The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support ExtremePSI
Please Support STM Tuned

So what's the trick to breaking the steering knuckle bolts loose

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

juntjoo

10+ Year Contributor
782
1
Sep 12, 2011
fort myers, Florida
I'm just sitting here stuck like a dumb monkey. Help please. I tried putting my jack up a bit against the suspension in case the springs were putting pressure on the bolts. Smashed the coned end of a bolt down to 0 avail after torching & lubing it. One just fell out on it's own. You guys must have some trick i'm not familiar with.
 
Um... not there at the moment, but i'm going to say knuckle to top of wheel, not strut. Yes, my milwaukee 3/4" 18v cordless with 700 ft/lbs "breakaway" torque, my biggest baddest tool, so far.
 
I'm just a little concerned about what is actually freezing them. If it's just the age then I guess I just have a lot of pounding and torching to do. But if it's something else I don't want to break anything
 
I can't think of any vehicle that has the knuckle bolted to the top of the wheel.

If you are working on a 93 DSM you would have two bolts holding the knuckle to the strut, one nut on the ball joint, one nut on the tie rod, and two bolts for the caliper bracket. If it has ABS then it would also have one or two small bolts in the ABS sensor.
 
I'M sorry, I meant the strut to wheel bolts. Still not that familiar with these parts
 
If you're talking abou the two bolts that attach the strut to the knuckle can you get the nut off the bolt? If you can do that then put the inpact on the bolt. Spit it in place then knock it out with a hammer if it just doesn't come out on it's own.
 
promise me the holes in the strut AREN'T threaded. I've been bashing the crap out of it. This car IS as my mechanic put it "a rust bucket".
 
Check it out. This is the toughest beaten I've given a piece of metal in my life. It looks like a crime scene or... porno doesn't it?
 

Attachments

  • 20130127_raped.jpg
    20130127_raped.jpg
    36.2 KB · Views: 685
This is why the OEm bolts have points on them. Use antiseize on reassembly. All else fails get new hub assemblies and I'm guessing you're getting new struts anyway.
 
PB blaster and a torch work wonders in this situation, though be careful the torch.

Pry bars and hammers help too. :)

I was able to get mine out with a hammer and PB blaster, thankfully.
 
I never went heavy with it, just a slight dab on the threads. Also, only on bolts that have lock washers. And I torqued every arm to spec, with 71lbs being the least torque for arm to knuckle bolts, and all the way up to 104lbs for the trailing arm. I think she'll stay

*109 trailing arm to body
*94 for trailing to knuckle, my bad
 
The trick is, a big hammer and hours of consistent beating on it with lubrication.. I must've spent four hours per knuckle and tons of wd-40 before mine broke free.. But I put a piece of folded up cardboard on the knuckle before I went to beating on it..

Jayson
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top