One of the upper control arm bolts is rusted to the inner sleeve of the bushing and won't come out. The other three came out fine. There is not enough room to drive it out with a hammer. Suggestions? Thanks for all your help. I'm close to being able to put clean parts back on.
On to the next difficulty: upper control arm removal '73 dart
- Thread starter Lasalle
- Start date
-
Cuda416
Well-Known Member
I just ran into this with my e-body.
used a zip wheel and cut as far as i could, then rotated the bolt, cut again etc.
If it's still in the car, don't hammer it in case you bend something.
When this happened to me, I cut the mounting bolt on each side of the bushing between it and the frame boss. Once both sides are cut, you can remove the control arm. IIRC, I burned out the rubber and the inner sleeve and bolt fell out. Press out the outer sleeve as normal.
When this happened to me, I cut the mounting bolt on each side of the bushing between it and the frame boss. Once both sides are cut, you can remove the control arm. IIRC, I burned out the rubber and the inner sleeve and bolt fell out. Press out the outer sleeve as normal.
Dfr360cuda
Diagnosis... Plum Crazy.
Mine were rusted to the inner bushing sleeve. Too tight to get a grinder with wafer wheel in there. I used a shitload of sawzall blades, the bolts are hardened. I finally broke down and bought another die grinder. Mine was loaned out and never returned.
Flame Wrench.
I thought of a method to get the bolt out but it did not work. I made little metal box to go over the bolt head to give it some room to move. I got a harbor freight C clamp and cut the screw off. I thought that as I tightened the nut against the C clamp it would push the bolt toward the space under the box. The C clamp bent and the bolt did not move. I want to save cutting as an absolute last resort. It seems like it would be very destructive to everything around the cut.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Try heating the crap out of the bolt, even with LPG. Heat both ends if necessary. That may well release the bond to the sleeve enough. Build yourself a "curved punch." Heat and bend a large bolt, and devise a sleeve like a short scrap of pipe or even a nut on the end, so you can "cup" it over the end of the problem bolt. Even if you have to hammer at a "45" ............hold the bolt with vise grips. (They are not "vice grips" that would be like a hooker with her hand on your wallet................)
I did have success making a little gadget to remove the old bushings. I hope it will work to insert the new ones. The cylinder is a 2" conduit connector from the electric section at Home Depot. I know there are tools made for this purpose but I am getting tired of getting everything off the internet. The shipping expense adds a lot to the cost of the item.
Success in removing the upper control arm bolt. It was rusted to the inner sleeve of the bushing. I used a Dremel tool with a carbide bit to cut and peel open the outer shell of the bushing. I also used a reciprocating saw with a carbide blade to carefully cut the outer shell. I used a map/propane torch to get rid of the rubber. I gripped the inner sleeve with a vise grip and turned the bolt with a socket wrench. This broke the rust free and I was able to tap it out. I did not have to cut the bolt. This was less destructive than cutting the bolt with a reciprocating saw or using an air chisel or a cutting torch.
That carbide Dremel bit has saved me many times.
That carbide Dremel bit has saved me many times.
-
