Installing Sway Bars/Fighting rusted bolts

[D_Eclipse9916]

Anyone have major trouble getting the bolts off that are right next to the wheel. They are rusted pretty bad, used WD-40 and used all the strength I could till the actual bolt was molding in a SOCKET! someone Please help me! I thought of heat-treating it but I dont have access to a blowtorch and I dont want to pay money to get it done at a shop.

BTW I already looked around and i couldnt exactly find what I needed.

 

[HiggityHank]

You don't necessarily need a LOT of heat, sometimes the flame from a propane torch is more than enough. This can be had for sub-$20 at a hardware store. Also... WD40 is crap. It's the crap that crap wipes off its shoe. Get some PB Blaster. It's a rust-eating penetrating lube, made for the job you're trying to do. Pros use it, why shouldn't you? (It'll run you about $4 a can... but it's well worth every penny)

-Hank
(this has been the first DSMtuners post by Hank... Hope I've been helpful)

 

[D_Eclipse9916]

PB Blaster doesnt do it and now the shop I was considering getting my sway bars done at are offering to do it for 250 dollars...are they crazy? they say it has to be "on load" and then off load and all this crap, but I think they are just ripping me off, I know when installing its supposed to be off load but then when reinstalling it ur supposed to put it on load for something or another. Anyway PB blaster hasnt gotten the bolts loose at all...I dont know what to do know cuz im not looking forward to cutting the bolt

 

[cuttheduck]

Many people when doing suspension, turbo, manifold, other PITA areas douse the area in PB blaster like every day for a week. Spraying and waiting 5 minutes won't help you if its that stuck. I sprayed my friends exhaust manifold for two days and nothing would help,,went on vacation for a week and woila,,, came off SOOOO easy. Give it some time or use heat, 3 foot pipe on a breaker bar or whatever it takes. $250 seems high as hell!!

 

[MNGSX]

Get a mini twin tank tortch....

Map gas and oxygen... It uses the same small tanks and is just a plastic cradle, two tanks, two regulators, some hose and a tip.

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You can get it to glow cherry red with this if you want.... I break mine out of the bottom drawer of my roll cab when I get something really stuck...

 

[D_Eclipse9916]

Thanks guys, ill try the pb blaster thing for a week till my friend comes back from the beach, if not ill try and use his torch butr im afraid of melting that plastic piece....I heard they cost a bundle to replace...hell at least they are only 120, not 250 they are asking me to do for the sway bars.

 

[MNGSX]

If you are talking about the end links which connect the bar to the suspension... Just cut the nut across the flats in two places with cut off wheel in a dremel tool.. Just don't cut so deep as to hit the threads. Then just split it with a punch and a hammer..

If you are talking about the frame mounted straps and bushing that holds the bar to the frame just heat it up. The rubber bushings are cheap..

 

[yugotdonkey]

Get a big ass breaker bar or a dremel. I was having the same problem with rusted bolts on my stock exhaust. I soaked them in PB blaster every day for a week, still nothing. I ended up using a breaker bar on 2 or 3, and cutting off the part of the flange for the others with a dremel and the little discs that are used to cut metal. I went through about 5 or 6 disks, they kept getting caught and crumbling. You can do it yourself, don't pay 250 dollars to loosen bolts.