How would you yank out a bushing bolt?
- Thread starter Jacobson
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Professur
Well-known member
Heavy dose of heat paired with an air-hammer.
AldeanFan
Well-known member
I've done alot of control arm bushings on Fox Mustangs. The bolt ususally rusts in to the steel sleeve inside the rubber bushing and if you try to turn the bolt the sleeve just spins inside the rubber. There's never enough space to get a good swing on the bolt with a hammer so I've found 2 ways that work for me.
Option 1 - work a chisel under the head of the bolt, this often breaks the bolt free and once you get a space you can get a pry-bar under the head and work the bolt out.
Option 2 - cut the head off the bolt, then tighten the nut until it pulls the headless bolt through the hole. sometimes this just makes the bolt spin the steel sleeve.
Option 1 - work a chisel under the head of the bolt, this often breaks the bolt free and once you get a space you can get a pry-bar under the head and work the bolt out.
Option 2 - cut the head off the bolt, then tighten the nut until it pulls the headless bolt through the hole. sometimes this just makes the bolt spin the steel sleeve.
BaMaDuDe87
Well-known member
I guess if you cant get to the back side to knock it out with a BFH....penetrating lube, locking pliers, and a hammer?
(/\ I don't have heat or an air hammer)
(/\ I don't have heat or an air hammer)
CobraChevelle
Banned
air hammer or another time I used a small air grinder.
Kensgarage
Banned
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Weld a ring to the bolt head and use a slide hammer with a hook(if there's room)
Gummi Bear
Well-known member
Sleeve may be vulcanized into the bushing.
In that case, you have to drill out the rubber (a major pain in the ***) and then drift out the sleeve.
There is also sometimes an outer metal sleeve, and it needs to be crushed or split to get out of the control arm.
Just did this task this past winter on my Dodge, there was a lot of cussing to get it done.
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately - Thoreau
In that case, you have to drill out the rubber (a major pain in the ***) and then drift out the sleeve.
There is also sometimes an outer metal sleeve, and it needs to be crushed or split to get out of the control arm.
Just did this task this past winter on my Dodge, there was a lot of cussing to get it done.
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately - Thoreau
Crusarius
Well-known member
I have found for really tough ones I use the mill to drill it out. but this only works if the bushing doesn't spin.
easiest thing I have found is cut both ends of the bolt off drop the part (a leaf spring for example) then replace bushing and bolt.
easiest thing I have found is cut both ends of the bolt off drop the part (a leaf spring for example) then replace bushing and bolt.
GeorgeFromPa
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cut the bolt head off then tighten the nut with an air gun.. that will pull it out . if it dont come out all the way you can hit the nut with an air hammer. sometimes they dont come out at all and you have to replace the bushing.
I work in a spring shop and thats how we do it..
I work in a spring shop and thats how we do it..
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fred d
Well-known member
This works great for bushings ball joints all sorts of stuff
http://t.harborfreight.com/ball-joint-service-kit-for-2wd-and-4wd-vehicles-60827.html
http://t.harborfreight.com/ball-joint-service-kit-for-2wd-and-4wd-vehicles-60827.html
spongerich
Well-known member
Are we talking about a rubber bushing or brass/bronze?
BaMaDuDe87
Well-known member
Jacobson, are you going to tell us who wins?
Professur
Well-known member
Why not just give us ALL the details. What's it on? Pics work too. More details, better suggestions.
48RON54
Well-known member
I agree. No clue what you are working on so its a pot shot at best. Are you planning on replacing the bushings? I have used a large socket and a BFH to force those out before.... it's still a lot of work though. More info or pics would definitely help.
ex-x-fire
Well-known member
I've used a ball joint press & some adaptors that I made/found to press out bolts from bushings. To protect the bushing from damage I cut the head off of the bolt so I can support the eye of the bushing.
Some of those bolts come out really hard.
Some of those bolts come out really hard.
Anarius
Well-known member
Sometimes you just gotta be destructive.
For example, some HHRs (inexplicably popular around here, and they EAT rearward front control arm bushings) the bushing will be so worn that the bolt, when siezed to the metal sleeve at the center of the bushing is turned, the entire bolt/sleeve spins the the rubber. In cases like this, I cut the rubber down with a torch, then heat the metal sleeve to a lovely orange and grip it securely with vise grips and them apply an impact wrench to bolt. Works pretty much without fail. Sometimes if I'm replacing the control arm in its entirety, I will use the recip saw to cut the arm off the car and make life a little easier.
One method that works well is to back the nut or bolt off as much as possible, spray liberally with a p-oil, and then over tighten the fastener.
