seized nut

[xstubsx]

hi. im new to this. and dont know much bout mechanics. i also just started my auto mech classes. so ill learn more with time. anyway. i want to change the suspension of my 95 civic. but my problem is that the nut holding the strut behind the wheel/brakes( i dont know the terms yet) is seized. ive tried soaking it with bp blaster. liquid wrench. tried with a breaker bar. broke a ratchet. tried with an impact wrench. heating it. nothing so far. im basicly thinking that ill have to cut the nut. so what im asking is for any suggestion on freeing a seized nut. thanks.

 

[DHS]

Nut splitters have saved me a few times. Good luck

 

[nissan_crawler]

define "heated it". Glowing orange with an oxy/acetylene torch heated, or heat gun/propane torch heated?

Put Kroil or anything on it? Don't say wd40, it's junk.

If it took me very long, I would fire up the gas wrench and get a new adjusment bolt/nut. I'm assuming that's what you're talking about.

 

[DHS]

Here is a pic of the nut splitter that I use. I snagged pic off the internet. The only problem is if the nut is too big it wont fit into it. You would be amazed how easy this thing works. Split one side and spin it off, or split bothe sides and it comes off in two pieces. Anyone else use these?

 

[nissan_crawler]

Here is a pic of the nut splitter that I use. I snagged pic off the internet. The only problem is if the nut is too big it wont fit into it. You would be amazed how easy this thing works. Split one side and spin it off, or split bothe sides and it comes off in two pieces. Anyone else use these?

I do. The only problem is the space required for the tool. That and the torch is usually quicker.

 

[xstubsx]

used a propane torch. didnt work. with pb blaster at the time. ill try out that nut splitter. seems interesting. as for kroil. i havnt seen some here.

 

[sberry]

A LP torch wont get it, you need a real torch. Very common problem, daily at most shops.

 

[moogoob]

If you dont have a "real" oxy/acetelyne torch, you can get away with an oxy/mapp to cherry the bolts.

 

[Stick Figure]

I'm going to guess you are working on the rear strut. If that is the case, then most likely the nut is the least of your concerns. The Hondas often have a problem where the bolt rusts into the sleeve of the bushing in the control arm. Basically you are going to have to cut things apart, because if you do get the bolt to spin, it means you destroyed the bushing and the bolt still won't come out. To warn you beforehand, Honda does not sell that bushing separately only the whole control arm. Your option here are to of course replace the whole thing, or if you order a bushing for the same location on a 95 Accord, it will fit, but the width is slightly different, i don't remember if it is a bit short or long though. The final option would be to replace the bushing w/ some aftermarket like energy suspension or prothane.

Just remember to put some anti seize on the new bolt before you put things back together!

 

[ImportTuner]

The nut splitter posted by DHS works great ..

 

[rjohnson]

Cut nut about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through. Take vise-grips and twist or hit with a hammer.

 

[xstubsx]

i wish i read this ealrier ha ha. alright i got a mastercraft nut splitter. worked great. but the head of the screw everntually got striped from trying with the impact and ratchets and what not. so i got a bolt`nut remover. wich i thought was working. but just broke the head off. =/ now i got a broken bolt in my suspension and my wheel and squeaking now -.-

i tryed to use a punch and an extractor but the effing punch wouldnt work and i tryed liek 5 different ones.even tryed with the vise grip and hammer. nothing. . since its labor day tomorrow everythign is closed so i cant like bushings. thats kinda lame. though bout honda not selling the bushing separately. i think ill have to cut the strut. but i dont own a saw of some sort =/

sorry for the bad pics. camera is ****

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

I cant tell from the pic,is this the strut adjustment bolt?

 

[nissan_crawler]

This is where you need a real torch. Blow both ends of the bolt into the bushing, and pop it out.

Oh, and I hope there's a jackstand there.

 

[Stick Figure]

oh yeah and if the strut was factory, the nut was welded to the strut!

 

[bmwpower]

oh yeah and if the strut was factory, the nut was welded to the strut!

Whoops.
Trying to get my bearings with those picts.

That's the worst thing about working on old cars...friggin rust.

 

[xstubsx]

I cant tell from the pic,is this the strut adjustment bolt?

i dont know. the terms. but. i can tell you its the bolt where the strut connects witht he control arm?" behind the rear wheel.

i think the nut were welding. cause when i broke it there was weld spots. as for the blow torch.? what would be a real blow torch. i dont know anything real bout torches. im sappost to learn bout welding and heating nuts in a few weeks at school. so till then ima noob =/

 

[Stick Figure]

No this is nothing that will effect the alignment. The good news is that i stand corrected on Honda not selling the bushing separately. When i looked up the pic for others on Majestic Hondas site it does show it having a part number now.

for those that aren't quite sure what he is showing the shock "fork" goes over the bushing listed as 21 or 20.

As far as what to do next, my suggestion would be to cut the shock off. Cut through the leg that has the head of the bolt on it. Then you can slide the shock off of the other side. Probably the cheapest tool you can use for this is an angle grinder. I personally prefer the Makita w/ a paddle switch. I don't like the regular on off switch for the fact that if for some reason the grinder pulls out of your hand (broken cut off wheel that grabs etc) it will bounce around like crazy until you can unplug it. I have a couple of scars to prove this BTW.

At this point you could actually remove the control arm, to be able to work on it outside the car. Now the best bet is to find someone that has a press, and press out the old bushing and press in the new one.

