Hiya all,

I am writing this post to document how I dealt with what I expect is a common problem, but as always, any advice is appreciated.

I am rebuilding the front suspension on my '67. Just replacing the stock parts, stripping and repainting the hard parts, and adding front disks.

When I was removing the passenger-side lower control arm, I hit a snag. It appears that the bolts that hold the arm to the frame have seized to the inside metal sleeve of the bushing. The nuts have been removed and the bolts (and, presumably, the sleeve) turn inside the bushing, but they will not come out.

I spent a good part of my day last Sunday alternating between soaking them with PB Blaster and beating the back bolt with my trusty BFH, a 5 lb sledge. To my amazement, after 2 hours of soaking time, the bolt wouldn't budge, even when I hit it as hard as I could with the BFH -- I mean, I hit this mutha HARD, and it didn't budge!

I'm going to try the PB/BFH method more next weekend, and if it doesn't work, I'm going to move on to the torch. However, I don't have a acy/oxy setup, so I'm going to try propane or mapp gas (not sure it will be hot enough, but it's all I have). If that doesn't work, I'm breaking out the andle grinder and cutting the mutha off.

Like I said, I'm open to suggestions...

On another note, here's a trick for removing the old control arm bushings without a press. I probably read this on here, so I can't take credit, but I can confirm that it works. I sprayed the bushings with PB Blaster, let them soak for an hour or so, then used a 24 inch pipe wrench to twist them out. This is easier on the uppers than on the lowers because there is a lip on the outside of the uppers that is easy to grab with the wrench. On the lowers (well,... on the one that I was able to get off the car) I had to whack the bushing with a hand chisel and the BFH to get the bushing to pull away from the arm enough to grab with the wrench, but in the end, it worked like a charm!

I was particularly impressed with how easily the uppers came out. A few twists, and they were out, without any damage to the arm!

I also have a super-secret idea about how to get the new bushings back in (again, without a press), which I will share once I have a chance to test whether it works.

I like to use the cut-off wheel, this avoids that burning rubber issue when using a torch.

I can't take that smell and smoke in the shop.

Damon - I had the same problem with one of my LCA bolts. The PB blaster and hammer eventually worked for me. The problem is that you can't get the PB blaster to soak all the way into the middle of the bushing. I used a propane torch to heat the bolt and then sprayed PB blaster on it while it cooled. It also helped to twist or rotate the bolt as you hit it with the hammer. Be careful you don't set anything on fire. Give it time to soak, it will eventually come out.

Brake fluid "creeps" when you put it on rusty bolts. Got that from an old blacksmith, the guy used to shoe horses and fix rusty farm equiptment.

I didn't even try to soak mine. It was frozen SOLID! I would have probably bent my frame before loosening them if I would have tried the BFH. I just took out my trusty sawzall and cut them off. No torches and no sparks. It took a little longer than a cutoff wheel but it wasn't too bad. Thanks for the tips on replacing the bushings! Good Luck!

Okay, here's how it went down.

I got under there this morning after the PB had a week to soak. I started wacking away at the rear bolt with the BFH, and no luck. I sprayed more PB and hit it a few more times while I cleaned up the other arms, and still no luck, so I opted for more agressive methods of persuasion...

I took a ride to the Depot to wander around and gather my thoughts (some meditate to find inspiration - I wander around the Depot). As I was purusing the tools section, I came across the neatest thing... an oxy/mapp gas torch setup that runs off those screw-in propane-style cans. I picked one up and headed back to the garage.

The setup gets really hot - hot enough to cut a bold, except it doesn't have a trigger to allow you to blast the molten metal away. I used it to heat up the rear bold, and after alternating heat and PB, I was able to whack the rear bold free.

The front bolt was a different story. Since I couldn't get behind it to get a good whack, I had to figure out something else, so I tried cutting off the head of the bold so I could hit it through from the front. Then I centerpunched the bolt, and drilled a 5/16 hole down the center about 1 1/2" deep. Then I put a 3" long, 1/4" grade 8 bolt in the hole. Then I heated it up with my new torch, and whacked the 1/4" bolt from the front. After about 3 rounds of PB/heat, it finally came loose.

Happy day!

Tomorrow, I test my bushing installation theory.

Nice!

One of these days, give some AeroKroil a shot. As good as PB is, Kroil is about 100 times better :)

And no, I don't work for the company...it's just a great product.

:)

Jim

Damon,

Glad it worked out. At least you won't have to do it again for another 40 years. :D

Okay, here's an update.

LCA bushing and one of each of the uppers went in with the trusty Autozone ball joinnt press. The problem, as y'all know, is getting the last upper bushing in after the crossbar is in place. My ricer brother-in-law offered a suggestion. (He's one of those ricers who are okay to talk to because his 4-banger puts 430 hp to the rear wheels - it does - I saw the dyno). He suggested putting the bushings in the freezer the night before to try to get them to shrink enough to be able to put them by hand.

Guess what... IT WORKED! I cued up the vice by opening it up enough so that it just caught the back of the flange of the upper arm; I lubed up the arm with white lith grease; pulled a bushing out of the freezer; shoved it in the hole, and with two good whacks with the BFH, it was in!!

Now its ready to bolt back together!

I hope someone finds this useful.

Thanks, All.