The lift from hell (rusted bolts)

[Czar]

I'll share a few words of wisdom on this topic. I feel that rustbelt 80's are a special breed that demand special owners who exhibit calm even under intense pressure.

I just installed my 861/862's this weekend and here is the low down.

Bottom rear shock bolt = soaked in PB every night for a week. Smacked it with a hammer prior to putting the socket on it. Used a wrench for leverage, felt it move left it alone and tackled the other side. The PS came out no problem. Hit the DS with a flat hammer about 3 times and drenched it with PB. Came back 5 minutes later and it turned like it was in butter.

Upper mounts = You can actually see the top of the nut between the frame and the body. This is critical, as you want to make sure the rusty part of the bolt is as lubed and cool as possible. I actually put some moly lube on a screwdriver and coated the rusty bolt tip, it worked great and the bolts came out with little resistance.

Sway bar mounts = I dropped the drivers side and broke a bolt. I realized that dropping them is actually pointless, and not worth the effort. I was able to compress the spring with the help of my hydraulic jack bar and a leather strap to guide it into place. I don't plan on drilling it out, i'll have someone weld the damn thing to the frame.

The front springs were cake, but I somehow managed to disturb my ABS connection somewhere near the back axle so until I figure out what happened my ABS light will be on. All in all I think I lucked out.

Lube it before you screw it

 

[Layonnn]

Sounds a lot like my install as well.

I used a cut off wheel on the bolts of the OEM shocks cause they were done, so i just cut them off.

I also used my propane torch as well to help loosen up bolts. Sometimes, tightening, then loosening, then tightening, etc, helps getting rusty bolts out as well.

Good luck on the rest of it. BTW, i had a MUCH worse time on the rear than i did with the front.

Use all new hardware, and re-tap all threads, and use plenty of anti-seize.

 

[brian]

one thing i have found to worth more than gold, left handed drill bits.
start drilling, and they start acting like and extractor.
once you start pricing good ones, you would think they are gold plated.

 

[nuclearlemon]

bringing back this thread since it seems to be where my question fits. my rusted midwestern 80 has parts i need. these parts were put on after it left the midwest, but we have mag chloride which i'm pretty sure is worse than salt.
first question, wtf does toyota do to their control arm bolts? they all came out beautifully.

now, on to the bad, i wanted to get my caster plates off and i need to get my rear track drop bracket off. these items were all bolted together using aftermarket bolts about six years ago and the sleeves in the bushings have become one with the bolt, which means i'll be cutting everything off with the sawzall

second question, has anyone had good luck coating aftermarket bolts where they fit in the sleeves?

 

[brian]

second question, has anyone had good luck coating aftermarket bolts where they fit in the sleeves?

never seize.

 

[sunrk]

Joys of rusted fasteners. I had one of the LHR lower sway bar mount bolts snap off when driving and bugger me if I can not get what's left of it to come out. I broke off an ezy-out inside the drilled out remains of the bolt. Driving around with no rear sway bar feels odd but everything I've tried myself with the resources I have has failed to move the broken off bit of the bolt in it's captive M8 nut.

Being LH rear lower, it's on the axle housing, and there is a panhard mount above it so there is no way to actually get anything to the remains of the thread above the captive nut without doing major surgery on the metalwork.

Craig.

 

[superjuice]

Joys of rusted fasteners. I had one of the LHR lower sway bar mount bolts snap off when driving and bugger me if I can not get what's left of it to come out. I broke off an ezy-out inside the drilled out remains of the bolt. Driving around with no rear sway bar feels odd but everything I've tried myself with the resources I have has failed to move the broken off bit of the bolt in it's captive M8 nut.

Being LH rear lower, it's on the axle housing, and there is a panhard mount above it so there is no way to actually get anything to the remains of the thread above the captive nut without doing major surgery on the metalwork.

Craig.

I did this as well, easy out broke off too. I ended up hammering the captive nut into the frame and fished a new bolt down thru the hole. Grind a slot in the bolt tip first so you can keep it from turning. Worked for me anyway, hth

 

[gracklemann]

Reviving this thread.. I broke one of the bolts where the rear sway bar mounts to the frame. I attempted to drill it out, but couldn't keep the drill straight and reamed out the hole a good bit, and the bolt is still in there. What are my options here?
Thanks!

 

[Jacket]

I had something similar happen, and I grabbed a friend with an oxy acetylene torch who was able to heat up the broken bolt and "blow it" out of the threaded nut and into the frame. I then ran through the threads with a tap and cleaned it up.

 

[nuclearlemon]

Reviving this thread.. I broke one of the bolts where the rear sway bar mounts to the frame. I attempted to drill it out, but couldn't keep the drill straight and reamed out the hole a good bit, and the bolt is still in there. What are my options here?
Thanks!

if it's too far open to tap it out, then open it all the way and have someone weld a nut in the hole.