LCA replacement(Rust belt homies)

[NEp8ntballer]

So for those of you in the rust belt that have replaced LCAs on your car did you ever have a case where the bolt for the subframe rusted to the steel on the inside of the bushing? I'm having horrible thoughts reminding me of when I had to replace the track bar on my jeep the first time. With that one it was possible to get a sawzall at it, with this one not so much... I haven't started them yet but I want to have all my bases covered.

 

[frosho]

I've never had a problem with front LCAs. I did run into frozen sleeves on the rear control arms though.

 

[Racer X]

It happened once.

Sawzall. Once to cut the arm, twice more to cut through the bolt and bushing.

Pain. In. The. Ass.

 

[NEp8ntballer]

sounds like I should invest in some more carbide blades...

 

[93rev2sev]

I use a cutoff wheel on the end of the LCA to cut it off of the bushing making cuts parallel to the the bolt (about 3 minutes for each cut - you need 2 cuts, 90° apart), then, I cut the bushing off (another minute or 2), finally I cut the bolt/sleeve.

This way, I make plenty of room to cut the bolt with the cutoff wheel without the LCA in the way and without damaging the subframe. I've had to peel remnants of that sleeve off like a banana.

It should take 1 new cutoff wheel and about 20 minutes to get it all out. Of course, the LCA can be tossed at this point...but it would have been anyway.

 

[VortecGT]

Had this problem on both sides in the front, used a torch to get them out.

 

[luigisho]

And I've used all 3 methods. PITA is right.

 

[TimboSHO]

I've also had to cut and burn them out. Even after burning all the rubber away, the bolt was still frozen in the sleeve. Lots of fun, glad I didn't do it on my back.

 

[Bob Gervais]

What those guys said.

Just a note on re-installation if the car's staying in the rust belt: gobs of marine grade grease on the bolt and the sleeve.

 

[Racer X]

What those guys said.

Just a note on re-installation if the car's staying in the rust belt: gobs of marine grade grease on the bolt and the sleeve.

Or Permatex Antiseize. The silver shit with the brush in the cap. Tons of it.

 

[pjtoledo]

And I've used all 3 methods. PITA is right.

PITA "SIR", is more appropiate

BTDT


Perry

 

[lowc]

cant say ive had any issues with the two rot boxes ive had but everything that has been stated above will usualy get the trick done

 

[NEp8ntballer]

What those guys said.

Just a note on re-installation if the car's staying in the rust belt: gobs of marine grade grease on the bolt and the sleeve.

car's currently escaped the rust belt and hopefully will never see snow again, but I don't really know what the future holds.

I use a cutoff wheel on the end of the LCA to cut it off of the bushing making cuts parallel to the the bolt (about 3 minutes for each cut - you need 2 cuts, 90° apart), then, I cut the bushing off (another minute or 2), finally I cut the bolt/sleeve.

This way, I make plenty of room to cut the bolt with the cutoff wheel without the LCA in the way and without damaging the subframe. I've had to peel remnants of that sleeve off like a banana.

It should take 1 new cutoff wheel and about 20 minutes to get it all out. Of course, the LCA can be tossed at this point...but it would have been anyway.

I forgot how much fun it is to use an angle grinder.

anybody else ever done this before? I'm sort of ****** still but a bit of destruction made things a bit better: