# Removing rear front control arm bushing



## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Cut off wheel and a center punch would do it.


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

Windows on Wash said:


> Cut off wheel and a center punch would do it.


What are you calling wheel?


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Why do you want to take it off?


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

Bigplanz said:


> Why do you want to take it off?


To replace the bushing


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## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

The nut may actually be a weld on nut. So you won't budge it.
As of the now stripped bolt head
About 17 bucks at Sears


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

Davidh8 said:


> What are you calling wheel?


I think he was referring to a cut off wheel, which is mounted on a cut off tool such as this one. Great for the job that you are dealing with. This ad is from Harbor Freight, by the way.


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

ukrkoz said:


> The nut may actually be a weld on nut. So you won't budge it.
> As of the now stripped bolt head
> About 17 bucks at Sears
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F70AVarCbYU


What grade of bolt should i purchase?


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Did you try heat?


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## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

Not sure I understood the question. Grade of bolt?
You can either go to parts store, all their bolts are proper grade. You can go to say Ace Hardware store and look into specialty bolts. I use regular grade 10 bolts from Ace all the time on cars.

_Grade 8 bolts are approx 130,000 psi yield strength, which is very strong. A properly made grade 8 bolt will not be brittle. However, if you zinc plate or chrome plate a grade 8 bolt, it can become brittle - that is why you do not find quality grade 8 fasteners that are plated. Grade 8 bolts are identified with 6 equally spaced radial lines on the head.

Grade 5 bolts are approx 90,000 psi yield strength, which is not 'weak'. A grade 5 bolt will elongate noticeably before breaking in most cases - much more than a grade 8 bolt will. Grade 5 bolts are identified with 3 equally spaced radial lines on the head.

The material from which they are made is different, grade 5 being medium carbon steel and grade 8 being medium carbon alloy steel. The addition of the alloying materials allows the grade 8 bolt to be hardened to the higher yield strength without becoming 'brittle' - whereas if you try to harden a grade 5 bolt to the grade 8 properties, it will be fairly brittle.

Grade 1 or 2 bolts, on the other hand are not nearly as strong - they have yield strengths of around 36,000 and 57,000 psi respectively. They will elongate significantly before breaking. Grade 1 or 2 bolts do not have any radial lines on the head.

Metric class 8.8 corresponds roughly to grade 5 SAE bolts, and metric class 10.9 corresponds roughly to grade 8 SAE bolts, with metric 9.8 between them. Metric fasteners simply have the class rating on the head.

If you look at the markings on the factory fasteners on our vehicles, you will find many more 8.8 markings than 10.9. Therefore, in most locations, the factory engineers deemed 8.8 to be plenty strong enough for our application_


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Bob Sanders said:


> Did you try heat?


Typically you wouldn't want to put heat in any suspension components but he is replacing the bushing. 

Cut off wheel is quickest in this case and you can just put a fiber wheel on an angle grinder if you want.


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## WyrTwister (Jul 22, 2013)

Or , if in doubt , go to the dealer and buy an EOM bolt .

If there is enough room , I have been known to use a small pipe wrench on a rounded bolt head . With or without a cheater pipe .

If the nut is a captive nut ( welded on ) , do not cut the head of the bolt off . You will , maybe , never get the rest of the bolt out .

If you apply heat , heat the end of the bolt that is sticking out , through the nut .

Try a 6 point socket or box end wrench on the bolt head . You may have to take a small file and remove the burs on the bolt head . May have to use something to persuade the socket or wrench onto the bolt head .

If the nut is not captive ( welded ) , try taking it off . May need a cheater pile .

God bless
Wyr


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

Thank you for the very good imformation! Awesome..


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

ukrkoz said:


> Not sure I understood the question. Grade of bolt?
> You can either go to parts store, all their bolts are proper grade. You can go to say Ace Hardware store and look into specialty bolts. I use regular grade 10 bolts from Ace all the time on cars.
> 
> _Grade 8 bolts are approx 130,000 psi yield strength, which is very strong. A properly made grade 8 bolt will not be brittle. However, if you zinc plate or chrome plate a grade 8 bolt, it can become brittle - that is why you do not find quality grade 8 fasteners that are plated. Grade 8 bolts are identified with 6 equally spaced radial lines on the head.
> ...


Thank you


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## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

Davidh8 said:


> Thank you



Any time. Let us know how went it.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Windows on Wash said:


> Typically you wouldn't want to put heat in any suspension components but he is replacing the bushing.


You don't heat the bushing. You heat the bolt. Done it quite a few times.


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

Bob Sanders said:


> You don't heat the bushing. You heat the bolt. Done it quite a few times.


The bolt in question,the bolt head has pushed through the hole a bit and this happened when i backed down my car ramps with the emergency brake on and i guess it pulled on the arm and caused it..


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## WyrTwister (Jul 22, 2013)

When and if you get the bolt out , you may have problem getting the control arm out . Depending on how much the metal is dished in ?

When you put it all together , you may want to " pull the metal back out using a shorter bolt , a nut , a washer and maybe a socket .

When you get all this worked out , you may need to put a large OD washer under the head of the bolt , to distribute the force . To keep the metal from dishing in again .

God bless
Wyr


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

I really appreciate all the help guys and God Bless


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Bob Sanders said:


> You don't heat the bushing. You heat the bolt. Done it quite a few times.


I guess the bolt doesn't transfer any heat into a soft and heat sensitive rubber.... :vs_no_no_no:

Remind me never to ride in your cars. 

More importantly, heat changes the tempering and strength of the steel. In this case, the bolt is being replaced so as it pertains to the bolt, the point is moot. 

