Note to self - check for seized alignment bolts!
06-09-2007, 07:45 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Note to self - check for seized alignment bolts!
Ok, I finally had a saturday free, so I took it upon myself to go ahead and change out my right front lower control arm. For those of you that don't know, the back bushing (the one with the vertical alignment bolt) started to tear a few months ago, resulting in a loud "crack" sound whenever I reversed to the left, then hard braked while moving foreward. The sound was diagnosed to be the alignment bolt and sleeve jumping the alignment tabs welded to the subframe. Upon closer inspection, it became obvious that the sleeve had cold welded itself to the metal lining on the inside of the now torn rubber bushing 
Fast foreward to today. 11am. Jacked up the car and placed the jackstands under the subframe. Removed passenger front tire. Removed sway bar link. Removed lower strut bolt. Removed front alignment bolt and sleeve. Removed rear alignment bolt. So far so good....
It wasn't until I attempted to remove the rear alignment sleeve that I realized my day was really, really going to suck. First of all, I could not budge the sleeve. I tried using P.Blaster...all that did was make a mess. I tried prying it out...I broke 2 chisels and mangled a forged allow flathead screwdriver before I gave up that hopeless endeavor.
Now it's about noon, and I'm thru playing around. I went and got my MAPP torch and commenced to getting medieval on the rubber bushing.
I tried melting the bushing - no dice. The rubber only gets crunchy and flakes off, leaving the glowing hot sleeve exposed..."good" I think, now the sleeve is red hot, I should be able to pry the inner sleeve out now....
Nope.
Repeated heating and rapid cooling on the sleeve also resulted in the same...not a single smidge of a budge. It's now 4pm....
Sawzall time.
I slice thru the sleeves below the control arm, and about an inch above the bottom of the subframe - the top and the bottom seperate (thank god), but the bottom still will not pry thru the remaining 1 inch of outer bushing. Drat! I continue to pry on the top now until the slip-fit top of the alignment bolt seperates from the rest of the sleeve, and I'm finally able to start yanking the control arm out. After bending the outer edge of the subframe to hell and back, the damn control arm finally pops free!!! YAY!!!! 
...but the bottom of the sleeve and bushing are still firmly attached to eachother, preventing the install of the new arm.
6pm. I bust out the sawzall again, and start another cut into the frozen together bushing and sleeve, this one about halfway down. 5 minutes later, and I'm thru, but the friggin thing is still frozen up...I try to beat the sleeve down thru the remaining 1/2" ring of bushing, and it still will not budge at all. Now I'm angry. I take the sawzall and start slicing straight down on the bushing/sleeve , cleaving it almost in 2, then insert the biggest damn screwdriver I've got. After some serious stress relieving hammering, the bushing and sleeve FINALLY pop free and fly apart, leaving the subframe free of debris
7pm. Installation of the new lower control arm and sleeve takes 20 minutes. A quick eyeball'd alignment, and off I go for a test drive.
No "snap" as I back up
No snap when I brake at the end of my street
Get up to speed and let go of the wheel...whadda know...it track straight
Ahhh....it was a good day
Fast foreward to today. 11am. Jacked up the car and placed the jackstands under the subframe. Removed passenger front tire. Removed sway bar link. Removed lower strut bolt. Removed front alignment bolt and sleeve. Removed rear alignment bolt. So far so good....
It wasn't until I attempted to remove the rear alignment sleeve that I realized my day was really, really going to suck. First of all, I could not budge the sleeve. I tried using P.Blaster...all that did was make a mess. I tried prying it out...I broke 2 chisels and mangled a forged allow flathead screwdriver before I gave up that hopeless endeavor.
Now it's about noon, and I'm thru playing around. I went and got my MAPP torch and commenced to getting medieval on the rubber bushing.
I tried melting the bushing - no dice. The rubber only gets crunchy and flakes off, leaving the glowing hot sleeve exposed..."good" I think, now the sleeve is red hot, I should be able to pry the inner sleeve out now....Nope.
Repeated heating and rapid cooling on the sleeve also resulted in the same...not a single smidge of a budge.
It's now 4pm....Sawzall time.
I slice thru the sleeves below the control arm, and about an inch above the bottom of the subframe - the top and the bottom seperate (thank god), but the bottom still will not pry thru the remaining 1 inch of outer bushing. Drat! I continue to pry on the top now until the slip-fit top of the alignment bolt seperates from the rest of the sleeve, and I'm finally able to start yanking the control arm out. After bending the outer edge of the subframe to hell and back, the damn control arm finally pops free!!! YAY!!!! ...but the bottom of the sleeve and bushing are still firmly attached to eachother, preventing the install of the new arm. 6pm. I bust out the sawzall again, and start another cut into the frozen together bushing and sleeve, this one about halfway down. 5 minutes later, and I'm thru, but the friggin thing is still frozen up...I try to beat the sleeve down thru the remaining 1/2" ring of bushing, and it still will not budge at all. Now I'm angry. I take the sawzall and start slicing straight down on the bushing/sleeve , cleaving it almost in 2, then insert the biggest damn screwdriver I've got. After some serious stress relieving hammering, the bushing and sleeve FINALLY pop free and fly apart, leaving the subframe free of debris
7pm. Installation of the new lower control arm and sleeve takes 20 minutes. A quick eyeball'd alignment, and off I go for a test drive.
No "snap" as I back up
No snap when I brake at the end of my street
Get up to speed and let go of the wheel...whadda know...it track straight
Ahhh....it was a good day
06-10-2007, 05:03 AM
#6
Registered User
Thread Starter
It was bad...the rear bushing was completely torn. After I disconnected everything else, I could rotate the control arm almost 180 degrees around the un-moving sleeve 
06-10-2007, 07:34 AM
#7
man that sux.. thumbs up to a DIY guy.. I helped my friend swap out his 4 lug on his ep3 to a 5 lug from a rsx type s last weekend..
we had a good old time with that as well.. come to fnd out that the driver side hub was bent to crap and the wheels camber was WAAAY off .. so that had to be replaced.. so his car sat in my garage for 2 days while we wiated for a new hub.. he used my car .. and i got rides ..lol .. he OWES ME BIG TIME..
not as much trouble as urs..but those ball joints are a pain in the but to get out.. I cant imagine having to bust a sawzall out to cut that shiet up..
we had a good old time with that as well.. come to fnd out that the driver side hub was bent to crap and the wheels camber was WAAAY off .. so that had to be replaced.. so his car sat in my garage for 2 days while we wiated for a new hub.. he used my car .. and i got rides ..lol .. he OWES ME BIG TIME..
not as much trouble as urs..but those ball joints are a pain in the but to get out.. I cant imagine having to bust a sawzall out to cut that shiet up..
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06-10-2007, 11:26 AM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Raven628,Jun 10 2007, 11:40 AM
Nate, I salute you.
Now you deserve a nice COLD
for your efforts.
Now the big question? Did your dog help?
Now you deserve a nice COLD
for your efforts.Now the big question? Did your dog help?
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