uniberp Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 (edited) 99 ForesterL Who's got a good hand tool solution to this? I'll buy a new bushing and bolt, but I still need to press this out while it's in the car. The bolt is frozen in the bushing. It would rip the rubber. I cut the head off so maybe I could support the bushing and knock the bolt free. The bolt to the frame mount on the other end is also frozen in it's bushing. I'd be happy to cut these all away, but they seem to be hardened bolts. This one took 3 old sawzall blades to get through. Any homegrown remedies are appreciated. Thanks ...2 hours later... I realize having got it disassembled to this point, it was not necessary to remove that bolt, and cutting the head off was unnecessary. It could have been reassembled from this point, although it is not correct. Also I banged up the thread end getting it loose from the knuckle. mpergielwalkermi97legate99forester08forester Edited October 2, 2011 by uniberp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 (edited) Drill a divot into the end of the bolt and use a small two or three jaw puller with a pointed end to push the bolt out. I would cut off the end opposite the head and push it out rather than through as the head portion may neck-up slightly and be hard push through the bushing. GD Edited October 2, 2011 by GeneralDisorder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 i've melted bushings away with a torch before too. even a simple cheap-o propane torch will melt/burn bushings. just be prepared for lots of black smoke, warn your neighbors, but it works. i'm surprised you got the thing out of the knuckle, those rear lateral link bushings are pure evil for us rustcoasters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Yeah have had similar issues here, also the lower rear lateral link, where it mounts to the subframe, like to seize at the subframe as well. good times, lots of penetrant sprayed in there, and good BFH, vice grips, etc to twist, pull, pound, and it will be messed up beyond recognition. When you reinstall, use sufficient antiseize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniberp Posted October 2, 2011 Author Share Posted October 2, 2011 (edited) Thank you guys. Glad I'm not alone. I got it. It was kinda grueling. Here's a couple of pics how: Done. NOTE it's a 5/8 washer, sits on the steel insert. The openendwrench supports it. So yes, cutting the head off the bolt is the way to do it. Now to the boneyard to try to remove all those pricey bolts I can find . I had to die-grind out the inside of the puller 1mm or so to make it fit around the link-end. The inboards are just gonna stay where they are forever I guess. They seem froze, and you'd have to cut BOTH ends off those bolts to get them out, working on your back, spraying water above your face to keep stuff from heating up and burning. Yessir I'm all about that. Gonna just sandblast them and dope em up with galv. :-\ And after this ordeal, which took an hard chancy wrenching to gain each mm, I immediately went to the other side to see if I could bust that one loose and did. Phew. Dosed it up with antisieze and galv, for next time. D*** my shoulder hurts now. At least I didn't have to grind the whole thing away. That would have taken days. I don't really want to apply heat to suspension links. pushing it out with a puller would take the steel bushing with it, which I think is bonded to the rubber and would destroy the bushing. This bushing survived. mpergielwalkermi97legato99forester08forester Edited October 2, 2011 by uniberp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 I just buy the whole "stub" for like 100.00 - I don't even do rear wheel bearings, just replace the whole deal. Too late for you to go that route. But I highly recommend that approach, atleast here in the rust belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniberp Posted October 2, 2011 Author Share Posted October 2, 2011 Don't you still have to get the knuckle and front link off the bolt?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Don't know how to describe it properly. But no - no need to mess with lateral bolt at all - that's why I do it that way. From (my poor memory) an arm attaches a couple feet towards the rear diff and infront of the rear axle. I undo them there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniberp Posted October 2, 2011 Author Share Posted October 2, 2011 There's 1 trailing arm and 2 lateral links. Those 2 inboard bolts are as bad as the outboard long bolt,maybe worse . Maybe I'm missing something. It looks like the inboard bolts go through the same type of bushing and are mounted directly to the body. Those I cannot budge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Right, those are probably 8.8 or 10.9 metric grade bolts, which are fairly high strength. Metric 10.9 is roughly equivalent to grade 8 steel. Either way, yeah they like to rust, and they expand into the bushings and seize. Usually a BFH (5lb sledge) is what it takes to get the out when they do that. But often times it's easier to just cut/drill the rubber part of the bushing out, pull the bolt out with the inner sleeve and replace with new hardware and bushing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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