Fact remains that applying heat to break stuck fasteners loose when it comes to suspension components is a NO-NO. Do that in a professional shop (when you are not replacing all the parts at hand) and you will be shown the door.

It is an insurance liability and rightly frowned upon.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Davidh8 said:


> I really appreciate all the help guys and God Bless


Bob....he said God Bless....get him!!!

Davidh8...just a little joke at Bob's expense. 

Hope we helped you out and may God Bless you as well!!


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Windows on Wash said:


> I guess the bolt doesn't transfer any heat into a soft and heat sensitive rubber.... :vs_no_no_no:


None to very little heat transfer to the "soft and heat sensitive rubber".... which is being replaced anyway 



> More importantly, heat changes the tempering and strength of the steel. In this case, the bolt is being replaced so as it pertains to the bolt, the point is moot.


 Any bolt (not just a suspension bolt) you must heat to remove, gets tossed and a new one installed.

If you use a cutoff wheel as others suggest you run the risk of eating into the mounts.

Heat is a standard method of removing stuck bolts, pressed bearings... etc.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Bob Sanders said:


> None to very little heat transfer to the "soft and heat sensitive rubber".... which is being replaced anyway
> 
> Any bolt (not just a suspension bolt) you must heat to remove, gets tossed and a new one installed.
> 
> ...


...except for suspension components. Feel free to read up on service manuals. 

The issue isn't just about the bolt. When you heat up areas that are close quarters, there are risks of fire as well as impacting attachment points and other structural components...when it comes to suspensions. This is why they DO NOT recommend it. 

As I have pointed out, as a general automotive and truck servicing rule...you do not heat fasteners in suspension related components. Period. 

This is not me saying this and it was one of the first things I was taught.

I know he is replacing the bushing which is why I said...


Windows on Wash said:


> Typically you wouldn't want to put heat in any suspension components but he is replacing the bushing


several posts earlier. 

Doesn't matter. You don't put open flame to the underside of the car unless you are working off a lift and not to a suspension component. Feel free to look it up for yourself. 

A cut off when on an angle grinder is safer and I don't have to wait on it. You put heat in a bolt and it may not break it free. I know when I cut the head off and center punch it out...its out. 

You don't have to cut tight to the mount as you think. You can also use a reciprocating saw quite easily and even further reduce the risk of and friendly fire damage. 

The heat option, while effective, can also have collateral damage. You give a first year tech an acetylene torch and tell him to heat up a bolt on the car, you have a recipe for disaster.


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

ukrkoz said:


> Not sure I understood the question. Grade of bolt?
> You can either go to parts store, all their bolts are proper grade. You can go to say Ace Hardware store and look into specialty bolts. I use regular grade 10 bolts from Ace all the time on cars.
> 
> _Grade 8 bolts are approx 130,000 psi yield strength, which is very strong. A properly made grade 8 bolt will not be brittle. However, if you zinc plate or chrome plate a grade 8 bolt, it can become brittle - that is why you do not find quality grade 8 fasteners that are plated. Grade 8 bolts are identified with 6 equally spaced radial lines on the head.
> ...


Do you know how long the new bolt should be? And also,do i use a lock nut for the new bolt? Do you know where i can buy them online?


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## WyrTwister (Jul 22, 2013)

Buy the bolt from the dealer , then you probably will get the correct bolt . And the dealer should be able to tell if the nut is captive / welded on . If not , replace it too . Get the torque spec from the dealer and torque the new bolt accordingly .

God bless
Wyr


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

Here is an update on my contol arm bushing replacement project and as you can see the bushing does not need replaced,but since i cut the bolt,i will replace the bolt,i just don't understand why the control arm has the slack in it enough for it to move back and forth,all i can think of is the bushing end on the front of control arm,the bolt not being big enough around or because of the bolt head pushing through the hole because the base plate is dished in on the bolt head side,and i think there is a componant missing in the middle of the bushing in question because the control arm should not be moving back and forth on that bolt when it is tightened up properly or it could be moving because of the metal is dished in under the bolt head..


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Check the bolt holes on the frame. They may have become elongated and that bushing doesn't look great. 

Probably cheaper to just put a new control arm on it.


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## WyrTwister (Jul 22, 2013)

How loose is the old bolt , in the bushing ?

Are you going to replace the control arm with one with new bushings ?

I did that for the bottom right bottom on a Chevy & the price from RockAuto was not bad .

But I used penetrating oil and a big 1/2" drive ratchet & a big wrench . Did not have to cut the bolt off or use heat .

Id the hole in the frame is dished in , I would use a bolt & washer & maybe a socket to try to pull the metal back to where it is suppose to be .

Then install the bolt with a big outside diameter washer to try to reinforce that area . Maybe a big washer under the nut , too .

God bless
Wyr

God bless
Wyr


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## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

Well, bushing may "look" right but rubber may have lost it's original durometer, and it simply now compresses too much. I'd have had either entire piece replaced, or bushing pressed out and new one pressed in. ANy tire shop will do this for you.
I buy bolts at Ace HWR/Johnson's here. You can also buy matching proper non-chromed bolts from automotive store. Not sure why to go for internet order. If bolt is a bit longer, no big deal really.
As others said, how is the original bolt fitting into bushing? You may end up adding a sleeve to fit tighter. 
Any decent town has tools or nuts and bolts place, if you really wanted to go fancy.
I am also presuming, that actual NUT was a weld on and now you have to match threads.
I'd put locking washer atop of a wide flat washer to secure it all in place. Just me. I like forces distribute over large surface areas.
Once again, I'd NOT be reusing that CA or bushing. 
Btw, is it a control arm or trailing arm?


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## Davidh8 (Apr 6, 2015)

I finally fixed the control arm,i replaced the bolt big washers and lock nut


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