Strut pinch bolt

[Eliw]

So I spent my saturday changeing my struts. Or rather, strut. I managed to replace the passenger side strut, spring and strut mounts. The driver side pinch bolt didnt even budge. I dont know what to do. Im stuck.
Also, now I have a squeek on the passenger side. Help. Help. Help.

If it helps in relation to the squeeking, I replace the strut and spring with the tokico/intrax setup. Help. Anybody know what I can do about the pinch bolt? TIA

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

NY eh?

Suspension hardware does not like real winters.

have you tried PB blaster? Or maybe some MAP gas?

 

[Eliw]

I emptied have a can of pb blaster on it, tried a torch and a air gun, not a stop air gun, but an air gun.

What I dont get is that the passenger side bolt came out after a few tuggs. The driver side didnt even budge. No movement at all.

 

[DHMag]

did you try a breaker bar (aka 3ft pipe) ?

 

[kickeralpine]

i did a mercury sable tobay and did rear struts same thing one can out and other didnt dont use braker bar my friend did bolt snap and then you drill so what i did today was you need to heat it up to get the lock tight to let go and it will come right out so make sure you heat it up pretty hot you will need a torch not the propan

 

[DHMag]

ok, let me clarify, use heat, then a breaker bar.

or another trick is to try and tighten the bolt first before loosening. if the bolt turns to tighten, itll definitely loosen. you arent looking for a 1/2 rotation, just *some* movement from the bolt (watching the shank).

ive never broken a bolt by any of the methods i use. thats not because i live in Texas either. i did spend 24 years in Indiana.

 

[Eliw]

I didnt get to try a breaker bar, but i was using a ratchet with a long wrench as a handle. We tried tightening and then loosening but we got nothing.

 

[ES_8CH_OH]

Put a propane torch to it. You want the the tip of the inside blue flame on it. That is the hottest part of the flame. Heat it up for several minutes then take a crack at it. If it does not move, heat it some more. I used this method to loosen the bolts holding my origanal struts onto my 16 yr old Mustang.

 

[Eliw]

We tried heat, but no breaker bar. I will get my hands on one for this weekend and try the head breaker bar combo.
Anything else I coulod try?

 

[luigisho]

That's all there is really. Penetrating oil/lubricant of some type, heat and torque. Go to Lowe's or Home depot to the plumbing section and you should be able to find some metal pipe thick and long enough to fit over the wrench and really put some torque on the bolt. Heat the area first. MAPP gas burns a little hotter than propane.

 

[SHOZ123]

The absolute best penetrating oil is Kroil. Makes PB Blaster look like WD 40.

www.kanolabs.com

 

[oh_SHO]

The absolute best penetrating oil is Kroil. Makes PB Blaster look like WD 40.

www.kanolabs.com

I'll second that. Definatly use a breaker bar on it much better control over a pipe.

 

[Shoaz]

Use a pipe on a socket wrench, i.e., NOT your ratchet. You might break or damage the ratchet with the sort of torque these things need sometimes. A socket wrench (what some people call a breaker bar, I guess), with the cheater pipe over it makes it pretty easy.

 

[Eliw]

Im going to try a breaker bar and some mapp gas. Also, as a side option, Im going to go to pepboys and find out how much they can get me a knuckle since the last time I got the car aligned they said the bering were bad on the driver side. 2 birds with one stone. Ill just have to pospone my purchase of a shonut extreme reinforced motor mount

 

[Slo-Sho]

I would definately not use a breaker bar on that pinch bolt. You WILL break the head of the bolt clean off. Oxy/Acetylene my friend...only way to go in this situation. Take it from someone that lives in CNY. Oh, and get an impact gun with some balls like a 3/4" drive on shop air (150 psi).