Ideas on removing lateral link bolt I wanted to bounce off someone

[synthetic corners]

Just noticed my rear passenger wheel bearing is getting noisey. Had the car up and the wheel off today and I can feel the rough bearing by moving the hub without the drums on. Can't feel it with the wheel on, and there is no play when grabbed at 12 and 6. So I have some time and I wanted to think this through before I play with yet another one of these lateral link bolts.

As most of you know if your car has seen a winter this 11 inch bolt is usually rusted to the metal sleeves inside the bushings it goes through. If you can break it free it usually just spins in the bushings. Any attempt to bash it out ends with the threads mushroomed and the bolt ruined but stuck in the knuckle. At that point you have to cut it apart or heat it up with a major torch to get it out. Then you have to spend the dough on a new bolt, new bushings plus the wheel bearing and related stuff you were trying to replace in the first place.

So I don't like torching stuff anywhere near the CV boots. I've seen people torch em and make more work for themselves. I also don't like just pounding away at that bolt with it on the car. Did it on a 96 long enough that I mushroomed the head and had to cut the first couple threads off just to get the nut back on and then bring it to a shop and pay to have it replaced anyway... sucky.

So I'm wondering if I pull the other end of the lateral link from near the differential and the trailing arm (think that is what it's called) from the mount on the body in front of the wheel. Then pull the brakes, lower strut bolts, etc. At this point I could get the knuckle up on the bench and do one of two things, maybe.

First question do you think the knuckle could be pressed with the arms on? I have the press, or I could find a shop to do it. Don't know how unwieldy it would be but the main concern is could you get by the arms and get the pressed lined up.

Second question, if not, could you get the whole shebang on a bench where you can see it and either press the bolt out, or using a number of tools (vice, torch, bfh, etc.) removed it without destroying the majority of parts?

Also am I going to get those bolts off the other parts... I don't know.

I've got a second car so if I had to let it soak up on a bench for days I could. I also have a big stand up floor press (3 ton maybe, or something) at my dads house.

Let me know what you guys think. Not letting some mechanic charge me 900 bucks to remove a bolt...

Thanks,

WB

 

[Matt]

I just did mine about a year ago. We soaked mine with pb blaster a few days in advance and let it do its thing. I ordered the new bolt directly from Subaru. It's going to get messed up regardless. Air hammer was my friend and just worked it until it slid free. Didn't mess up my bushings.

I suppose you could remove it all as a unit and try and press it that way. Just sounds like a lot of extra work to me personally.

 

[synthetic corners]

Right on. I've already started in with the PB. I have an air hammer also.

Did you cut anything, or just pound it out? Also did you somehow chain the two arms together when hammering it? I remember the bushings and the moving of the bolt with the arms soaks up a bunch of the energy when you whack it. I've heard somewhere you can chain the arms together while hammering.

 

[Matt]

No chaining involved. I preferred the air hammer but some whacking was involved. Can't recall any cutting.

 

[flat4awd]

Unless they are howling really, really loud, I leave them alone due to all the reasons you described above. A task one would think so simple, turns into a nightmare, and I've soaked them in PB blast, used a torch, etc.

 

[Meyagi]

its not easy to get that bolt out once its seized. matt pretty much hit the nail on the head on how to go about it. ive had them bad enough where it had to be cut apart to get it out, but then ive had other cars, my 94 legacy for instance that i took both sides apart with HAND TOOLS and i pulled the bolt out with my hands..... i was beyond shocked

 

[Pedro]

I would personally just take the nut off and see if the bolt will turn. if it will turn, it will come out.

The 04 Rally car's came off no problem, and it had never been out before.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

On my RS, I cut them out with a grinder, removed all the links, and burned out the bushing and bolt stub. I bought new bolts at the dealer (20 per side), and bought a set of Turn In Concepts lateral link bushings.

The bushings cost 175 for the race version or 130 for the comfort. + 40 for bolts. To be able to just brute force it and not having to save wimpy stock bushings was worth it. I know we're in maine and everyone does things on the cheap, but that's not how I roll.

A friend of mine managed to get his out by pouring on ATF + acetone 50:50 for a solid week then pull them out with no issues. I don't have time for that crap.