Okay i went to finally install my Tein S-tech Lowering Springs the other day on my 96 Civic EX. The front springs were easy to install but i ran into a problem on the back. The bolt that i was supposed to remove that goes through the A-arm and the Control Arm would simply not budge. I about strained my self trying to use the wrench. Got my neighbor's Air compressor and Air gun and it still wouldn't budge. Put some liquid wrench on there and some WD40, went back at it with the wrench, and the air gun and my friends and i were all stumped because this one bolt just wouldn't come out.

I Talked to the local honda/acura tuner Guru in my area and he told me that cars of my model have a tendency of the bolt and A-arm asembly, and control arm becoming so rusted that it is impossible to remove the bolt with out getting a breaker bar and breaking the bolt off and replacing the A-arm, bolt and control arm. Has anyone else had a problem like this? My car is currently sitting about 2" lower in front and stock in the back. . .looks to me and i really wanna get the rest of my springs put on, any help is appreciated.

 

every single person on here has had that problem. i ended up having to remove the entire lower control arm and then drilled the bolt out, then replaced the bolt. the bolt isn't threaded through the arm, only on the end with the nut, so its safe to drill it out and not screw up any threads. there's also a spray thats what better than wd-40 for getting bolts loose, but for the life of me i can't remember it. maybe someone else can help with that?

 

Hmm wish somone had posted something on here, my search gave me no results! How did you drill the bolt out exactly? I haven't used many drills and honestly i have no clue what you mean. Not that you didn't explain good enough, but like my avatar says im a noob. If i try to take the control arm off, will i just be able to walk around with it and do what i need to do or will something be still attached to the car? Oh yeah thanks for the reply.

 

I usally just use a real long pipe.. like 6 footer and either it comes off or breaks off.

 

i HATE to ask this....

This was the actual bolt side, not the welded on nut, was it?

The spray is called liquid wrench penetrating oil.

 

Happens to almost every civic and integra it sucks heat that **** up and break it out and buy a new bushing and bolt

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The spray is called liquid wrench penetrating oil.</TD></TR></TABLE>

no it isn't liquid wrench, oh dam just rememberd it PB BLASTER
this stuff is the ****, try spraying it on there, leave it a few hours and then try it again. no garuantee, but give it a shot. and yes you can physically remove the lower control arm and walk around with it. put it is a vise, and start with a small drill bit and then gradually work your way up and drill the bolt all the way out. good luck.

 

i think i might just take it up to my friends shop and let him do it.

 

i've never had this problem...its wierd and i've done like 5 cars id say..maybe i just have good luck.

 

guess it depends where you live... and how much crap your car goes through.

more snow / wetness = more corrosion

 

Okay i finally got my new Omni LCA's .. and im getting ready to put them on. .revisting the problem mentioned when i first created this post. My new question is .. since that one bolt was seized up. .will the other bolts that go through the stock lca going to be seized up also? I'm hoping it's just going to be that one bolt and i can just get a replacement bolt and be done with it. But if all the bolts are going to be seized up then it will be a little bit more complicated. So in your experience. .did just that one bolt seize up or was it all of them? Thanks.

 

id say use heat and try that otherwise like everyone else said bust that bitch!

 

so ne one know if just that one bolt will be seized or all of them?

 

well its hard to tell just by the way it sounds.... I would think that if one bolt was seized up all of them would be too..... well thats the bad news but you could get lucky and they come out nicely..... I say just cut them out and buy new ones from HONDA; that way if they have any rust, you can just put new ones..... thats my 2 cents....

 

It's not just that particular year. My 92 Civic hatchback had the same problem. We ended up getting a torch and cutting the control arms off and finding some used ones from the junk yard.

 

i ended up having to remove the entire lower control arm and then drilled the bolt out, then replaced the bolt.

 

yeah but was it just one bolt or was it all of them?

 

bump

 

and another bump . cmon people who had this problem . .was it just that one bolt or all three on each lca?

 

Dang i thought this LCA bolt problem was common. I need to know from others experience if only one bolt seized up or was it all three that go through the lca.

 

All my suspension bolts on the rear were seized up. Got lucky, work at a service center, they knew what to do.

 

Ah man that sucks. Thanks for replying dude. I was afraid of that