Help the bolt in my lower arm is ceased to the bushing

woodiwoodi Wagonist
in Suspension, Braking & Wheels
I am in the process of doing my engine swap and have just about everything off the old engine and got to pulling the axles. Passengers side came free not too bad but I'm stuck on the drivers side. I noticed when I went to remove the fork from the lower arm that the bottom bolt was longer and had a smaller head like somebody must have replaced it over the last 21 years with whatever they had that was close. Well I got the wrenches on it and next thing I knew I had the head of it sheared off and the bolt hadn't moved at all. I eventually got it to spin...so I thought and started to try and hammer it out with no luck. Went and got my gear puller and started trying to force it out that way. After lots of struggling and confusion I figured out that the bushing is sliding out of the arm and the bolt is very solidly stuck to it.

So any ideas on how to get the whole mess out? No matter what I try and do I end up just pushing the bushing out and spreading the fork apart.

Comments

  • JakerJaker familEE
    Slide a cut off wheel in an angle grinder (or for a more "manual" method, hacksaw) up between the inside of the fork and the LCA and cut through the offending bolt/bushing sleeve. That will let you take it apart at the very least, and then change the bushing in the LCA.
  • superhatchsuperhatch Moderator
    ^ This.

    I had to do this recently on my EP3 when I did a suspension change. Worked like a champ.
  • woodiwoodi Wagonist
    Thanks, makes perfect sense and seems like the obvious solution. Why didn't I think of that. :oops: Good thing I didn't break the fork in all my forcing and frustration. Guess sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.
  • BIOHAZARDBIOHAZARD Wagonist
    sawzall works good too. that what i did to get my rear bolts out, plus some fire wrench to get the last of the bolt out of the shock. but the bolt in the front doesn't have this problem since its a "not welded" nut.
Sign In or Register to comment.

© Vanilla Keystone Theme 2025