Help! Lower Control Arm Air Strut Bolt

[djp]

I purchased the conversion kit from eddie at american air, i finnaly got enough balls to do the conversion myself after being sick of waiting for the mechanic to have time. so now im stuck

i have one bolt left to get out before i can pull the old air strut out, and thats the lower mounting bolt that goes through the control arm, i got the nut broke off, but i cant get the damn bolt out, i have seriously been beating the crap out of it for about 4 hours yesterday and 3 already today, and i think the most i got it to budge was about 2 mm, are there any tricks to getting this out

 

[my95mark8]

Did you try the break the flag off the bolt side and put a 6 point socket and try and turn it with a big breaker bar trick? This might break it loose. Sometimes the nut side if the bolt gets screwed in to the strut. Can you turn the bolt?
Did you soak it with rust penetrant?

 

[chicken]

if it is still in the veh i would rec removing the strut with the arm and put the ear of the strut onto a vice and try to drive the bolt through, when its on the car its not "sturdy" enough to hammer through cuz the bolt is rusted to the steel sleeve inside of that bushing and when you hit it on the car the bushing absorbs the impact i would also rec the lower arm (i know you dont want to hear this but that bushing is prob shot now)

 

[torquemonkey]

if it is still in the veh i would rec removing the strut with the arm and put the ear of the strut onto a vice and try to drive the bolt through, when its on the car its not "sturdy" enough to hammer through cuz the bolt is rusted to the steel sleeve inside of that bushing and when you hit it on the car the bushing absorbs the impact i would also rec the lower arm (i know you dont want to hear this but that bushing is prob shot now)

I agree. I tried to cheap out and not replace the lower arm. I have to go back in there to do it now from the beating (and heating) it took to get the bolt out on mine. I hope the added stress from the lower arms didn't wear out the upper A-arms I had replaced a few months ago.

 

[djp]

can i just torch this bolt off and put a new bolt? what happens if i melt that sleve thats around the bolt? can i just get a whole new bolt/sleve? or do i have to preserve that sleve

i tried to bend the air strut and almost got it off that way, its like a mm off from going through the first hole now

this is really beating me up, and im broke i dont got no more money to buy control arms

 

[djp]

oh btw, half of the other side of the bolt is stripped so i cant even get a good grip on it to try and turn it like that

 

[chicken]

can i just torch this bolt off and put a new bolt? what happens if i melt that sleve thats around the bolt? can i just get a whole new bolt/sleve? or do i have to preserve that sleve

i tried to bend the air strut and almost got it off that way, its like a mm off from going through the first hole now

this is really beating me up, and im broke i dont got no more money to buy control arms

yes and no you can get a new bolt but sad to say the sleeve is part of the bushing and the bushing is part of the arm so i hate to be the bearer of bad news but.........................you need the arm by now

 

[djp]

ok.. ill figure it out

 

[djp]

the whole sleve and bolt is just sliding back and forth, so when i knock it the side of the shock goes to the other side , i got a grip on the other side of the bolt and it just spins, it dont unscrew

 

[my95mark8]

If the sleeve is moving, you need to go and buy yourself a new lower control arm.

 

[94m5]

Rockauto.com



Buy 97, 4.6 Tbird lower control arms. You'll save prolly 35-40 bucks. I've put them on 2 of my 3 VIII's. Work Great.

 

[Marked4Life]

I don't want to steal a thread but I can't find out how to start a new one, I am just computer dumb I guess! Could I ask a question about control arms with out getting anyone upset?
Thanks Guys
Raoul

 

[my95mark8]

At the top of the main screen for the mark VIII forum, you will see a button that says "new thread", click that, and you can start a thread of your own, with your own title. or you can ask here....noone will get upset if you ask here,if that's what you want to do. we have a good group of people here who are always willing to help each other out.

 

[Greenmachine]

On my 93 they came out after hitting them with pb blaster and letting them sit for about 15 min. then replaced the sleeve and the bushings put in tbird struts & springs rides like a dream now.

 

[Marked4Life]

Thanks my95! Got her done. I know they are a great group, I have been reading the postings for months now.
Raoul