Replacing Lower Control Arms

[Moonlight GSX]

Alright I've looked everywhere else on the site and I want to know the likelyhood of something going wrong, like the rest of my car come to give me. Anyways, here's the situation: I'm changing out my knuckles/A-arms out with ones that have the 130mm caliper gap that is used for the Evo VIII brakes, but I've heard "horror" stories about replacing the two joints that sit under the knuckle itself which are the lateral control arm and the other I have forgotten the name. What do you think the likelyhood of the bolts snapping off into the chassis if I remove them with some WD-40 and either an impact or a "cheater" bar? As I don't really feel like trying to have them machined out... but I want to do this on my own so any takes as to what my chances are? The car doesn't have much rust and is actually in pretty good condition, although a few of the things I have replaced in that same area did take come muscle but after trying a bit they did move and I hope this would be the same... any help would greatly be appreciated - preferrably someone who has done it to a car that has previously sat in a "grassy noll."

 

[bryanwheat]

The straight arm is the only one that you have to worry about the joint going bad in. The curved arm doesn't support the weight of the car so they last a long time. The bolt in the straight arm has a nut, so it isn't going to break. The curved arm bolts to the subframe and shouldn't break.

 

[Moonlight GSX]

But I'm wanting to possibly at least sand or bead blast them to clean them up a bit, you know the rust off and such. But I just don't want to have them "break off" on me. But what I'm referring to are the bolts themselves, well the ones mainly into the chassis, as for the nut that is a load off my shoulders as I can replace that, it's the likelyhood of the bolt(s) in the chassis I'm worried about.

 

[snowborder714]

Soak them in PB Blaster (can be found at any local auto store) as far in advance as possible. If you hit bolts 2 or so times a day for a week, it'll be fairly effective in making removal easier. Also when removing the bolts, just make sure not to really force the bolt if it doesn't feel right.