I was working on my 71, installing my new UMI rear control arms that i got for christmas and i am stuck!!!! The uppers were a pain, because i checked the length and then put them in and it didnt work i had to end up adjusting them to get them to fit, looks like once i surpass my problem each one has to come off and be readjusted!!!

THE problem, the damn lowers that i tought would be easy enough, are a pain!!! The front bolt in the frame is a pain to get at and i sheared off the end of it and i cant get it out!!! Any ideas?????? Ive tried hitting it but it seems to be bound up w/rust in the bushing, and i cant get a good cut on it with a sawzall!!!

ANY IDEAS GUYS IM OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS!!!! THANKS SOOO MUCH!!!!

That front one can be tough. If theres a nut on it try "unscrewing" it..Sounds funny but it usually back out to a point. From there use a lunch ir whatever you can find to knock it the rest of the way out. Make sure theres no weigh/tension on it, that helps.

try using pb blaster also to help free up rest. also try some heat aka touch to heat area up but be sure to to get to hot or torch rubber it stinks very bad.

do you have the back bolts out yet?, that might give you enough play to get front out, ( haven't done mine but just a thought)

thanks guys, might try some heat on it, the prob is the bolt is stuck in the bushing sleeve, and i cant hit it with anything (had to get them damn mufflers)!! They are in the way!! but also, i have been putting wd40 on them!!

Uhhh... when you say unscrew it, do you mean try to use like an impact or rachet on the bolt head and go backwards??? B.c i have tried that w/no avail!!!

Any other suggetsions guys??? This thing has me pissed!!! I mean 8 bolts, how hard can that be really?? And i manage to turn it into a a freakin 2 day job!!! Thanks for all the help!!!!

The last time I had a bad bushing job I had to use an air hammer with the sharp point bit and it drove the bolt out.

I don't know if you have those or not but that air hammer is bada*s.

It might smoke and burn the bushing, but you could mig weld a nut on the end of it, I put out a good explanation on this a few months ago, I'll try and find it.

Rob

Here it is

Re: Stuborn bolt removal
If you have a welder, I use a mig welder, get a nut with a hole just slightly larger or the same size hole in it as the broken bolt. Set the nut on top of the broken bolt, vice grips work good so you can hold it flush. I put the tip 0f the mig welder right on top of the nut. Use the highest setting on a 110 mig with the wire feed at about half of its capacity. Weld it a little to hold the nut fast, then you can use your helmet to do the rest of it, you want to fill the nut level with weld, after the red goes away try turning it back and forth a little at a time, just keep working it back and forth. The heat from the welding will eventually break it loose. I have used up to six nuts on a broken bumper bolt that was broken flush with the body. Rob.

Just remember your back there by the gas tank vent pipes when your doing all that welding.

I have an air hammer, i think ill try that, im gonna try to cut the bushing and sleeve where i started w/the sawzall. i hope that works.

Rubadub, i dunno how welding a nut on the bolt will help me, the head of the bolt is still there in the frame rail, and i cant get to it anyways. i sheared the nut end off flush with the bracket on the frame. But its a good idea!!

Thanks guys!!!

Well..... I got the passanger side lower off (got a good dewalt sawzall blade and it cut through everything)!! Then i got the nut off the bolt on the drivers side and i cant get the bolt out!! Its seized up in the bushing!!! Any tips?? I cut one end off (the nut side) and i cant cut through the other side its just eating up blades!!!!

Any tips or anything for this?? I tried drilling out the head of the bolt and tried to break it off but to no avail!! Thanks in advance guys!!

Is it possible to get a picture of it.

Rob

How do i post these pictures??? I got them

The best thing i have found to cut it is dewalt reciprocating saw blades. They cut the bolts great, but they have a tought time with the sleeve. Any other good brand of blades, or anything else i can try, i tried a cut off and that didnt work.

Thanks, ill post up pics in a bit!!!

I would start to think that something was holding a bind on those bolts.

The bolts just bind up in the bushing. Rust themselves solid to everything. I used a punch and a hammer. Think 2 of mine sheered off.

I took my exhaust off. Then again, I was doing some more extensive work than just replacing my control arms.

Yea, if my exhaust was off i would have this a lot easier, but its all welded together and wont move enough on the hangers to give me clearance to hit the bolt with a punch. I guess ill just work on cutting them some more.

Any good ideas of what to use to cut them or just stick to the dewalt blades in the recriprocating saw?? Thanks guys

Do you think that the top bolts you had to adjust is putting a bind on the bottom bolts?

I dont think so, the rear is totally supported by a jack, and i have tried to hit the bolts with an air hammer and they wont move!!! I mean not a budge so im leaning towards the fact that they are rusted!!

Any thoughts on just drilling the head on the bolt and trying to get it to snap off and push the bolt out the other way!!

Thanks guys!!

Got it done!! I had to end up using a carbide tip recip saw blade!! It was actually for cutting concrete and slate and so forth!! But hey it worked!! No complaints after i got that done!!

Thanks for the help guys and i hope i have helped!! Thanks again!!