oh !
Author
Discussion

Mr.Cerbera

Original Poster:

5,151 posts

260 months

Friday 29th May 2009
quotequote all
Dear All,

after having had a successful Induction Kit and remap last weekend I decided to try and fit the ProTech suspenders that have been sitting under my (now-wilted) Christmas tree.

Stupid boy, Pike !

Front left went well but am now stuck whilst trrying to remove the lower shock absorber mounting bolt shown here



I've tried to drift it out and it won't shift with 130 lb/ft on it.

Does anyone have some genius idea or experience at how to get it out ??

Mr. Desperate

dirty boy

14,862 posts

239 months

Friday 29th May 2009
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Knock the axle stand out with a sledge hammer?

hehe

Sorry

Not helpful

lewis_sharman

5,957 posts

221 months

Friday 29th May 2009
quotequote all
Nut splitters?

Is it just the nut that is completely siezed? Also a couple of good hard knocks with a hammer can break the bond, or plus-gas, or heat it up with a torch?

JensenA

5,671 posts

260 months

Friday 29th May 2009
quotequote all
You mean you can't knock it through!! It's either seized or has a bit of a twist and it's under tension. Have you tried jacking up the lower wishbone a bit, and then slam it with a lump hammer (with the nut on to protect the end of the thread).

southendpier

6,208 posts

259 months

Friday 29th May 2009
quotequote all
blow torch.

Mr.Cerbera

Original Poster:

5,151 posts

260 months

Friday 29th May 2009
quotequote all
dirty boy said:
Knock the axle stand out with a sledge hammer?

hehe

Sorry

Not helpful
No but it brought a smile to my fissog thumbup


lewis_sharman said:
Nut splitters?

Is it just the nut that is completely siezed? Also a couple of good hard knocks with a hammer can break the bond, or plus-gas, or heat it up with a torch?
No, the nut came off a treat (couldn't put both pics on previous post for some reason)



and I've soaked it with WD40
and I've tapped the shock mount lug in an attempt to free it up there

JensenA said:
You mean you can't knock it through!! It's either seized or has a bit of a twist and it's under tension. Have you tried jacking up the lower wishbone a bit, and then slam it with a lump hammer (with the nut on to protect the end of the thread).
Yup, tried 'unweighting' it. In fact I found that, by adjusting the jack pressure, that I could take the upper mounting bolt out by hand. Thanks for the tip on replacing the nut though thumbup

southendpier said:
blow torch.
Me and a blow torch near petrol - OMIGOD !

Off to the Blow-Torch shop tommorow then...

Thanks Guys. You are stars (even you Dirty_Boy)wink

Storer

5,024 posts

245 months

Friday 29th May 2009
quotequote all
If you have access to an air wrench try unwinding it with pressure on the end of the bolt.

Which ever method you use fit new bolts afterwards and lubricate the bolt with copper grease before assembly.

plumAJP

1,149 posts

219 months

Friday 29th May 2009
quotequote all
jack the arm up so it takes the load off the bolt then get a similar size nut and put that inside your socket,

screw the old nut onto the bolt a few mm's. slip the socket with loose bolt over the top(loose bolt takes up the travel in the socket), add a short or long extension bar and wallop

stuthemong

2,533 posts

247 months

Friday 29th May 2009
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  • *caveat*** I know nothing of the lower wishbone / cerby suspension.
However, it will not stop me offering an idea smile

Can you get a G-Clamp around it?

Get an oversized socket over the bolt head on the one side, and put a large G-clamp to push against the back side of that bolt, and the socket. The bolt head will be able to move inside the socket, hence having it there (If you just put a g-clamp around the bolt it wouldn't move)

I'd try getting a clamp on, getting it done up as tight as you can, and if still not freed, tap the end firmly with a hammer - normally the extra force from a clamp, and the shock from a hammer gets most things moved.

The caveat centers around whether or not that clamp could compress/bend your wishbones - obviously you don't want to damage anything down there, so watch carefully as you load it up.

Also, wear glasses. I've had a G-clamp (cheap ass chineese one) explode before, they can store quite a bit of energy!

good luck

Mr.Cerbera

Original Poster:

5,151 posts

260 months

Saturday 30th May 2009
quotequote all
Storer said:
If you have access to an air wrench try unwinding it with pressure on the end of the bolt.

Which ever method you use fit new bolts afterwards and lubricate the bolt with copper grease before assembly.
Hmmm, good idea but no air wrench I'm afraid - wish the previous mechanics had used coppaslip thouigh frown

plumAJP said:
jack the arm up so it takes the load off the bolt then get a similar size nut and put that inside your socket,

screw the old nut onto the bolt a few mm's. slip the socket with loose bolt over the top(loose bolt takes up the travel in the socket), add a short or long extension bar and wallop
Thanks for that but, if I've understood you correctly, I'm just adding another hex-head to aid the turning whilst the original bolt is still turnable so I don't see the diff ?? (possibly coz I'm dull)

stuthemong said:
.....Can you get a G-Clamp around it?

Get an oversized socket over the bolt head on the one side, and put a large G-clamp to push against the back side of that bolt, and the socket. The bolt head will be able to move inside the socket, hence having it there (If you just put a g-clamp around the bolt it wouldn't move)

I'd try getting a clamp on, getting it done up as tight as you can, and if still not freed, tap the end firmly with a hammer - normally the extra force from a clamp, and the shock from a hammer gets most things moved.

