel it....
Wish I was 50 again.. I was still chasing poon tang and drinking my share of the beer being brewed in the USA..... LOL

General karthief · Aug 18, 2022

limp said:
Thank you for the compliment and its 67 by the way..LOL..... let me assure all that if I put in over 4 hours I feel it....
Wish I was 50 again.. I was still chasing poon tang and drinking my share of the beer being brewed in the USA..... LOL

Nobody says 'poon-tang ' anymore

Mustang5L5 · Aug 18, 2022

AnthonyA1234 said:
What’s the proper method for heating a bolt? I’ve never done it before. You go in a circle pattern and stop when it’s glowing red right? Then you try loosening it right away?

What do you have for heat? I use a MAP gas torch, which is what I use for my plumbing work to sweat pipes.

I apply heat off and on being mindful or surrounding areas heating up. In this case, watch that rubber bushing. You don't need it glowing red. To be honest, 10-15 seconds with a MAPP gas torch should get that thing toasty.

The idea is the rapid expansion of the nut via heat breaks all the rust/corrosion bonds allowing you to remove it much easier. Remember, turn the nut, not the bolt. You can snap the bolt if you get it hot enough.

With seized brake rotors (problem in the northeast), i also go one step further. I heat up the hat of the rotor nice and toasty, and then splash cold water on it. Usually a couple hits of the hammer breaks that sucker free. I don't use this method on bolts/nuts however, as the rapid heating and cooling can affect strength depending on several factors.

limp · Aug 18, 2022

General karthief said:
Nobody says 'poon-tang ' anymore

They don't?? I know we can't say Bearded Clams either because MOST of them have no beards anymore...
Whats an old man to do?????

AnthonyA1234 · Aug 18, 2022

Mustang5L5 said:
What do you have for heat? I use a MAP gas torch, which is what I use for my plumbing work to sweat pipes.

I apply heat off and on being mindful or surrounding areas heating up. In this case, watch that rubber bushing. You don't need it glowing red. To be honest, 10-15 seconds with a MAPP gas torch should get that thing toasty.

The idea is the rapid expansion of the nut via heat breaks all the rust/corrosion bonds allowing you to remove it much easier. Remember, turn the nut, not the bolt. You can snap the bolt if you get it hot enough.

With seized brake rotors (problem in the northeast), i also go one step further. I heat up the hat of the rotor nice and toasty, and then splash cold water on it. Usually a couple hits of the hammer breaks that sucker free. I don't use this method on bolts/nuts however, as the rapid heating and cooling can affect strength depending on several factors.

I don’t have anything for heat I’m going to use whatever my neighbor has he told me he had a torch I could borrow.

Ok so I’ll heat up the nut and try loosening it. I’ve been trying to loosen the bolt this whole time because the nut is much harder to access. I cant fit a impact gun or a breaker bar in there. I’ll see what I can do though.

Suspension Loosening seized control arm bushing bolts

AnthonyA1234

90sickfox

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

AnthonyA1234

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

AnthonyA1234

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

KRUISR

AnthonyA1234

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

KRUISR

AnthonyA1234

AnthonyA1234

Rdub6

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

Rdub6

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

AnthonyA1234

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Suspension Loosening seized control arm bushing bolts

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

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