When replacing the rear shocks ..... people always say they break the head off of the 10x84 bolt....

My question is .... why not just either drill out the nut on the other side or grind off the nut with a cutting wheel, take a impact wrench to the bolt that is left to loosen it from the bushing and punch the bolt through?

this my be a simple question but I have not seen anyone start by doing that in the searches I have done ....

 

^

 

not to be ignorant, but you havent fought one yet have you? when they seize on there is no breaking them. and they are hardened so they will chew up drill bits. the last time i swapped out my shocks and springs, i had to cut off the lower strut fork, and drive out the bushing and install a new bushing.

 

my bolt out kit gets it out every time - tho you need a new bolt every time

 

You are corrent I have not done it yet .... planning on doing it this weekend ....

there is no way of knocking the bolt through the bushing and reusing the original bushing?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b204dr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my bolt out kit gets it out every time - tho you need a new bolt every time </TD></TR></TABLE>

What is that and where do I get it? bolts are no prob to replace .... but that bushing is a pain in the *** to get out and put back in as I dont have a bushing press .....

 

check sears- its a craftsman tool tho there are generic versions !

 

the bushing is destroyed once that happens.

you have to either take it to a machine shop to have it pressed out, or you can try melting it out.

 

as previously mentioned drilling the bolt is laughable it will destroy the bit. when that bolt is stuck the head will shear off before it breaks free.

also the bolt out kit in my experience is useless with this particular problem. I bought it and took it back afer it proved useless with the lca bolt (the bits were getting destroyed).

As a side note my car took a little hit on the side I had problems with so mine was likely more stuck than your average lca bolt.

 

couple of options/hints..

spray them real generously with some P & B Blaster a couple of days b4 you decide to do it. Make sure you spray it where the bolt actually goes through the bushing. If the bolt freezes to the bushing it will actually ruin the bushing by spinning the rubber out from the sleeve that the bushing runs thru. You'll think you actually loosened the bolt, but its actually spinning the rubber with it. (then you need new bushings.

buy a couple extra bolts from honda in the event that they do break (only a few dollars), and it won't hurt to put new ones in anyway even if you don't break them.

If one does freeze you can cut the bolt with a sawzall and apply some heat, and try to hammer it out in a vice, carefully without ruining the bushing.

If you ruin a bushing you will most likely need a press to get the new one back in.
I actually bent the handle on my vice trying to press it in myself. A hammer/ mallet is not recommend because you are more likely to do more dammage then you started with..

i just did them last weekend on my 00si and only one gave me a problem P & B and some patience, it ended up coming out without wrecking it. You can alwas trying tapping the head of the bolt with a hammer after you sprayed it to jar the bolt loose from the sleeve of the bushing too!!
good luck mang

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b204dr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">check sears- its a craftsman tool tho there are generic versions ! </TD></TR></TABLE>

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...38000

 

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...CRAFT

not the drill type ! its just like a socket works wonders with its teeth - trust me it wont break- tho over time teeth do die but thats why craftsman has lifetime warranty

 

same thing works well!!! i recommend it 0- try it- even if it dosnt work for your situation you will love this tool @!

 

what if the head breaks off? can those still be used?

 

yea if enough is still sticking out - it has teeth that dig into metal!

 

what i do, is get an angle grinder, and cut the bolt from both sides of the U on the strut, then the lca will be free.

take a pair of pliers or vise grips and remove the remaining bolt from the strut.

then take the lca to the machine shop to press in and out the new bushing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b204dr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yea if enough is still sticking out - it has teeth that dig into metal! </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hey thanks for the info everyone

 

the bolts holding the lca can be just as bad- ! specially up here in mn! north country where snow falls 3/4 of the year

 

I am in Northern Va and the car was originally owner in NJ ..... so all the salt they use on the east coast I am sure I will have some issues ....

Oh and my luck is about the worst so I am sure something will happen.

 

when i purchase integra LCA's to fit on my del sol. will i (more than likely) experience this?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by deLasoL7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">when i purchase integra LCA's to fit on my del sol. will i (more than likely) experience this?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes since the LCA bushings and bolts are the same design

 

i'm only armed with a craftsman tool set... i'm going to let a dealership do it for me.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b204dr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...CRAFT

not the drill type ! its just like a socket works wonders with its teeth - trust me it wont break- tho over time teeth do die but thats why craftsman has lifetime warranty </TD></TR></TABLE>

thats what sheared the head off my bolt, it definitely grabs like hell thats for sure...the damn bolt head wouldn't come out of the thing til i smashed it on the ground a couple times no idea !

 

dunno i never have chewed a head off- and i have had some pretty bad bolts ! - The worst bolt it took out was from a rusted as 69 camaro being restored which had been sitting outside threw winters for 40 ish years ! and it took the bolt out with out snapping the head off . All i can suggest in this area is dont exert to much force all at once push a little and let it go push harder and let it give eventually the siezing of the bolt gives out

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b204dr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">dunno i never have chewed a head off- and i have had some pretty bad bolts ! - The worst bolt it took out was from a rusted as 69 camaro being restored which had been sitting outside threw winters for 40 ish years ! and it took the bolt out with out snapping the head off . All i can suggest in this area is dont exert to much force all at once push a little and let it go push harder and let it give eventually the siezing of the bolt gives out </TD></TR></TABLE>

How about an impact gun at low PSI and then increase a little .... a little more ..... a little more .... until it breaks free?