MikeMoss

I am installing an energy suspension bushing kit on the front of my 2001 Camaro. I have got the uppers in and ready but I can not get the front lower control arms off of the car. I have got the nut off but the bolt has some kind of locking device and I do not know how to get it off. Please help.

Does anyone know how to remove this bolt?

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

locking device where? i just pulled mine of my car last week with very little trouble. The only things i had to do to get my bolts out were to move the headers to ge the inside ones off and then push to steering rack the opposite way to pull the front bolt out. Maybe a little more explanation of your situation might help.

MikeMoss

Well here is a picture of what I am talking about. It seems like there is one on the front and rear bolt. I cannot get the bolt out. The nut is off.


Did yours just come out?

MikeMoss

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

that piece is attached to the bolt itself. It holts the bolt head in place allowing for easly tightening/loosening the nut without having to have another wrench on that side as well. It comes off with the bolt. Tap on the bolt (the end that the nut was on) and the bolt should slide right out. Now like i said earlier your horizontal bolt will hit your inner tire rods if you do not put it to the opposite side so it will clear the bolt. good luck. let me know if you have any other questions

MikeMoss

That is kinda what I thought. I have been hitting the end with a hammer. I guess I just need to hit it harder or heat up the surroundings. Maybe it is frozen in the sleeve.

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

it could be. a little heat should help out a lot. I was surprised as to how easy mine came out of an all original suspension 93 firehawk.https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...t-old-new.html

MikeMoss

Thanks, I got one out. Now I just need to get the rear bolt out. I think that the bolt was just seized to the sleeve. I was only able to heat the bolt but I think that was good enough to break it free.

I guess the main thing I wanted to know is that I wouldnt break anything just beating on it. Thank you.

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

you welcome. For the rear one on my car i had to remove the headers. Since you have LT like myself you might run into this issue as well.

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

well not actually remove them bult unbolt them from the heads and allow them to lower down enough for the primary to clear the bolt.

MikeMoss

Well Im about to give up. I cannot get any of the other bolts to budge. I have heated them. Hosed them down with pb blaster. And I dont have a bigger hammer. Of course the only bushing that actually needs to be replaced is one I cant get out.

adam1803

iTrader: (65)

I couldn't get the rear bolts out when i did my bushings. I ended up using a diamond tipped sawzall blade and cutting them. Rebuilding my front suspension was by far the biggest PITA that i've ever had.

MikeMoss

Where did you cut them? I have to reuse the sleeves from the bushings in my new ones. I have been trying to figure out where to cut the for a while now. The uppers were so easy. I just hope fixing this will make it so my car will drive strait by itself.

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

i wonder why yours wouldnt come out. my car is 16 years old and they came out with one tap of the hammer. not even a hard tap.

MikeMoss

Dont know. Could be the almost 180,000 miles and the fact that it has never been garaged. The bolt I was able to get out was very rusty. Im pretty sure that I am going to replace it and cut the other 3 out.

Im sure the alignment shop will love me for that.

I have a cupon for 20 off a lifetime alignment. Should I do that or just get a regular one time deal alignment?

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

well mine had 190000 on it as well. Mine was still all original as well. My bolts did not have one bit of rust on them though. The vertical (front) one was grade 8 and the horizontal (back) was stainless from the factory. Not sure why it was that way. But if you are unable to get it out them cut it but it still has to be remove out of there some way or another. If it is stuck in there I'm not sure what cutting it will do if you were able to remove the nuts off of it already. It has to just be stuck. Maybe if you can tap a flat screw driver, prybar or chisel in there to get it broke loose that might help. Then just tape out the bolt.

MikeMoss

I just cut them in two places so that the a-arm could come out. Then I just replaced the bushings. and got new grade 8 hardware.

Its weird that your rear/horizontal bolt was stainless. Mine definitely was not.

Still dont know why mine were so hard to get out. But since I cut them I didnt have to take off the headers.

Thanks again for the help.

Dano50

For stuck bolts that won't come loose with anything else, try hosing them down with Fluid Film and just leave it for a few hours to a day or two. Fluid Film has no solvents, so it won't evaporate. It will continue to migrate down until it finally frees it up. It will save you from having to cut a bolt.

If you've never tried Fluid Film and would like to, just PM me your contact info and I'll get a sample can right out. We manufacture in the US, so this offer is only valid for US residents.

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

No problem MikeMoss. Not the easiest way to get it done but at least it worked for you.