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Subject:Vile Lower Control Arm Bolt
From:Ken Wilford
Date:Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:36:40 -0400

Just finished a multi-day fight with a front lower control arm bolt on a
Syncro.  It was seized into the metal center of the control arm bushing
and the nut was also seized on the end of the bolt.  Major pain because
you can't get to the nut with anything but a box end wrench (not enough
space between the nut and the Syncro frame).  I used a wrench, an air
gun, two break bars, two pieces of pipe, a grinder, a small air grinder,
a sawzall (three Sawzall brand "Torch" blades), a heavy duty pry bar, a
ball peen hammer, a mini sledge, an air chisel, and pure brute force.
Finally got the nut off (squeeking all the way) with vice grips.  Then I
had to grind the head off of the bolt, cut the bolt on the back side of
the head end and the threaded end with the sawzall before it would
finally break and allow the lower control arm to come off.  The other
side came off in about a minute with the air wrench :-)

Anyone have any helpful hints on doing this in the future?  I am getting
ready to tackle the rear control arms next and I am really dreading
that.  I bought all of the hardware before I started just in case I had
to cut and grind stuff off.  Control are bushing is out and now it is
getting washed in the parts washer, bead blasted and repainted.  Then it
gets a new bushing and put back in.  The fun of living in the rust belt!

Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com

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