Stuck bolt. How do I get it loose?

DissFigured

New Member

Apr 26, 2005

320

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0

Dallas, TX

Oct 15, 2005

#1

• Oct 15, 2005

• #1

I am trying to get a lower control arm out but the bolt holding it in is hitting a part of the car and so I can't get the bolt completely out. I am trying to remove the bracethat it is hitting, but it has a bolt in it that will not come out. All I am doing is damaging the bolt trying to unscrew it.

What do I do. I have a wratchet that is 3 feet long for leverage, and I nearly broke my arm when it gave way as it rounded off the edges of the bolt.

I don't know what to do.

 

Shakin66

Founding Member

Jan 19, 2001

628

1

19

Waycross, Ga / Lake James, NC

Oct 15, 2005

#2

• Oct 15, 2005

• #2

Worst case is you may have to grind the hex head off of the bolt but then you may have bigger problems getting whats left out. You also cant get to the threads to saturate it with "WD-40" so all I can suggest is to hit it with a hammer fairly hard to loosen the threads up and make certain you socket is a 6 point and that it fits tight and give it the hail mary attempt. Good luck!

 

6

67gt

New Member

May 17, 2005

38

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0

Oct 15, 2005

#3

• Oct 15, 2005

• #3

Heat can work wonders
Try and heat the area around the bolt

 

BigDaddyCee

Founding Member

Jan 1, 2000

1,404

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Canada

Oct 15, 2005

#4

• Oct 15, 2005

• #4

If the conditions are safe I would recommend heating it up with a plumbers torch until it gets red hot. Let it cool a bit this may expand it enough and contract it so you can get it loose. This looks like the cross member that goes underneath your oil pan if I am not mistaken. Maybe try it a couple of times. Good luck I remember having a similar problem with this bolt.

 

1

19stang66

Member

Apr 16, 2003

689

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16

Oct 15, 2005

#5

• Oct 15, 2005

• #5

I had to use an impact wrench to get the cross member bolts out. The wonders of air compressors...

 

dodgestang

Active Member

Dec 15, 2003

1,360

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37

Cecil County, MD

Oct 15, 2005

#6

• Oct 15, 2005

• #6

1. Ingersol Rand impact if fail
2. PD blaster overnight, then repeat step 1, if still fail
3. Heat up with torch, then repeat step 1 if still fail
4. Consult a professional.

 

M

mitchcj1

New Member

Apr 25, 2005

79

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virginia beach, va

Oct 15, 2005

#7

• Oct 15, 2005

• #7

I got the x-member bolt off with an impact wrench. That Lca eccentric bolt was a pain even then. Had to hammer it out.

 

6

66StangFastback

New Member

Jun 6, 2005

181

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norman, oklahoma

Oct 15, 2005

#8

• Oct 15, 2005

• #8

Ummm, I got a much more simple idea, and you won't have to take the bolt out...Take out the bolt on the other side and just swing the thing out of your way, then when you're done you can swing it back into palce and bolt it up.

 

dodgestang

Active Member

Dec 15, 2003

1,360

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37

Cecil County, MD

Oct 15, 2005

#9

• Oct 15, 2005

• #9

66StangFastback said:

Ummm, I got a much more simple idea, and you won't have to take the bolt out...Take out the bolt on the other side and just swing the thing out of your way, then when you're done you can swing it back into palce and bolt it up.

Click to expand...

It won't swing. Those bolts get torqued high.

 

T

tylerrocks

New Member

Oct 13, 2005

514

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Big Spring, TX

Oct 15, 2005

#10

• Oct 15, 2005

• #10

Air Pressure

I did this work a day ago, I used an impact wrench

Tyler

 

M

mustangman1974

Member

Jan 17, 2004

463

0

16

Oct 15, 2005

#11

• Oct 15, 2005

• #11

Use a MOBB (Mother of Breaker Bars) or your handle to your floor jack on a 6 point 1/2 socket with quality ratchet. It took 2 of us to get it off. One to hold ratchet on bolt squarely and the 2nd person to push. That will apply more torque then an impact. Just be sure to use a 6 point socket otherwise you will round off the bolt.

Thats how I got mine off and I have a IR and a huge 100 gal compressor. Some old guys by my dad's shop sat back and laughed while I spent 4 hours trying to get mine off and it took them like 5 minutes and I had to pay them a case of beer.

You owe me.

 

6

66StangFastback

New Member

Jun 6, 2005

181

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norman, oklahoma

Oct 15, 2005

#12

• Oct 15, 2005

• #12

I guess I'm just lucky cuz ours came right out. : )
Might wanna wear some gloves and watch your knuckles when you're using that much force. Last winter when we were doing our suspension I was torqueing something to 100 ft lbs or so, and at about 80 ft lbs the socket came off of the bolt, thus me punching the "frame" of the car with about 80 ft lbs of force. Busted my knuckles prrrretty damn good. Still have a scar from where it split the knuckle.

 

DissFigured

New Member

Apr 26, 2005

320

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Dallas, TX

Oct 16, 2005

#13

• Oct 16, 2005

• #13

What are y'alls thoughts on taking a dremal and cutting the LCA bolt, buying a new one and putting the new bolt in from the opposite side so the head of the new bolt is away from the cross member.

Will a dremal cut that LCA bolt?

 

T

tylerrocks

New Member

Oct 13, 2005

514

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Big Spring, TX

Oct 16, 2005

#14

• Oct 16, 2005

• #14

Dremel?

Anything that cuts metal would probly work but if it were me, I would use a sawzaw (sp?). I had to cut out the bolt in the front eye of my leaf springs and the sawzaw with a metal cutting blade worked wonders. When you get a new bolt be sure it is hard enough. If you have trouble finding a good hard bolt (I would say at least a grade 6 but I would use a grade 8) that size, I have found that tractor supply stores usually come to the rescue. good luck

Tyler