[Coolpool]

Some of you know I was having some issues installing ^. Here's the story:

Attempt #1- Up on ramps which are on 2x4s so I have a little more room , grab the impact, summon my inner, angry ******* per the instructions, and try to pull the driver's side LCA forward bolt. My impact set doesn't have an 18mm but a 3/4 fits pretty well.
Electric impact- nope. 12 inch breaker bar with a Ti bike handlebar slid over- nope. Breaker bar with handle placed on top of 1.5 ton floor jack. Unweighted the suspension, started lifting car. Bolt starting to round, Better stop. Hose everything down with penetrating oil. Admit defeat. For Now.

One. Week. Later.

Attempt #2 this weekend: Alright, ************ I'm ready now! I bought an 18mm Jet impact socket, a 27 inch breaker bar and borrowed my buddy's large electric impact! That bolt is as good as done! BTW, I should mention at this point I haven't even looked at the other three bolts yet. Up on ramps on 2 high 2x4s, grab the impact- Whack whack whack, Nope. Breaker bar- nope. More Nutcracker, wait 30 minutes. Bending breaker bar- nope. Bolt head getting worse.

Attempt #3 Monday- Finish work, run up to local garage I trust to get a quote. I explain, they say bring it on in and The Pirate is hanging up by her skirts. Their big impact- Nope. Their breaker bar-Nope and the head is rounding. Sooo, EZ Out pounded on with a maul, breaker bar and a 4 ft long pipe. Out she comes. 35 minutes after that it's all back together with new nuts and bolts. I'll mod the splash guard when the weather is better, but it's zip tied for now.

Donut is right- Cars are Pain.

 

[ViolatedST]

Canada; Year and milage on your potentially corroded chassis?

Thanks for sharing your story. Unfortunate struggles, glad it got sorted.

 

[ddfred]

The pain is the attraction...lets me know I'm still alive!

 

[Coolpool]

Canada; Year and milage on your potentially corroded chassis?

Thanks for sharing your story. Unfortunate struggles, glad it got sorted.

Whaaaat? Why, the bottom of my car looks like ..crap honestly. 2018, 36000 km roughly/20000 or so miles?
This summer is going to be spent partially pulling parts and coating them in POR-15 followed by fluid film in the fall. Alberta winters are brutal.

 

[STallion18]

Some parts the nut is welded to the piece {it will never get loose} only the bolt turn or can be the other way around. Easy way, a grinder with cutting wheel and new bolts and nuts.

 

[dante.st3]

Some of you know I was having some issues installing ^. Here's the story:

Attempt #1- Up on ramps which are on 2x4s so I have a little more room , grab the impact, summon my inner, angry *** per the instructions, and try to pull the driver's side LCA forward bolt. My impact set doesn't have an 18mm but a 3/4 fits pretty well.
Electric impact- nope. 12 inch breaker bar with a Ti bike handlebar slid over- nope. Breaker bar with handle placed on top of 1.5 ton floor jack. Unweighted the suspension, started lifting car. Bolt starting to round, Better stop. Hose everything down with penetrating oil. Admit defeat. For Now.

One. Week. Later.

Attempt #2 this weekend: Alright, **** I'm ready now! I bought an 18mm Jet impact socket, a 27 inch breaker bar and borrowed my buddy's large electric impact! That bolt is as good as done! BTW, I should mention at this point I haven't even looked at the other three bolts yet. Up on ramps on 2 high 2x4s, grab the impact- Whack whack whack, Nope. Breaker bar- nope. More Nutcracker, wait 30 minutes. Bending breaker bar- nope. Bolt head getting worse.

Attempt #3 Monday- Finish work, run up to local garage I trust to get a quote. I explain, they say bring it on in and The Pirate is hanging up by her skirts. Their big impact- Nope. Their breaker bar-Nope and the head is rounding. Sooo, EZ Out pounded on with a maul, breaker bar and a 4 ft long pipe. Out she comes. 35 minutes after that it's all back together with new nuts and bolts. I'll mod the splash guard when the weather is better, but it's zip tied for now.

Donut is right- Cars are Pain.

I'm going to be replacing my rotors and pads soon. My worry is kinda the same, getting the two caliper bracket bolts off. Also, have a Canada ST that has seen 10 winters and almost 200k.

 

[Coolpool]

Some parts the nut is welded to the piece {it will never get loose} only the bolt turn or can be the other way around. Easy way, a grinder with cutting wheel and new bolts and nuts.

Yeah, unfortunately the horizontal LCA bolts go into the housing, no nut. Had I needed to cut them off it would have been very ugly, and very expensive.
@dante.st3 You're probably OK as those bolts have likely been off and on a few times for brake replacements. Hit them with Nutcracker (you can get it at Bumper to Bumper here) or Mouse Milk Mouse Milk Oil | Aircraft Spruce Canada and let them sit for a bit before you try to pull them.

 

[Damond Motorsports]

Some parts the nut is welded to the piece {it will never get loose} only the bolt turn or can be the other way around. Easy way, a grinder with cutting wheel and new bolts and nuts.

Yeah this is most likely a welded in nut. If you bust that nut's welds, you're in for a very bad time.

The TQ spec on these front LCA bolts is outrageously high. I actually use my own TQ specs on these bolts (and most other suspension bolts), based off some Mazda TQ specs, vs Ford's "torque-to-yield-angle" like specs for everything suspension. My car comes apart often, so replacing bolts every time can add up. Especially when I can achieve the same clamp load used by other manufactures that has worked for decades. That being said, since the TQ spec is basically a TTYA spec, I do replace the bolts the first time they come off. After that it's my own specs and reuse.

 

[STallion18]

I had to remove those bolts few weeks ago. I used my 24" bar, it put up some resistance but at the end, it surrendered. If the bolt is rounded, use one of those sockets for rounded bolts, and get a new bolt. Can't apply heat, will damage rubber bushing. For some reason, I was thinking about the bumper bar when I recommended shaving it.