How to removed siezed bolt

[SilverSaloon]

Hi

i need to remove a bottom suspension arm from the Alfa 156 i've got and i need to replace it with a new one.

unfortunatly one of the bolts is completely siezed up and wont budge. its so bad one of my ring spanners actually split when i tried to release the bolt by slowly turning the spanner via using a trolly jack to jack it up.....

I am sure i can get a replacement bolt from Alfa, so, should i:

(1) spend the £5 or whatever it is on one of those freeze spray things from halfords to try and free the bolt - does this stuff really work?

(2) cut the bolt off with an angle grinder and renew it

(3) use my mig welder to put some weld on and heat up the bolt to try and free it


Any ideas on any of the above???

thanks!

Derek

 

[Dieselman]

Is the problem that the nut is siezed on or the bolt seized into the bush.?

Forget freezer spray.

 

[Will]

Sounds like it's time for the angle grinder

Will

 

[SilverSaloon]

Is the problem that the nut is siezed on or the bolt seized into the bush.?

Forget freezer spray.

the bolt has a nut on one end so i guess it must be the nut that is siezed. i was thinkinbg to just angle grind it off but then i'm stuck if the bolt is also siezed into the bush......... or i guess i could hammer it out then???

is the freezer spray useless? i thought it may be

 

[Barbanasos]

Heat it as much as you can, but don't try to undo when still red. Also be careful not to burn anything else around it. Back in the student days when we were playing with old alfa 164 3.0v6's (always sth to get our hands dirty) the heat worked wonders on seized bolts. You can buy ready to use canisters.

 

[Dieselman]

i was thinkinbg to just angle grind it off but then i'm stuck if the bolt is also siezed into the bush......... or i guess i could hammer it out then???

If it's stuck in the bush the best way is to drill the bolt from the side through the bush, then replace the bush.

 

[SilverSaloon]

If it's stuck in the bush the best way is to drill the bolt from the side through the bush, then replace the bush.

the new arm comes with new bushes. i've tried again tonight to undo the bolt but it wont budge.

my plan is to get a replacement bolt for this and then cut it off and do as you propose if its also siezed in the bush.

 

[colinallcars]

Can you cut the nut parallel with the bolt? You should then be able to knock the remainder off with a cold chisel. This would leave the shaft of the bolt intact (though the thread may be damaged), you should then be able to knock it out with a hammer. If you use a hacksaw rather than a grinder (more control) it's possible to salvage the bolt.

 

[Benzowner]

Have you not tried the famous WD40 yet? Leave it to soak in overnight

 

[andy_k]

do you posess or can you borrow a nut splitter?

Silverline 2pce Nut Splitter PC70 at MP tools

once the nut is off you should be able to drift the bolt out

 

[Druk]

do you posess or can you borrow a nut splitter?

Silverline 2pce Nut Splitter PC70 at MP tools

once the nut is off you should be able to drift the bolt out

The offer of an identical tool has already been made.

 

[smillion]

I would use heat as stated above. Camping blowtorch

 

[bennesspipers]

Heat until red hot, then quickly cool (water in a wash-up bottle), when properly cold it should undo

 

[219]

(1) spend the £5 or whatever it is on one of those freeze spray things from halfords to try and free the bolt - does this stuff really work?

I have used the 'shock and unlock' spray from Halfords and found it to be excellent : when changing the springs on the 126 there were 4 nuts that were siezed solid at the bottom mounts for the shocks - I spent a while spraying WD 40 and 'Plus Gas' on the first nut to little effect ( having already cleaned up the exposed threads with a rotary wire brush ) . Bought a tin of 'shock & unlock' and it worked on all 4 within a couple of minutes ! Best fiver I ever spent .

 

[SilverSaloon]

I have used the 'shock and unlock' spray from Halfords and found it to be excellent : when changing the springs on the 126 there were 4 nuts that were siezed solid at the bottom mounts for the shocks - I spent a while spraying WD 40 and 'Plus Gas' on the first nut to little effect ( having already cleaned up the exposed threads with a rotary wire brush ) . Bought a tin of 'shock & unlock' and it worked on all 4 within a couple of minutes ! Best fiver I ever spent .

i'm going to phone the dealer later for price on a new bolt, then if its reasonable i'll just angle grind it off. i may give the shock & unlock stuff a try - even if it doesnt free this bolt, i have it for the future.

my issue now is that all my previous trying has chewed up the nut a bit and my 19mm spanner is kaput, so i need a new one of those too

 

[219]

I never heard the rest of the story re the Alfa - I presume you got some remedial work carried out by the garage who sold you it ?

 

[flango]

my issue now is that all my previous trying has chewed up the nut a bit and my 19mm spanner is kaput, so i need a new one of those too

Buy the new spanner from Halfords too from their professional range, then if you break that one they will replace it free of charge under the lifetime guarantee.

 

[SilverSaloon]

Buy the new spanner from Halfords too from their professional range, then if you break that one they will replace it free of charge under the lifetime guarantee.

not fully happy with garage as we still have a car with horrible creaking sounds but other MOT place says its not dangerous and alfa forums seem to say the same thing (common problem apparently)...... yeah the garage fixed the MOT failure stuff and a couple of other things - all OK really but it still makes a crunching sound on that wheel. Apparently it can be 3 things - 2 have just been done so that leaves me with this lower arm. after that i have no idea - bushes do look pretty tired on it though. garage wont do any more on the car and i can kind of see why - car is fine apart from this one thing though, which if i can do myself will only cost me about £40 for the arm and now a few new tools

yeah soaked with WD40 - still wont budge.

yeah i've swapped something before - actually similar scenario - torx socket got chewed up when trying to remove the caliper carrier on the Picasso due to it being all siezed up. new replacement torx socket got it in the end.

As i need to buy a new 19mm spanner, new 19mm socket then i'll try the shock & unlock and hopefully just buy an identical nut to go on the old botl.

Garage has quoted £200 to fit the arm all in..... but i have a how-to from an alfa forum and it doesnt look bad & i got a replacement arm for £40:

http://members.lycos.co.uk/greenserp...56Strut-v2.pdf

step 3 on the lower wishbone is the step i'm struggling with!

 

[andy_k]

if you've rounded the nuts, get a set of Irwin Bolt Grip sockets

For taking old cars apart they were one of my best ever £20 spends

 

[SilverSaloon]

if i am taking the path of discarding the old bolts, i may aswell just cut it straight off