I have given up

I was going to attempt to do my 348's cv boot myself. After two days of doing what I could to get the bolts loose I have given up. They are just entirely too tight. I tried an air ratchet, got one out. But only one. I tried a breaker bar and couldn't get them to budge. I was gonna use my impact gun but I can't get a clear straight on shot. Finally this morning I got underneath it and with a normal 1/2 socket I shattered the Allen. Done.
I hate that I cannot do this myself. I am fully capable of doing this type of job so having to say I quit before I destroy something on the car is saying a lot. If anyone can give me something else to try before I take it to FOD Tuesday I would give it another go. Yes I used pb blaster...
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ole buddy have you tried some heat small torch they also make some frezze out also you can pick up at local auto parts store p/m me ill try to help you good luck John

 

Aside from the questionable safety of this idea, would a long extention bar with the slightly rounded tip that let's the socket work at an off-angle (see pic) allow you to use the impact wrench. The danger is that the extension bar shatters....details.
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Kroil or 50/50 ATF and Acetone

It looks like you used a long socket 3/8"?
Use a 1/2" short Socket on a 1/2" breaker bar with an extension
seat the socket into the bolt and brace the breaker bar against the frame (red circle)
jack up the rear and rotate the wheel to "break" the bolt.
Use the wheel and the brace as your leverage
It will make a loud pop when it breaks free
repeat for all nuts
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Genius!

 

who made the allen wrench?

All tools are not equal

and the longer it is the more it might twist it get a shorter allen half inch breaker bar and go at it from the top. if you can get a cheater bar on the breaker bar all the better.

Then one at a time break them and rotate the wheels.

 

Use the best Allen and torx you can get. Its one area I only go SnapOn

I been destroying stuff since 1974

 

2nd that genius quote!

 

Been there done that and got the T shirt! I broke the first allen key straight away. Bought a high quality one and then got in the car where the exhaust was with a long bar. They all popped one by one but talk about brute fore and ignorance.... The first attempt with a hi torque impact wrench didn't work at all. I got there in the end

Finally, when you put it all back together, you will have to go through the same process in reverse. Its a bit easier but if you don't do it all up tight enough all that really nasty grease sprays all over the engine.

Don'y worry - you'll get there - I did and lived to tell the tale.

 

The problem isn't the inner boot (even though I haven't even touched that yet) it is the outer one. Seems to be wayyyy harder to get to those.
Also the boot is in the way which is why I got the long socket. I couldn't get the short one past the boot.

 

Although I have not worked on the earlier model
use a short socket ,push past the boot and use the shortest extension you can
use the same technique as above just pick a new leverage point.,

 

Could you take the allen out of the socket then put in in the hole and use a box wrench on the allen? Can help in tight hard to access spots

 

I have a few days before I take it in so I am going to attempt it. I have a short Allen to try.

 

Home Depot = electric impact gun = crazy short bursts of power = loose bolts

Take a rubber hammer and hit the bolts couple of time before you try the impact gun.

good luck

 

Jamie, I can't even begin to count the times I've said the same thing only to try again later.

 

If you get all that set up properly, but with twisting the wheel you still aren't breaking them free and desperation is setting in there's one more trick you can try: figure out which way you need to turn the wheel, then (with both rear wheels off the ground) put the car in 1st gear or reverse to get the correct wheel turn direction, then hit the starter for a nano-second. Tons o' torque!

 

Oh please video that .... good Lord!

Mobilized reply by David

 

It sounds radical, but that was the suggested way to loosen the bolt on the crank of my MR2 when it was time to do the timing belt: long breaker bar on bolt, hit the starter and presto! Bolt loose...

 

Can you take a photo of how you've got the wrench etc all set up and in place? (just want to understand exactly how your trying to undo it)

 

It's all back together now. I didn't end up doing it. Yep I wussed out. This was the type of project where I just was getting more and more frustrated. More than anything I was afraid of stripping the Allen holes out.
I hate to pay for labor but I realized I was way over stressed about this little job so I figured for my sanity I would just let the pros handle it this time.

 

Did they tell you how they managed it?

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Yeah, sometimes things need brute force, more than I'm willing to use. I've got "a guy" I use when it's required. Sometimes I just can't watch....

 

No but it goes in Tuesday so I will be asking.