I started to do my asr brace install on my ej8 this afternoon and quickly found my right lca bolt to be really hard to loosen even after several turns. I had to take it out and put it back in when i put ground controls on before and come to think of it its likely that i cross threaded it with the nut. I kept turning it for 3 or 4 more turns and then it sheared right off. The bolt head came right out with say 1.5" of length on it. Unfortunately the rest of it thats stuck is enough to where my lca wont slide down and out of the subframe. I have brainstormed a few ideas with my roomate but the only thing that we can think of that'll work is to try this bolt remover where you drill into the bolt and hammer in this drill looking piece a little and then turn it counterclockwise to remove the bolt. I am skeptical if this will work considering how hard it was to turn the bolt and that its likely cross threaded. If need be I could drill out the entire thing including the threads in the nut and just use a longer bolt with another nut that would rest right next to the welded nut in the subframe but it would be a bitch prolly. Any ideas? Anything is appreciated greatly.

 

you're talking about the LCA to subframe bolt? (not the LCA to shock bolt)

that's tough.

I usually do the torch and cut method with stuck LCA>shock bolts, and replace with ES bushings, but that won't work for the subframe.

don't even bother with those little bolt remover bits.

I would just drill it out, and replace with a high grade bolt and nut. you'll have to break the welded-on nut off of the subframe, which is not hard to do. use high speed steel drill bits and a strong drill.

 

how hard would it be to knock off the welded bit to the subframe? I figured that its probably welded all around or is it not? could I just use a flat head screw driver with a hammer to get the nut off?

 

come on guys...

 

noone?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rhennin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">how hard would it be to knock off the welded bit to the subframe? I figured that its probably welded all around or is it not? could I just use a flat head screw driver with a hammer to get the nut off?</TD></TR></TABLE>
last one I saw on a 94 LS was just tack welded on. broke it off with an 18" breaker bar.
that's how I learned it was welded on

 

well, i cut off what was holding on the lca arm with a sawsall. The rest i drilled out with a 1/4" drill at first and unfortunately, didn't drill it exactly at the center of the hole. So the only thing I can logically do is drill out to the size of the bolt and use a new nut that will be compressed up against the old bolt that will have not threads in it. The bolt thats welded to the subframe appears to be useless considering how hard it is to get out cuz its hardened steel. I would prefer to retap this nut and reuse it but it doesnt look to good. I drilled it out to 3/8" which is roughly 1/16" to small diameter to get the bolt to slide through. I went and bought a 7/16" drill bit later this afternoon and will drill it out tomorrow and one way or another get this thing working. I have to considering that my job requires me to drive 40 miles or so to work everyday. What you guys think? I have pics if you want.

 

hahaa ****, i started installing my koni yellows the other day and found that i had three bolt seized up. both lca to shock bolts and on passenger side the lca to subframe bolt. i cut of the two holding on the shock and still need to get off the one lca , i planned on just using the angle grinder w/cut off wheel like the other two.

 

after reading that the nut is only tack welded i might also try breaking it off instead of using my trusty angle grinder.

 

hopefully this **** will be done by this weekend

 

let's see the pictures. careful with the cutting and grinding down there..

 

worst comes to worst you'll need a new shock and a LCA also with a new bolt... common problem.

 

alright well yesterday i did get around to removing the last seized up bolt. it was the bolt connecting the control arm to the trailing arm. was a bitch to remove. i used my angle grinder w/ cutoff wheel to cut the control arm out and once i did that all i had to do was grind the nut, and rest of bolt off with a dremel as the grinder was too big to get into the space behinde the rotor. it wasnt too hard but definately a bitch. an angle griner or a sawzall are definately the best tools to attack the bolts with imo.