My Tribeca has a seized linkage bolt in the rear suspension and im wondering how to heat it to get the bolt out with an oxy-propane torch

The rear linkage metal housing and bushing rubber are in the way so I can’t heat the metal sleeve the bolt is likely stuck in. Unless I burn out the bushing - is that what I should do?  I am replacing this linkage and the bushing with it.

The bolt passes through the components in this order:

bolt head - crossmember - suspension linkage with bushing - crossmember - nut. 

Do I heat a certain part or just get it all red hot and burn the bushing out?

I think I would try 'moderate' heat on the bolt, then spray/flood with some penetrating fluid. I had read before that suggestion , the fluid cools the parts and as they cool, the fluid can be 'draw in' . Then let is sit and go back to trying to drive the bolt out. I might try it twice before going back to a more drastic plan.

I did a similar thing to a severely stuck axle-in-hub problem on a chevy impala. Propane heat for 30 seconds at 12 and 6 oclock positions, sprayed with PB blaster, waited a coupla hours I think, went back and it started moving finally.

 

ymmv

29 minutes ago, 1 Lucky Texan said:

I think I would try 'moderate' heat on the bolt, then spray/flood with some penetrating fluid. I had read before that suggestion , the fluid cools the parts and as they cool, the fluid can be 'draw in' . Then let is sit and go back to trying to drive the bolt out. I might try it twice before going back to a more drastic plan.

I did a similar thing to a severely stuck axle-in-hub problem on a chevy impala. Propane heat for 30 seconds at 12 and 6 oclock positions, sprayed with PB blaster, waited a coupla hours I think, went back and it started moving finally.

 

ymmv

Okay, try light approach first.  I’ll get the bolt head and threads red, spray, and see what happens. 

The wide flange on the head head and washer make it hard to imagine penetrant getting drawn in far.  But maybe that means the corrosion also shouldn’t be deep?  The nut came off and has a clearer pathway, except the crossmember between the nut and bushing sleeve. 

10 hours ago, idosubaru said:

Okay, try light approach first.  I’ll get the bolt head and threads red, spray, and see what happens. 

The wide flange on the head head and washer make it hard to imagine penetrant getting drawn in far.  But maybe that means the corrosion also shouldn’t be deep?  The nut came off and has a clearer pathway, except the crossmember between the nut and bushing sleeve. 

yeah, I get it, my situation was more, 'open'?, and I had splines. Though, in line with your comment, maybe that meant MORE rust/corrosion was involved?

I never even got anything red so, just watch out for fire. You may need to either spray a LOT, or wait until parts cool a little. Can't se much opportunity for liquid to penetrate if it all vaporizes!

anyway, fingers crossed...

 

I believe youtuber SMA (South Main Auto) has a very good video on this bolt.  Check it out.

 

Good luck,

Sam

Here’s what the answer should have been:  Don’t use a torch.  

cut out with an angle grinder/recip saw. I should have known this, same as rear outback bolts, pointless to try to save them around here.   My Tribeca has little rust so I was thinking it might be different...nope.

I torched the €+<%,*! out of it, Oxy-propane torch, burnt all the bushing rubber out and then got the bolt red hot on both ends, liberal amounts of yield, and torched the sleeve, and quick cooled it a couple times...to put out the flames on the burning undercover and the HVAC metal heat shield I had in place which lit up and melted too   

then I used an old socket bolted to a long piece of all thread so I could wail on the bolt from behind the car with a huge few pound steel mallet swinging as hard as I could. 

no movement at all. The bolt is seized inside the inner bushing sleeve. 

so I’m guessing its best to cut these off and replace the bolts each time.  That would’ve been way easier.  Now that the bushing material is melted away and the Outer sleeve moves more, theres more room for making an ideal cut.