The caveat centers around whether or not that clamp could compress/bend your wishbones - obviously you don't want to damage anything down there, so watch carefully as you load it up.

Also, wear glasses. I've had a G-clamp (cheap ass chineese one) explode before, they can store quite a bit of energy!

good luck
Cheers for that ! Have eventually clamped-up, used a blow torch and whacked it with a brass mallet....

Clamp broke !

BUT

The bolt now rotates very slowly under a lot of torque. I think the rubber insulating the inner collar within the shocker, has detached from the outer and so I've got the bolt, still rusted to the inner collar, jammed between the wishbone (not really, as there's a trailing arm arrangement) plates.

Going to the rear end now (awaits smutty comments).

Wonder how she'll drive with 3 new shocks and one old one on ?
(The fool still believes he can get the other two off) rofl

Edited by Mr.Cerbera on Saturday 30th May 16:09

Extra 300 Driver

5,282 posts

276 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
Do you have an Air Hammer? If you can get one of those on the end it should assist, if that fails then I think you may have to cut it ou, but this would write off the shock.

spitfire4v8

4,025 posts

211 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
If i get a seized bolt I just reach straight for the angle grinder and cut through the lower damper mounting eye, grinding it away through the damper eye, then the outer damper bush sleeve, then the rubber, then the inner bush sleeve and then you can drift the bolt out once the tension is released of the inner sleeve on the bolt. If you're careful you'll not damage the bolt, but if you want to change them then bolts are cheap as chips from steve heath.

jammy_basturd

29,778 posts

242 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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Personally I'd keep using penetrating oil, lots of heat, and keep hitting it. All that over time should free it up. It should have only rusted together, there shouldn't have been enough heat going through that bolt to weld it to the inner sleeve.

JensenA

5,671 posts

260 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
It seems this bolt is pretty tight! As you have plenty of room there, I would drill it out. Centre punch right in the middle, and a good HSS drill bit. Start with something like a 5 mm drill, and then increase the diameter, eventually you will get through, it usually takes less time than you think, but you need good drill bits.

Mr.Cerbera

Original Poster:

5,151 posts

260 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
brakedust said:
Absolutely Brill rofl
but I've decided to get some professionals in who know how to wield some heavyweight tools

Extra 300 Driver said:
Do you have an Air Hammer? If you can get one of those on the end it should assist, if that fails then I think you may have to cut it ou, but this would write off the shock.
Not only do I not have any Air tools, I don't even have any 'air....
Not worried about the shocker but I'm worried about damaging the Radius Arm Lug which spaces the location of the shock.

spitfire4v8 said:
If i get a seized bolt I just reach straight for the angle grinder and cut through the lower damper mounting eye, grinding it away through the damper eye, then the outer damper bush sleeve, then the rubber, then the inner bush sleeve and then you can drift the bolt out once the tension is released of the inner sleeve on the bolt. If you're careful you'll not damage the bolt, but if you want to change them then bolts are cheap as chips from steve heath.
Hmmm, not too sure I understand "the lower damper mounting eye" but I like the idea of an angle grinder - might resort to buying one on Tuesday (Bank Hols here tomorrow).
"If you're careful you'll not damage the bolt" Careful ?? I hate this bolt with every fibre of being that I possess. There will be a ceremonial cutting up of whatever is left of this f***ing bolt at the local breakers when I'm finished.

jammy_basturd said:
Personally I'd keep using penetrating oil, lots of heat, and keep hitting it. All that over time should free it up. It should have only rusted together, there shouldn't have been enough heat going through that bolt to weld it to the inner sleeve.
and I thought my Bank Holiday banging would mean something else laugh

JensenA said:
It seems this bolt is pretty tight! As you have plenty of room there, I would drill it out. Centre punch right in the middle, and a good HSS drill bit. Start with something like a 5 mm drill, and then increase the diameter, eventually you will get through, it usually takes less time than you think, but you need good drill bits.
Great idea. Thanks !

As I've ascertained that it is now free of the Radius Arm and jammed solely in the shock I'll reassemble everything except the nut on this bolt and take the car out for a thrash over some rough road to see if the bloody thing will let go !

Please send me Carnations !

lewis_sharman

5,957 posts

221 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
hehe

Hit it harder you pansy!!!

stuthemong

2,533 posts

247 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
Sorry for breaking your G-Clamp biggrin

Drill out / Dremmel that mofo IMO smile

jonbarrett

800 posts

232 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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Angle grinder with 1mm thick metal cutting disc would cut through that baby in seconds.

Mr.Cerbera

Original Poster:

5,151 posts

260 months

Monday 1st June 2009
quotequote all
lewis_sharman said:
hehe

Hit it harder you pansy!!!
rofl I must be doin' this wrong. There's no bloody room to take a good swing at it.

stuthemong said:
Sorry for breaking your G-Clamp biggrin

Drill out / Dremmel that mofo IMO smile
roflrofl

Is Dremmel a make of drill ?? scratchchin

jonbarrett said:
Angle grinder with 1mm thick metal cutting disc would cut through that baby in seconds.
Don't know about you lot but sometimes when I'm in one of those DIY tool shops and I'm mootchin' around, gettin' into the music yikes, I think to myself "I'll buy one of those. One day it'll come in handy". Well, blow me down if I didn't do that several years ago with an Angle Grinder. Even more stunning is that I've found it - and the blades !
Bloody thing won't fit in the Radius Arm recess though BcensoredCKS !