Lower Control Arm Removal

[Ajwit87]

I have a 2g awd that earlier today decided to pull its front lower ball joint apart at 30mph on a straight away and skid the front of my vehicle onto the shoulder. I keep up on my cars and did not see this coming. Anyways, i just purchased a new control arm with ball joint from pepboys for 45 bucks, i thought this was a great price since advance wanted $99.

I take the lugs off, straighten out the spindle, then relieve the control arm load and begin removing nuts, i get the nut and bolt removed from the shock, and since my ball joint is seperated, the control arm will freely move up and down, so there is absolutely no load on the control arm. The rear nut/bolt that connects to the chassis was next, I use a breaker bar and a wrench (17mm), and take the nut off, after its flush with the end of the bolt, I begin pounding on it with a hammer. No movement, none at all, I then examine the head of the bolt to see what looks like a tack weld or just alot of corroded metal holding it to the bracket. It will not spin either.

My questions are, should this bolt spin freely after the nut has been removed? and secondly, should I take a grinder to it and continue beating it, or am I missing a step here?
Thank you.

 

[bryanwheat]

After the nut is removed it should move freely. IT if is welded as you say you could have some problems getting it out. I would try to grind the weld down a bit and than beat the bolt with a hammer. You might have to get a new bolt if you beat it too hard though.

 

[E-Rock 87]

all-data's exploded view

 

[Ajwit87]

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bryanwheat: thats what I am thinking now, just wanted to make sure there wasnt some sort of trick to get it out before I resort to cutting and torching

e-rock 87: it is the exact spot where number 7 is pointing to, that spot has alot of corrosion or a small tack weld, its on there good. Neither hammer nor breaker bar can break it loose.

 

[E-Rock 87]

I would get some pb blaster(penatrating oil) and spray it. Then try again with a breaker bar, impact, or what ever works it should come apart.

 

[Ajwit87]

E-Rock 87: Ill work on getting an impact tomorrow morning to fit onto it, Ill most likely have to use a swivel, its really tight there to get an air gun in there straight.

 

[E-Rock 87]

Yea im at work i cant look at one right now. I hope it works out for you! I wouldnt use heat tho it could cause the bushing to let go and then it will let the metal sleeve in the bushing spin while still stuck to the bolt. (then it will never come out.)

Good Luck!

 

[bryanwheat]

Is the bolt stuck in the sleeve or in the subframe? Does the bolt move with the control arm if you move it up and down.

 

[Silver99OZ]

The bolt is most likely seized into the bushing. Its a very common problem for both of those bolts on the lower control arm. I went to swap springs and struts on my car and on the passenger side the front bolt is seized into the bushing (bolt 5 in picture above). I did some research when this happened and found that many members on here had the same issue. You may have to end up cutting the bolt to get the control arm off.

 

[Ajwit87]

bryanwheat: Its pouring right now or I'd be out there checking that, I was planning on doing that already but thanks for the input.

Silver99OZ: If it is seized into the bushing and I cut the head off the bolt, then ive gone no where. Are you saying I should find a way to get my grinder in between the bushing and the subframe and cut it there on both sides, because that sounds nearly impossible.

 

[bryanwheat]

If it's seized in the bushing than you will need to get a tool between the subframe and control arm to cut the bolt. You could try taking a torch to it and getting it red hot than pounding on it with a hammer if you have a cutting torch.

 

[Ajwit87]

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Now that Im thinking about it, that head was not turning when I was moving the control arm last night. That picture will show you why. So im thinking about just cutting the head off and pounding it out.

 

[95TalonOwner]

Heat will be your friend. Get some kind of torch and heat it up then try again.

EDIT*
Just saw the pic you posted. It does look like someone might have welded that for some reason so a grinder would be your next option.

 

[Ajwit87]

I ultimately had the cut the bolt between the subframe and bushing, i got it off finally. Then had to pickle fork just the ball part of the ball joint since it was seperated (that wasnt fun). All disassembled now.

I went to the local hardware to find a new hardened bolt, i now know that its a M12 x more than 120mm. The longest they had was 120mm, and I can only catch like 2 threads with the nut. Neither Home depot, Lowes, or Napa auto could get me one long enough. I called and sucessfully ordered one through Fastenel in the next town over, it was only $2.52 for a 10.9 hardened bolt, i went with 130mm since the extra 10mm should give enough threads to secure it properly.

Thanks for the ideas and help guys. Should have it all fixed up tomorrow.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Glad to see you muscled it out. I assume you tried putting a jack under various locations to try and free up the bolt? I've heard of people having to do what you did, it just makes me wonder when my car came from Reno and mine pretty much slid out with some hammer-coaxing.

 

[VW driver]

FYI I found the same thing on a 2001 Eclipse 2.4L... the control arm bolt is welded. It looks exactly the same as the pic above on both sides of the car. Google lead me to this thread.

On the car I'm working on, the nut was rusted to the bolt. The nut and the bolt didn't spin. When I tried to take off the nut, it was so rusted it brok off the part of the bolt sticking out.

The A-arm design is different on these newer models, not allowing room for a grinder or even dremel in there to cut the bolt head off. I'm going to see if I can fit a Sawzall in there. That's some stupid ass crap Mitsubishi did.