So I just got two used front lower control arms because the passenger side was makin noise and I believe was the cause of my coilover to break. But the important part is the lower bolt by the oil filter will not move at all!! I had a air gun on it and even the 3/4 wrench with a two foot breaker bar and it just snapped the craftsmen wrench in half at the closed side (that's a lot of torque) any suggestions? Lord knows ibdont want a broken bolt left over..don't want to even go into that mess! Please ideas!!!

 

try using some wd 40 or break a bolt. maybe heating it up .. sounds pretty serious to snap a craftman, good luck

 

Sounds like you ran into a common issue, the bolt is seized onto the collar of the bushing! Bring out the torch and sawzall and get ready to put in some work my friend.

 

I drenched it in that...I have a burner but was afraid to because how close I would be to the oil filter and wires for ky gauges. Seems thats my next move tho being that I'm running out of options. And the wench shocked me..thought I snapped the bolt off at first

 

wd40, pb-blaster. let it soak over night.
use a breaker bar with an impact socket (they are stronger)
a 1/2" impact should pop it loose

whoops just saw u did all that.. hm... torch it.

 

Try this may help. Heat it with a torch not a little propane one, and us a 1/2in impact gun and tighten it with the impacted and then loosen it, and keep doing this. Sometimes it will work and some times it wont.

 

Haha fml! Always the last bolt too...everything else was an ease! Torch it is tomorrow I guess...

 

Pull your wiring off/out of the way and protect the filter, welding blanket or something. If you soak the bolt with penetrating lube your best bet is PB blaster. Works much better than WD40.

Put the torch on it and have your breaker bar set-up ready to go while its still piping hot. If that doesn't do it and it ends up breaking off your looking at some work. As in drilling it out with a quality plug in type drill and a fresh bit or two. If it comes to that do yourself a favor and get reverse style bits so that it will possibly spin the bolt out as your drilling it. If not be prepared to tap the hole after you drill it to repair the threads.

BTW take your craftsman wrench back to Sears and tell them how much their tools suck these days, even with the lifetime warrantee they're worthless. Spend a little more money and get some snap-on iron.

 

Thanks for the help all!! I'll repost tomorrow and let u kno the horror story ha

 

Noob question but I want to make sure I'm covering all my bases. Regarding the evil bolt I can't get does the smaller bolt underneath that goes vertical from the control arm bolt (bolt closest to the oil filter) have to come out before the 3/4 bolt can?
So in detail the 3/4 inch evil bolt on the control arm can't come out unless the smaller vertical bolt is taken out.
Smaller vertical bolt is holding the bar that goes across the frame from control arm to control arm. Hope anyone can tell me I'm dumb or that's right lol

 

Bump bump

 

the bolts that hold the cross connectors shouldn't have anything to do with the control arm bolt. I can't really visualize the clearances there without looking, but I would go ahead and pull them out of the way anyhow.

 

Hmm I believe ur correct and I should just take it out anyway just so its out and no thought its interfering with the lca bolt

 

Bumping this old thread. Anyone have success with this withought beaking the bolt?

 

If you don't care about the old control arm bushings you can heat the bolt up with a torch until its red hot and then it will come right out. Only issue is you will melt and destroy the bushings. Just replace them while its out (which is probably why you are taking it off anyways so who cares) the bushings will catch fire so keep a spray bottle of water to keep the fire out. I got both my bolts out this way and it worked great.