If you can't find someone w/ a press, you can torch the bushing out, this will take a while and smell. once you have the center out you can take a reciprocating saw, or jig saw w/ a long enough metal blade and cut from the inside out in a couple places to relieve the stress on the outside ring of the bushing. Then you just have to um "tap" the new bushing in place. by which i mean get a Big F&^%#%@ Hammer.

press is by far the best and easiest way to go, but i have used the other method in a pinch, and it will work just be prepared to put some work into it.

 

[xstubsx]

ya i think thats the best solution. right now im riding my car as it is. ha ha. everything is closed today. so ill have to do it next weekend. hopefully. cause i work from 6am-2pm school 3pm-10pm. so aint got much time to go to a parts store. unless i get my school card at school and then ill be able to order parts from the garage at school. anyway. ill try that.. hmm if i cut the strut where the holes are(that connects to the control arm) wont the strut like fall and damage the ball joint?. or whatever. part that is. basicly will it damage something else?"

 

[Stick Figure]

strut doesn't weigh enough to damage anything, and i assume the strut is going in the trash anyway. If you are trying to save the strut, then don't cut it. I'm just assuming that if you are doing some suspension work, then struts are at the top of the list. Also i wouldn't drive it like that.... while i doubt anything will happen, its by no means safe.

 

[jeffg]

oh... honda...

The bolt has rusted to the inner metal sleeve of the bushing. You choices are:

A) Heat it up and push the bolt out if you are lucky
B) Cut the bolt as short as possible to slide the strut off and then replace the entire bushing
C) cut the strut and replace the entire bushing.

When you put the new bolts in the new bushings, apply liberal anti-seize. I have done this too many times to count working on Honda rear suspensions.

 

[babzog]

hi. im new to this. and dont know much bout mechanics. i also just started my auto mech classes. so ill learn more with time. anyway. i want to change the suspension of my 95 civic. but my problem is that the nut holding the strut behind the wheel/brakes( i dont know the terms yet) is seized. ive tried soaking it with bp blaster. liquid wrench. tried with a breaker bar. broke a ratchet. tried with an impact wrench. heating it. nothing so far. im basicly thinking that ill have to cut the nut. so what im asking is for any suggestion on freeing a seized nut. thanks.

Assuming you're talking about the rear struts, which, from my reading, seem to give many people a rash.

Mine (had this very problem with my '02 rear susp. last Apr/May) ended up breaking loose with a Generous application of heat and persuasion from a very good impact gun (IR 2135Ti).

On mine, the nut is welded on.. you only remove the bolt (from the rear). Good luck! It took me hours to get the ****** off but it eventually relented.

+1 on adding anti-seize. All bolts I re-re get a liberal coating of the silvery goo.

 

[e-tek]

Probably the cheapest tool you can use for this is an angle grinder. I personally prefer the Makita w/ a paddle switch. I don't like the regular on off switch for the fact that if for some reason the grinder pulls out of your hand (broken cut off wheel that grabs etc) it will bounce around like crazy until you can unplug it. I have a couple of scars to prove this BTW.

.

That's some good advice right there!! I'll add - wear long leather welding gloves when cutting stuff with the angle grinder. Mines got away a few times and these gloves have saved my hands and fingers several times!!

Also - if any of you yanks is wondering why the OP write/types like that - I'm guessing XS is one our so-called "French-Canadians". I'm guessing english is his second language. That right "xs from Gatineua"?

 

[xstubsx]

update.

alright well ive gotten the strut off . with an angle grinder. but now the problem is the bushing. ive gotten new ones. but the bushing looks decent. so if i can just take the bolt out. itll be good. so ima go try and remove the control arm off( ive taken one bolt off, the one near the inner of the car) so gonna take the other off. and try and drill the bolt out. somehow thanks for the info and what not so far.

 

[xstubsx]

its done!. now gotta do the right side ha ha. ugh. gettin the outer sleeve of the bushign out and the new one in was a hassle. but its done!. =) now i gotta figure out hwo to adjust coilovers.

 

[Stick Figure]

congrats on getting it done... that's one of the actually tough jobs on a Honda.... no real question... what coil overs are you running?

 

[xstubsx]

i bought some used skunk2 coils. and kyb struts. might be used. but hte car is like half an inch higher on one side. i love it. my car was low.with the stock suspension. i was rubbing on every speed bump. but soon soon itll be done. then the front shocks . and trailing arm bushing =)

 

[e-tek]

Good work getting that done! Nice to see you got it out without resorting to having someone else do it. If you plan on doing more of this kinda work (removing older parts), you should invest in a MAPP torch - much less expensive than a full O-A welding set-up, way hotter than a propane torch and eaiser to use too.
Get the fastener red hot, then they just come right off. Just make sure you block the flame from surrounding components.

 

[xstubsx]

i think ive seen those at canadian tire. i might be wrong.
ya im glad my self. ive had those struts/coils for liek 2months. only time i have time to actually work ont he car is the weekends. which is pretty short. but ya im glad. happy fer sure. ima do the right suspension later. hopefully wont be much of a hassle. thanks again for everyones input.

 

[KNS Autosport]

Yup, Canadian Tire has them, its the Kit with the "red and yellow" tanks, but if you plan on doing side jobs etc, might as well invest in a Port-a-Torch for $400 or else the mapp and oxy set will end up costing you more in refill tanks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Harris-Port-A-T...in_0?hash=item335120455e&_trksid=p4999.c0.m14