If the sleeve in the middle of your bushing is still well attached to the surrounding rubber, apply a LOT of heat to the head of the bolt (get a nice orange, almost white) and then let it cool for two to three minutes (stay vigilant and be ready to put out the bushing if it ignites). Then rip her out with an impact.
If you are working off the car, easy mode is on. Apply enough force in one direction and you WILL win. Heat and p-oil are force multipliers.
For example, some HHRs (inexplicably popular around here, and they EAT rearward front control arm bushings) the bushing will be so worn that the bolt, when siezed to the metal sleeve at the center of the bushing is turned, the entire bolt/sleeve spins the the rubber. In cases like this, I cut the rubber down with a torch, then heat the metal sleeve to a lovely orange and grip it securely with vise grips and them apply an impact wrench to bolt. Works pretty much without fail. Sometimes if I'm replacing the control arm in its entirety, I will use the recip saw to cut the arm off the car and make life a little easier.
One method that works well is to back the nut or bolt off as much as possible, spray liberally with a p-oil, and then over tighten the fastener.
If the sleeve in the middle of your bushing is still well attached to the surrounding rubber, apply a LOT of heat to the head of the bolt (get a nice orange, almost white) and then let it cool for two to three minutes (stay vigilant and be ready to put out the bushing if it ignites). Then rip her out with an impact.
If you are working off the car, easy mode is on. Apply enough force in one direction and you WILL win. Heat and p-oil are force multipliers.
p_mori7
Well-known member
Dealing with this exact problem on my daughter's car tonight...
Gonna try the chisel tomorrow trick (hadn't thought of that).
If doesn't work, I'm going to either grind off the head of the bolt and then punch it through (can't get a hammer onto the other side to tap it out) or cut it between the bracket and the arm with a sawzall. The bushing has already spun inside the eye of the arm.
New bolts are gonna get slathered with never-seize...
Grrr.
Gonna try the chisel tomorrow trick (hadn't thought of that).
If doesn't work, I'm going to either grind off the head of the bolt and then punch it through (can't get a hammer onto the other side to tap it out) or cut it between the bracket and the arm with a sawzall. The bushing has already spun inside the eye of the arm.
New bolts are gonna get slathered with never-seize...
Grrr.
7thDimension
Well-known member
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- Jul 24, 2013
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Assuming you dont mind replacing the bolt and maybe the bushing, air hammer into the threads as if you were trying to elongate the hole the bolt is going through. Eventually the bolt will bust free.
To the posters above, those vise grip slide hammers wont do anything if other, better, methods haven't worked. The rubber of the bushing absorbs too much of the force which is why even using an air hammer and trying to punch the bolt out doesn't yield results when they're bad enough. If a strong air hammer cant punch the bolt out using a slide hammer in the same manner is just going to tickle it.
To the posters above, those vise grip slide hammers wont do anything if other, better, methods haven't worked. The rubber of the bushing absorbs too much of the force which is why even using an air hammer and trying to punch the bolt out doesn't yield results when they're bad enough. If a strong air hammer cant punch the bolt out using a slide hammer in the same manner is just going to tickle it.
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abvw
Well-known member
Do not try to force the bolt out without heating the sleeve, it will act like a press and will spread the subframe bracket apart (if the nut is welded in place).
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maxpower_hd
Well-known member
I used torches and melted the rubber all to shite. That seemed to work well for me. You need to vent the smoke out of the garage though. And have a fire extinguisher or some water handy to put the flames out.
The last time I had to do this was for leaf spring replacement.
The last time I had to do this was for leaf spring replacement.
MBfreak
MEMBER EMERITUS
I had a BMW E36 cabriolet. Nice car. Started rattling in the rear.
The trailing arms are made in alu and mounted on a bracket that sticks up in the floor. The bushings have alu sleeves inner and outer. And the center bolt is a galvanized M12. Bushings worn out.
Very little space to work, but you can pull the arm down and fix it. No way the force the bolt out. Steel, zink, aluminum. Great for corrosion.
Ended up drilling the 50 mm long bolt out in situ. Both sides. Not a job I care to do again.
All the while cursing the stpd fng krts that did not grease the bolt prior to asembly.
If I ever have to do it on another beemer, I´ll drop the entire rear suspension
Ola
The trailing arms are made in alu and mounted on a bracket that sticks up in the floor. The bushings have alu sleeves inner and outer. And the center bolt is a galvanized M12. Bushings worn out.
Very little space to work, but you can pull the arm down and fix it. No way the force the bolt out. Steel, zink, aluminum. Great for corrosion.
Ended up drilling the 50 mm long bolt out in situ. Both sides. Not a job I care to do again.
All the while cursing the stpd fng krts that did not grease the bolt prior to asembly.
If I ever have to do it on another beemer, I´ll drop the entire rear suspension
Ola