OK guys, somebody has a nifty way to bust these apart after ten years of Indiana snow control.

I've got AFI's lift almost done in the rear, but cannot get the damned a-arm bracket off of the upper control arms. When I put a socket on the nuts and gave 'em, a blast fromt he impact, I was so pleased that they threaded off instead of being a pita, but my excitement was short-lived when I discovered the through botls did not want to come out for love, money, cajoling, application of the impact on the bolt head, air hammer to the other end, hammering on the threaded end, etc.

Due to the angle of the upper control arms, I don't think I can get a porta-power in there to hydraulically separate this piece, I don't wanna use the torch as I need to re-use the upper arms and the joint bracket (and AFI already has enough parts from me on this project already and I don't wanna tear apart a parts truck only to find they are just as badly seized up).

Any ideas?

And, for those of you I've already spoken with who told me tales of using a ratchet to remove the bolts and then just sliding the bolts out, :flipoff2: I don't wanna hear anymore, especially you, Red Rhino!:flipoff2: :flipoff2:

PT

use the BFH :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

You will need to heat the piss out of the bolts with a torch. Not the brackest, the bolts. They need to be glowing orange. Then they will come out with a hammer, and if not you need to use an air chisel with a hammer bit. Any way you cut it, your gonna have to put in new bolts.

post up pics dammit
:smokin: :

Paul
I cut the bolts heads off and the nuts then seperated the arms from the ball joint, once out it was far easier to deal with in the vice on the bench.

OK boys, I have new bolts so that isn't a problem. Around here, these kinds of things just weld themselves solid. I'll get out the gas axe and start cooking.

use the BFH :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

I did~!!!

Here is a new trick I picked up to safetly heat up parts for removal. Inductive heating. Use a battery charger at a low 6volt setting and a welding gouging rod. Put the negative to the part and the positive to the gouging rod covering. Touch the end of the gouging rod to the part to heat. Red hot very soon without burning down the shop.

You will probably have to cut the bolt with a sawall, bend the flanges away and pull it down. Cut the bolt on both sides of the arm.

JP

Had that problem earlier this fall...

Short version: bolt...Sawzall...cut

Nothing else worked - even wheeled it (roughly) with everything loose.

Here is a new trick I picked up to safetly heat up parts for removal. Inductive heating. Use a battery charger at a low 6volt setting and a welding gouging rod. Put the negative to the part and the positive to the gouging rod covering. Touch the end of the gouging rod to the part to heat. Red hot very soon without burning down the shop.

You will probably have to cut the bolt with a sawall, bend the flanges away and pull it down. Cut the bolt on both sides of the arm.

JP

wicked tech tip there Pendy :smokin: very useful!

easy now thats my pos he is "working" on
:flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

OK fellas, the damned thing is out, but it took me four hours plus to get the damned thing out of the truck and the remains of the bolts out. Of course, I ran out of oxygen right in the middle and had to rever to less destructive methods to remove the rest of the bolt. One came out easily, the other took the rest of the time!

Then, it took all of what my POS broken, bent, welded and bolted back together hydraulic press had to give to get the joint out of the bracket. Lopping off the ears of the ball joint and pressing it out was certainly THE way to go.

Yes, KC, I'm making a tool to press the new one back in! :flipoff2: I was bemoaning the use of a nice big piece of stock, until I realized I'd had it laying around the shop(s) since 1990!

With luck, I'll get the rear end done today and get the front started.

PT

paid by flat rate?or clock time:rolleyes:

paid by flat rate?or clock time:rolleyes:

I'd prefer to remain silent on this topic. The provider of the parts said the hardest and most time consuming part would be installing the swivel balls:laughing: . AFI's getting a hell of a deal even if it is taking forever:flipoff2: .

Given the way the rest of this project has gone, I'm gonna be surprised if I don't get the swivels done in ten minutes...

PT

He needs to pay more for seized parts removal time. Its not unreasonable to ask for some more $ if rusted parts wreaked havoc.

If he doesn't want to pay more, then pad his bill for it. Heres a trick. If he refuses to pay his padded bill then hand him a broom and tell him to get with it, you'll let him know when he can have his vehicle at the originally quoted price. Time for time. An eye for an eye.\

Wish I could follow my own advice here.

JP

He needs to pay more for seized parts removal time. Its not unreasonable to ask for some more $ if rusted parts wreaked havoc.

If he doesn't want to pay more, then pad his bill for it. Heres a trick. If he refuses to pay his padded bill then hand him a broom and tell him to get with it, you'll let him know when he can have his vehicle at the originally quoted price. Time for time. An eye for an eye.

Wish I could follow my own advice here.

JP

It'll all work out, it'll all work out, his welder has been at my shop for the better part of last year, he came up and helped for awhile (until we got the news about Shopgrrl's uncle). It'll work out.

As for the broom, he leaves the place worse than Shopboy! I'll clean up after myself, thank you very much.

Peace,
PT

hey pt :flipoff2: