Rear Panhard Bolt STUCK (1 Viewer)

[GerhardUngerer]

I have removed the rear end from my rig and refurbing it off the car (rust removal, paint, brakes, etc). For the life of me, I cannot get the panhard bolt removed. I have done the following:

• Soaked it in ATF/acetone (poor man's Kroil) mix
• Heated it (A LOT)
• Hit it with the 500lb impact (the bolt is starting to round) - even tried to tighten it to see if it will break loose.
• Hit it with a breaker bar with 5ft pipe as extension (which broke off the head of the breaker bar)

I have been doing this off and on for 2 weeks with no progress. This thing is STUCK. There is zero evidence that it has moved at all.

I am considering:

• Sawzall - I dont know how I would drill and tap the old bolt out. Don't know the dimension of that bolt, so dont know the size of tap
• Keep going with the activities above, praying that the bolt will not completely round off
• Cussing

Suggestions?

 

[BILT4ME]

I have removed the rear end from my rig and refurbing it off the car (rust removal, paint, brakes, etc). For the life of me, I cannot get the panhard bolt removed. I have done the following:

• Soaked it in ATF/acetone (poor man's Kroil) mix
• Heated it (A LOT)
• Hit it with the 500lb impact (the bolt is starting to round) - even tried to tighten it to see if it will break loose.
• Hit it with a breaker bar with 5ft pipe as extension (which broke off the head of the breaker bar)

I have been doing this off and on for 2 weeks with no progress. This thing is STUCK. There is zero evidence that it has moved at all.

I am considering:

• Sawzall - I dont know how I would drill and tap the old bolt out. Don't know the dimension of that bolt, so dont know the size of tap
• Keep going with the activities above, praying that the bolt will not completely round off
• Cussing

Suggestions?

View attachment 3098739View attachment 3098740

Remember, the THREADED part is on the end opposite the head. Hopefully you're heating and beating on THAT end. That captive nut is welded on. There have been a few here that have broken the bolt or broken the nut loose and had to cut it out and weld it all back together.

Heat the threaded end with a torch and be sure to heat the bolt as well.. Then get a can of "Air" for cleaning your keyboard, turn it upside down, and spray the liquid on the BOLT in order shrink it and break the rust bond. Heat up the plate on the threaded end as well.

The bolt is also seized in the bushing for the piece, so yes, this is a tough one.

Hit directly on the head of the bolt with a 2 LB hammer. Try to hit it as square as possible. This can shock or vibrate the threads to help break them loose.

 

[GerhardUngerer]

Would love to heat the threaded end, but it is hidden behind that bracket. One cannot get at the nut.

I did hit the bolt once heated (with a flame). Nada.

I am considering the following: Induction heater

 

[SNLC]

Cut the whole area out and rebuild it, yes that requires welding. Pics of me doing this in the build thread “Troopy Hodgepodge” in the 70-series section. It was stripped out so pretty much the same boat you are in. Cheaper than buying a new housing.

Cheers

 

[GerhardUngerer]

SOLVED - Another member (I don't see his real name listed in Members, so I will not identify him) told me that I just need a bigger bar and more umpf. The impact was just agitating the rubber bushing. So......after I broke a breaker bar (there is probably a country song name in there), I got a bigger bar and a pipe and it came loose. YAY!

 

[Drift Monkey]

SOLVED - Another member (I don't see his real name listed in Members, so I will not identify him) told me that I just need a bigger bar and more umpf. The impact was just agitating the rubber bushing. So......after I broke a breaker bar (there is probably a country song name in there), I got a bigger bar and a pipe and it came loose. YAY!

I’m stuck on this bastard right now - the frame side I got moving pretty easily. My 1200 ft-lb impact doesn’t move it (it barely got the same bolt off the front panhard) and I tried floor jacking up my 17-18” breaker with the jack handle as an cheater bar and all I did was flex the breaker bar - I quit, figuring it would snap (I also tried this on the front to no avail, luckily a fully charged battery did the job).

I guess it’s off to Harbor Freight tomorrow to grab this: 1/2 in. Drive 25 in. Breaker Bar - https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-25-in-breaker-bar-60819.html

Hopefully that with the jack handle will get the job done…

 

[DivByZero]

I have a 1 metre (40 inches) 3/4 breaker bar for jobs like this. Got it on ebay for $40 or something years back. Paid for itself a dozen times over by now. Best to get something like that to have on hand before you need it, than have to mess around when you do need it and don't have it.

 

[Drift Monkey]

I have a 1 metre (40 inches) 3/4 breaker bar for jobs like this. Got it on ebay for $40 or something years back. Paid for itself a dozen times over by now. Best to get something like that to have on hand before you need it, than have to mess around when you do need it and don't have it.

I’d need 3/4” sockets if that’s the case - it seems more economical to try a longer breaker first. I’ll keep it in mind in case this doesn’t work.

 

[DivByZero]

I’d need 3/4” sockets if that’s the case - it seems more economical to try a longer breaker first. I’ll keep it in mind in case this doesn’t work.

Or a 3/4 to 1/2 adapter and some sockets you don't care about

 

[Pascoscout]

Or a 3/4 to 1/2 adapter and some sockets you don't care about

Do this. The longer half inch bar will just bend. You can get a set of 3/4 sockets at harbor freight too for not a lot.

Also be sure to get rust breaker on the threads. There are a couple holes in the housing around that area that allow you to spray fluid onto the threaded end of that bolt.

 

[manofthewoods]

I’d need 3/4” sockets if that’s the case - it seems more economical to try a longer breaker first. I’ll keep it in mind in case this doesn’t work.

I got mine loose with a 5 foot cheater on a 40 year old 1/2" craftsman breaker bar. The socket was impact type.
Fingers crossed fer ya

 

[lp2k]

I guess it’s off to Harbor Freight tomorrow to grab this: 1/2 in. Drive 25 in. Breaker Bar - https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-25-in-breaker-bar-60819.html

Hate to say it but that’s the problem.
Used a HF when I was swapping axles and same thing, no budge on the bolt.

Busted out snap on ct9080 with snap on impact metric sockets and it came off no issue. Flank drive prevents rounding out

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Hate to say it but that’s the problem.
Used a HF when I was swapping axles and same thing, no budge on the bolt.

Busted out snap on ct9080 with snap on impact metric sockets and it came off no issue. Flank drive prevents rounding out

Snap on or snap it off

 

[lp2k]

its with a cheater bar I would snap bolts off the rig.

using the 50/50 acetone/atf fluid and the RIGHT impact gun, life is better working on this and other older vehicles.

impact gives its the wiggle to break it free. cheater bar is like the cannon to kill a mosquito. my 0.02

 

[Drift Monkey]

Do this. The longer half inch bar will just bend. You can get a set of 3/4 sockets at harbor freight too for not a lot.

Also be sure to get rust breaker on the threads. There are a couple holes in the housing around that area that allow you to spray fluid onto the threaded end of that bolt.

I soaked the entire area, every hole and crevice I could find was soaked a bunch of times yesterday in Liquid Wrench. About to soak once more before I head to the store.

The 3/4 drive (deep) impact socket set that has the size I need (24mm) is pretty pricey: 3/4 in. Drive Metric Impact Deep Socket Set, 8 Piece - https://www.harborfreight.com/34-in-drive-metric-impact-deep-socket-set-8-piece-67921.html

I got mine loose with a 5 foot cheater on a 40 year old 1/2" craftsman breaker bar. The socket was impact type.
Fingers crossed fer ya

That’s what I was using for my previous attempts - old but in great condition made in USA craftsman bar. Impact sockets of course. I might just need a longer cheater honestly.

Hate to say it but that’s the problem.
Used a HF when I was swapping axles and same thing, no budge on the bolt.

Busted out snap on ct9080 with snap on impact metric sockets and it came off no issue. Flank drive prevents rounding out

I kinda doubt this bar is the problem, the HF bars test better than the Snapon bars of the equivalent length, but you’re likely right on trying the electric impact again. The main battery on mine doesn’t fully charge up anymore (the stronger one) and I think this is part of the issue.


Either way I’ll report back today, thanks y’all!

 

[Drift Monkey]

Update: the overnight drenching of the area worked! I gave it one last shot with my impact (with the inferior spec’d battery) and let it hammer away for longer and it finally spun loose. I went ahead and ran the bolt thru a die to clean up the threads and went to Lowes to exchange the impact/battery anyway since I’m sure I’ll need the extra juice as some point.

 

[lp2k]

congrats!! Now if I were you:

• replace the bolt with a new one from toyota
• clean the female end up which is the axle side.
• a small dab of anti seize to make life easy next time if there is a next time
• screw the bolt in by hand when you are putting it, life will become hell if that thing is cross-threaded

 

[Drift Monkey]

congrats!! Now if I were you:

• replace the bolt with a new one from toyota
• clean the female end up which is the axle side.
• a small dab of anti seize to make life easy next time if there is a next time

I have the @eimkeith PCK in a box ready to get welded up - might grab a new bolt for the hell of it, but the PCK came with a new nut. Anyone got a part number handy?

Good point, I’ll probably clean up the axle side with a tap anyway because, why not?

The anti-seize just needs to work until the middle of next month when I get the PCK, LLS, and RAMs welded up (along with the obligatory sliders).

Thanks for the tips!

Next on the docket is swapping the Dobinsons panhard over and aligning the front end.

 

[lp2k]

Kinda kicking myself in the head for not waiting and buying that delta bracket. My pan hard looks like an amateur who did a lift . (Panhard is supposed to be level with axle)

 

[Drift Monkey]

Kinda kicking myself in the head for not waiting and buying that delta bracket. My pan hard looks like an amateur who did a lift . (Panhard is supposed to be level with axle)

The correction, however done, is awesome - raising the roll center helped tremendously on my previous ride (06 4Runner V8). Highly recommended!

Here’s the panhard installed: