Stubborn Wishbone Bolt (pics Inside)

[dan9 0]

I'm replacing worn bushes on my offside wishbone, and have managed to undo the nuts and the balljoint. The outer bolt will just NOT budge though - I'm worried that the holes in the subframe don't line up very well. Does anyone have any ideas/tricks to get this out?

 

A big hammer doesn't seem to work, and I even tried "pressing" the bolt out with a spring compressor. It looks like a toughened steel bolt, would I be able to but the end off with a dremel or similar?

 

Pics of the offending bolt, and of the new bush to give people an idea of what's going on here...

 

 

 

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

It should push out reasonably easily. Try getting a spanner/socket on the head of the bolt and winding it anticlockwise to see if it will move/wind itself out. Otherwise get a bigger hammer and give it a right f-in pisser.

[smighall 1]

As said, unwind it while pushing on the other end. Also try wiggling the wishbone, as it may well be that that's trapping it in there.

[dan9 0]

Unfortunately, both suggestions are things I have already tried

 

I've tried a big lump hammer but no good. The bolt will turn with a 17mm socket, but even with force from behind it won't wind out. The wishbone wiggles about quite freely - but this was the knackered bush, so the outer and inner bush "sleeves" are no longer connected with rubber.

 

I don't really understand why it is stuck, most peculiar! I am considering chopping the exposed thread off with a dremel, but then I'll have to try and punch the remaining bolt through with a drift which might make things worse!

[welshpug 1,622]

BFH is the only thing I can imagine that would work, short of removing the subframe and working on it on a bench.

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

I think cutting the thread off will just make things worse. From looking at the picture my advice would be to get the car higher in the air, looking at those stands they are on the lowest setting which doesn't give you much hammer swinging room. So get it higher up, get a 4lb or so ball pein hammer (lump hammer not as good as you might think, OK its heavy, but the weight works against you sometimes as you can't swing it hard enough in a tight space) and (as a mate of mine used to say) "Don't just tap it, give it a pisser!"

[welshpug 1,622]

dont tap it WHACK it

[matt-k 0]

I had exactly the same problem last week removing one from a 309 gti in a breakers. I hit it with everything and it still would not budge! In the end i removed the hole subframe and the lads used a grinder to cut the subframe off as even they could'nt shift it on the bench! Obviously you cannot do that so i would try burning the bush out with a torch maybe.

 

Matt.

[hodgy 0]

burn it burn it!

 

 

i had that trouble and a few direct hits with a hammer sorted it plus loads of wd40 to make it slippy

[kyepan 291]

the old puma racing website has some advice on how to remove stuck things.

It might be that the bolt has rusted into the inner sleeve of the bearing.

 

You could try a bit more shock, soak the area in WD40 leave overnight, try getting a good punch with a flat end that you can direct the force of the lump hammer onto the bolt.

 

or try heat, not sure which bit to heat, bolt, bush or bone, but heat works pretty good in my experience. .

 

sorry the heat bit is a bit uninformative, but someone might be able to help a bit more.

 

oops just read the post above.. what he said.

Edited January 20, 2008 by kyepan

[M_R_205 5 1 Cars]

As above, heat hell out of the bolt so it expands into the metal collar and breaks the seal (hopefuly) let it cool slightly and with the aid of a long drift, say 3-4 foot,(i use a lengthe of threaded bar) get a mate to hold it while you teach it your rage

[welshpug 1,622]

naah smack it when its hot!

[snillet 1]

Sometimes bolts seises (dont´know the correct spelling of the word...) up in the little bushing in the middle of rubber parts. It can be reeeeeally stubborn, my guess this is exactly that.

[sussex_gti 0]

Seeing as youve got both a new bush and bolt, why not just cut both ends off the bolt? As your replacing both parts this is the quickest way.

[Edp 67 3 Cars]

I had the exact same thing happen to me. The bolt rusts to the inner sleeve inside the bush and they are a complete bastard to remove. The only way I did it in the end was to remove the sub-frame and burn them out. Not what you wanted to hear i know.

 

I didn't want to batter it too much with a large hammer as its difficult to actually land the hammer on the bolt and i kept missing and hitting sub-frame. When you do eventually get it out remember to copper slip the new one just in case!

[j_turnell 134 3 Cars]

Classic case of the bolt seizing in the bush, have to cut it out im afraid, some heat may shift it though if your lucky.

[Jon_Bmw 13]

Sadly I have this problem now.

 

The bolt is seized in the bush metal sleeve

 

I've already burnt the rubber bush bit out, so the bolt spins and spins. Oh joy.

 

I have been smacking a 1 metre metal bar onto the end of it today, guess what is happening. Yep its bending the box section of the subframe. if you are struggling to imagine what I mean, think of it this way:

 

The spacer is stuck to the bolt, the spacer is too big to fit through the subframe so the result is it is BENDING THE 5mm thick steel!

 

I really can't believe its this stuck. I HATE rust.

 

Any more tips. I can't really fit a hacksaw blade in to cut the bolt off. I really don't want to take the subframe off either.

 

I've pretty much answered my own question and know the subframe has to come off.

[Jon_Bmw 13]

The solution: Cut the bolt and part of the spacer off. Its a right pain in the arse and takes about an hour of cutting as you can hardly move a blade in there, let alone get a whole hacksaw in there

 

A right c*nt, but its off now and polybushed up. The sadest thing... I had to order a full genuiene wishbone set as the bolts have changed part number and are now £13 each!! The whole set is only £20 odd quid.

[pug_ham 240 3 Cars]

Although the pictures aren't working I've had the same issue a couple of times now judging by the other replies.

 

The bolt is seized in the bush centre & the only way round it is to cut through the bolt.

 

I removed the whole subframe once when I tried to drill through the bolt but got bored part way in & just cut through instead.

 

Graham.

[Jon_Bmw 13]

At some point I'll dig through the crap outside and try and post a picture of the offending sleeve and bolt. Despite being cut, they are bonded so close together if you glanced you would assume it is one piece.

 

Cutting it is a very sad job, but the only way really.

[CosKev 16]

I had the same problem with rear beam mounts

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/coskev3/100_2262.jpg

 

[davemar 16]

Get an angle grinder on it. Angle grinders solve all problems. They can even solve the middle east problems .

[S13Nick 0]

i had one that had seized in, i ended u taking the subframe off lol as lack of room to hit it properly