I'm installing a Ground Control setup, reusing existing Koni Yellows.
The rear lower bolts are seized up really bad. I was getting the bolt to barely turn, but then this happened:


In case you aren't familiar, that's the square bolt which was welded onto the Koni, snapped right off.

I'm guessing I'm going to have to burn out the bushing with the shock still attached and then cut the bolt so I can remove the shock. I'm worried that the torch will damage the shock; is that a valid concern?

Anyone have a better suggestion?

 

Cut the bolt off with a grinder, saw zaw or something. That will get the shock out.

You'll need to replace the bushing unless you are able to get the stud out of it.

 

^ I agree to grind the bolt threads and the bolt head off so that you can remove the shock. The nut can be replaced with a lock nut.

 

Ok, I cut off both ends of the bolt and was able to get the left rear shock/coil out.

Onto the right rear. Had to cut both ends of that lower shock mount too. Unfortunately now I can't get the outer control arm bolt out to lower the arm. I broke two sockets trying to get it out.

I'm dreading cutting that one out since it's threaded into the trailing arm. Anyone had to do that?

 

Oh yes, this is common.

Do the same thing you did on the shock.

 

Very common thing to occur on any vehicle. It just seems more common on Hondas. You'll have to grind off both ends of the bolt like you had to on the shock. Its just harder to get to.

 

Leave that bolt alone, it's always seized. Remove the upper control where it meets the body, those 2 bolts are never seized. When the bolts are removed it'll allow the suspension to droop enough to get the strut out.

 

Those bolts will very rarely seize, however it is very well know for the 2 welded nuts to break free . When that happens, it will be MUCH harder to repair that.


So you have A, cut the bolt/nut off and ruin the bushing. or B, chop a gaping hole in your car.

Pick your posion.

 

Good to know that's an option, thanks!

Ughh, I really hope I don't run into issues with the LCA/subframe bolts.

I picked up a full set of LCA bushings so at least I'm prepared to replace whatever I end up taking out.

I have a rear lower tie bar on there now, so the bolts have been out before, but they're rusty as hell so we'll see what happens. Even without going ahead and replacing those bushings I was planning on replacing the tie bar with a subframe brace after I repair a small tear, so they'll need to come out at some point.

Since cutting out the hub side bolts looks like a major PITA I think I'll try the subframe bolts first. Hopefully they won't be siezed and I can just leave the hub side alone for now. It'll likely be Fri or Sat before I have time to try anything. In the mean time I'll hose the bolts down with ATF/Acetone a few more times.

 

by chance did you try soaking the bolts that go in the bushing with pb blaster? or a mix of acetone/atf(think that was the mix)?

and here's an advice, before you bolt all the new stuff in. antiseize the **** out of all those bolts. next time you try to take it apart, you wont be yelling and screaming obscenity.

 

In that case use a nut-sert instead of cutting into the body.

But these bolts are typically high enough to not be showered in water so will typically come out easily.

 

Well, I finally got it all apart.

The top bolts came out pretty easy.
Thankfully I had anti-siezed the crap out of them when I installed the tie bar.

The tie rod ends on the tie bar were rusty as hell:



But, thanks to the anti-sieze the bolts were rust free:



Since I had the outer bolt out on the drivers side I decided to go ahead and do my best to remove
the passenger side outer bolt so I could replace all of the bushings.

I ended up burning all of the rubber bushing while it was still attached.

After all of the rubber was burnt away I was able to fit a pipe wrench around the sleeve.

I gently hammered the pipe wrench onto the sleeve so it gripped as much as possible and then my impact wrench was able to slowly turn the bolt.

 

I remember all the rusty bolts when i did my pic bushings. Anti seize is a great thing, wish they used it on the assembly line!