Solution for seized lower strut bolts, no cutting!

[Rufi]

Hello fellow wrenchers, I found a solution that worked for me to get the lower strut bolt loose without cutting. I took my Makita multitool and bent one of my old blades in a 90 degree angle. Then i crushed the end and forced it into the 21mm socket. Put some WD40 on the bolt and GENTLY apply a little turning force on the bolt, left and right. After a few minutes there was movement in the bolt! The vibrations and WD40 loosen up the rust. Still takes a lot of back and forth wrenching, but it beats cutting!
I will weld an adapter to fit to the center of the Makita shaft. That should work even better when the socket is aligned with the rotating shaft. Hope it helps you guys as well.

 

[olyelr]

Haaaaa. Those little buggers sure are handy. Cant say ive used it for that though!

 

[Jeepwalker]

Interesting idea. I'll try that on the next pr.

I was recently on the bolts of mine with a 10lb hammer as hard as I could. And I also used a ball joint press darn tight....with hammering on the screw. Didn't budge. Cutting with a sawzall was a bugger, but I wish I wouldn't have wasted time trying to get the bolts out ...and just started cutting right away. Took a total of 4 Milwaukee sawzall blades to get them... LOL.

I also installed new lower shock bushings ..the bushing in the lower control arm (with TRW). Those strut/shock bushings basically hold most of the weight of the front end, and mine were looking 'sketchy'. The challenge there is the inside of the lower control arm is curved ...so I had to make my own custom press cup out of 2" pipe. Then use the belt sander to round edges at the 3:00 and 9:00 locations until they fit the inside radius of the control arm. With that made, the bushings went in pretty well (using a bushing tool).

I like that oscillating tool idea though. I wouldn't have thought of that. Worth a shot!

Thanks!

 

[Jeepwalker]

My buddy told me the other day when we were talking about stuck suspension bolts, ...he had a seized bolt in some suspension part (not Ram) some yrs ago which was seized. After hosing it down well with penetrating fluid, he put tension on a breaker bar using a ratchet-strapped (tight). Came back the next day or like 24 hrs later, and the bolt was loose. Said he heard that trick from an 0ld-timer...

Never tried it myself, but kind of interesting....

 

[DILLIGAF]

3/4" Milwaukee impact is easier

 

[Jeepwalker]

Like taking bad medicine I just pinched my nose and cut mine out. Used several Milwaukee blades. Didn't take all that long.

Ironically the rest of the UCA/LCA bolts weren't seized at all ..and could be pulled out by hand.