Hi guys ... I was installing my coilovers today and everything was going fine. My fronts got installed in a matter of 2 hours.. but as soon as I got to the rear, everything went wrong ! The head on the bolt that goes throught the fork on the bottom of the shock snapped from the force of my impact wrench (electric). So, now my car is stranded on jack stands half way out my garage. anyone got any tips on how I can get this freeken bolt out?


Thanks!!

 

On the other end of this bolt is a nut that is welded onto the side of the fork, right? If you have an air chisel, you can slice this nut off, then the bolt will just pop out. Or you can do it the hard way and take a hack saw to it. You wont be able to use this fork again without welding on a new nut but then, right now, your screwed anyway.

 

I Can't just use any old nut on a new bolt ?? Why does it have to be welded ? in the front it aint welded...

Would a dremel with some nice blades be able to cut the bolt off ??

I was thinking that I would just drill the bolt out and then slip a new one in... would that work?

 

I think the nut is welded on there for convenience so yeah, I guess you can just use a different nut the same size.
Yes, I've used dremel tools for this kind of stuff before but you need patience. That's a pretty thick nut for a little dremel cutting wheel, but it will work.
You could try drilling the bolt out but you need to get the bits of the bolt that still imbedded in the nut. You may damage the threads so why not just destroy the nut anyway when you cut it off? It's worth a try. Get the sharpest, newest drill bit you can. It's a lot work. I've drilled out wheel studs and it ain't fun. Oh, and the nut was toast.

 

HELP !! I cut off the nut and the bolt is still stuck in there ... mashine it with a hammer does not even seem to help ... it is really stuck in there !! is there any way of taking pressure off it ??

 

did you undo your sway bar? If you haven't do that and it will relieve some of the tension on the bolt and you should be able to push it right out. Everytime I have taken off my shocks I am able to pull the bolt out and put it in with my fingers as long as the sway bar was disconnected. You just need to work the arm until the bolt has a straight path out of the shock and arm.

 

If it does not come out easily, then it is under tremendous pressure - WATCH OUT! Do what SilverSurfer says or whatever it takes to releave the tension first. Otherwise, this could be EXTREMELY dangerous!

 

I got the shock out but the bolt is still stuck in that lower arm thing... I tried drilling it with a cobalt bit but I only made it 1/2 inch in before the bit was dead ... How much do you think a shop would charge to remove the bolt ?? if they have to drill it out?
or would I be better off getting a new lower arm bushing ? how hard is it to install a lower arm bushing ?

the shitty part is that I still have to do the other side...

 

i know it's a little late now... but why did u use an impact wrench? the suspension components are not torqued so much as to require anything but a good sized cheater bar.

 

OK, you didn't tell us it was already off the car. That sucker must really be seized up or accidently welded in there. Good Luck. I hope the other side is more normal.