All things suspension/brake/steering rebuild related...

The "ball joint that connects the steering linkage to the front hub" is the outer tie rod end. Every one that I have seen in 50+ years of working on cars is a tapered fit. The taper becomes a friction fit once the nut is tightened and removing it requires a shock load such as multiple hits with a hammer, a forked tie rod/ball joint separator or preferably a ball joint separator tool that uses a screw to apply pressure to the tapered stud. You can "rent" one for free at many big box auto parts stores. Usually you have to put pressure on the stud then hit the steering arm with a hammer to pop the tie rod loose. Many videos on YouTube. What ever you do don't hit the end of the threaded stud with a hammer unless you want to buy a new tie rod end.
Example of a ball joint separator tool:
https://www.amazon.com/OTC-6297-Ball-Joint-Separator/dp/B0015PN010

 

You also need to get the car aligned once you replace the outer tie rods.

 

So, had it been in your plans all along to do this work, or have you now found yourself somewhat forced into it?

 

For all that is holy, before you tighten the A arm bushing bolts you must assemble everything with the bushing bolt loose. Then lower the lift until the suspension is loaded BEFORE you tighten the bushing bolts.

 

This is very important advice! If you are on stands and not in a lift, raise the underside of the assembly by the lower A arm with a jack to be parallel with the ground (90°) before applying propper torque.

 

Sounds good - Feel free to holler if you should happen to need another pair of eyes (or hands).

Cheers - DM

 

And before you screw up rubber boots etc trying to get the outer tie rod loose (Tapered fit) try the two hammer way of releasing it: Hit opposing sides of the upright where the tie rod is simultaneously and hard. Frequently this is enough to loosen the tie rod and it pops up. If not, the rental tie rod tools will frequently mess up the rubber boot for the tie rod end but if you are replacing it anyway it doesn't really matter.

 

Rebuild the steering rack?

 

I now find myself in this exact same situation.

My theory is that the O.D of this long bolt has corroded itself solid to the I.D of one of the steel tubes which are a part of either the shock or the rear a-arm bushings (or both). Applying heat has failed to bring any joy.

At this point, the only path forward which I can see will be to try to cut the bolt on either side of the a-arm bushing via a Sawz-All with a new sharp metal cutting blade.

Anyone have a successful 'been there, did this' story to share?

DM

 

It's this bolt:

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I've run into that before, it's most likely pinched. Is the shock still mounted at the bottom. If I recall correctly, it requires unbolting all connections to ease any tension and then I believe I placed a plate of steel against the support frame on the nut side and used a long pry bar against the nut to push the bolt out. Then when enough space was created at the bolt head end it was pry time with a pickle fork pry bar. No corrosion but just really pinched.
Such little space to work in doesn't help.

 

Scott - Thank you very much for your comments, which are always well-reasoned and insightful.

Yes, the shock has been free at the bottom, and upon further investigation today I can see that the shock bushing seems free to rotate on the bolt at the top, as it should. The problem is that the rear a-arm bushing is seized to the bolt. I've also tried the 'long pry bar' idea as you explained, but still not the slightest hint of motion for the bolt.

Sadly, I see no option left to me now but to try to Sawz-All the bolt. The fact that this is likely to be a high-grade steel bolt, understandable given the application, means that I might not have an easy Go of it. But I seem to be out of any other options.

Wish me luck - DM

P.S. - Off topic, but I thought that you might like to know that I now have a dozen year's worth of use on my round tooth cam belt system, which I understand you had a hand with designing. It's a wonderful piece of kit, a Must Have for any long term owner. Well done!

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If memory serves that looks to be one of the original runs... Circa 2006... There's a thread from way back when I started development on them.

Before you grab the sawz all... There's a good chance the flanges are not parallel to each other and results in a pinch. That said, there's also the chance it's just plain stuck. I've seen some take torches to the area, always risky with oil and fiberglass. There's also old school penetrating oil 50/50 atf & acetone.

 

Workhorse tools for stubborn things...
Snap-on 2050 is the pry bar..
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And ... it's done.

The Sawz-All idea, borne from desperation, worked well. The center portion of the bolt which passed thru the a-arm bushing is FUSED to the steel a-arm bushing.

Once I got the a-arm off, I tried, just to prove the point, to try to tap out the cut-off bolt portion from the bushing. Which quickly advanced to try to drive the bolt portion out. Then finally on to try to beat the bolt portion out using a sledge hammer. All to no avail. That bolt and that bushing are ONE UNIT, united now and forever, amen.

The moral to this story is to ensure that, if and when you find yourself installing new a-arm bushings, you thoroughly coat the thru bolt with anti-seize. Decades from now, someone, somewhere, will thank you profusely for your wise foresight!

DM

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Wow! Impressive...
And that really sucks,I hate fighting those odd ball problems.

I wonder if it friction welded itself, the rest of the bolt doesn't seem to have much corrosion.

Good fight... You won!

High pressure marine grease might be the better option for the bolt shank to keep that from occurring again.

 

Got to thinking... Dangerous game I know.

Cleaning and detailing. When cleaning and esp when using solvents it's a highly suggest practice to go back and check moving joints for proper lubrication. We all love brake clean, but it will strip grease from areas that need it.

We've got an engine & gearbox build, and since the builds we do up the umph factor I recommend a going thru and sorting the gearbox. Never know what you're going to find. In this last one it was a hidden doozy! My educated guess is that at some point in the previous owners service the output flange seals were changed.... And liberal use of brake clean employed. Fair enough, axle grease is messy. Here's the catch, the stub axels are hollow into the differential. Yeah ... That creates problems if the oil gets stripped from the inside of the diff. Esp if the gearbox and vehicle sit for an extended period of time and no oil gets back into the area.
I've attached a picture to show the hidden carnage, from the outside it looked 100% A-OK... Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

Just thought I'd share.

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Yikes! It's easy to understand how this damage might have occurred, as you've described. Thanks - Words to the wise!

Just to close my portion of this thread, I was intrigued enough such that I thought that a bolt autopsy could be in order. I was able to extract the fused section of the damaged fused sleeve / bolt from the rubber part of the bushing. I then slit the bushing sleeve tubing along the length via a Dremel cutting wheel, which finally allowed me to remove the cut bolt section.

Here it is - note the difference between the still-plated section of the bolt where the shock was and the corroded section of the bolt where the a-arm bushing was.


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Thanks to all - DM