Front Shock - Bottom Bolt - Aggghhhhh !!!!

[over_the_hill]

I'm just in the middle of changing my shocks. Pictures to follow on completion.

Having managed the driver side front and both rears without too much trouble I'm stuck on the passenger side front and the bottom bolt in the U-channel of the wishbone.

The nut is free but the bolt just will not shift - looks as if it is going to have to be wound out.
Anyone who has done this will know that it's very tight and there is hardly any space to get in.
I can get a spanner on the bolt head but can't turn it because it jams on the wishbone.

I've tried smacking it from the nut end using a large chisel down the U-channel
I've drilled a small hole in the wishbone and used a thin SDS drill bit as a drift at the nut end to give it more sharp whacks
I've soaked it in plenty of penetrant

I haven't tried heat yet because I'm a bit worried about causing other damage.

Has anyone else had this problem and how did you fix it and are there any clever tools available that might help.

thanks

[PJ57]

I did mine a couple of months ago, but did not have the same hassle as you. Sounds like the bolt has seized itself to the shock bush.
I also found the space tight to get the bolt out, but used the ring end of the spanner to work the bolt backwards and forwards whilst pushing on the threaded end of the bolt to push it out.

I would soak the bolt in liberal amounts of penetrating fluid for 24 hours, and use a ring spanner to work in the limited space to get the bolt moving. A rubber/hide mallet on the end of the spanner can help give it a bit of welly.
If you're changing out the wishbone/re-powder coating it, I would heat the hell out of the bolt with either oxy/gas or blowtorch, and I'm sure it will shift

[chimp427]

Can you remove the lower wishbone with shock still attached?
May give you a bit more room to work when its on the bench.

[Nosh]

over_the_hill said:

I'm just in the middle of changing my shocks. Pictures to follow on completion.

The nut is free but the bolt just will not shift - looks as if it is going to have to be wound out.

Ohhhh - got this teeshirt!!

It may have to be wound out - and the difficulty will be once the bolt goes a certain distance and you cannot get a spanner on it!

However - have faith! It could never have been wound in from the beginning (impossible!) so I think there is corrosion, rust etc that is holding the little blighter in.

First thing is, does it even rotate?

I see you have sprayed stuff on it?

If it does, then you are half way there - if it does not, heat it up to simply get it to move....

Once you know it moves you need one of these.......



I made one - and it done the trick - once it started, it went. I found corrosion on the bolt in certain places that I think was holding it in place....

Maybe worth moving the shock around a bit as well (as you tap the sacrificial wedge in there), as I am presuming the shock is still in place.

But agree - can be a bugger of a job - just persevere!

Nosh