Seized bolt in hub carrier

[cgedwards]

Wonder if anyone else has had this problem. And what they did to solve it.

I have been trying to change over my Front Shocks and Springs on my 2001 3.4 C4. and while i have been able to remove the nut off the bolt that clamps the shock absorber. The Bolt itself if seized solid.

I am at the point where i now have the whole assembly off and is on my workbench so some penetrant fluid can work its way through the threads and hopefully help free it up.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Alex]

I'd get some heat on it with a Rothenberger.

 

[cgedwards]

have tried some heat with a blow torch to no success as yet.

have been a little weary as ive been told to be careful heating the casting too much with it being aluminium. not that the blow torch has put a massive amount into the casting thus far.

 

[Jamiews©️]

Tried putting the nut back on and giving it a proper whack?

 

[911munKy]

Keep soaking with Plusgas etc (not WD40)
Put nut on and give it a good whack
Apply heat to aluminium, whack again
Heat bolt then rapid cool and whack again

Keep repeating the above, if over time you get some movement try to turn the bolt a bit and use more Plusgas then tighten again and keep repeating.
Have a cup of tea then repeat.

Give up and take to an engineering firm to remove.
The joy of old cars.

Reassemble with loads of copper/Ali grease.

 

[Parsley]

It's a common problem mate. I feel your pain and was the same on mine. Best thing is to put it back together, drive to a secluded location and burn the car. Trust me. It's for the best. :grin:

 

[deMort]

Providing you still have a bolt head left where the ball joint has been cut off then hammer on a socket and gun it on and off until it moves .

Heat and hitting it probably won't work in my experience ... you can't really get enough heat in the hub without it melting .

At work we cut the link rod ball joint and do this on the car .. not had an issue yet but you do need a powerful air gun .. you can always take the hub to a garage that will do this .

 

[DRZ911]

What about an over-sized socket on the head, a loose sacrificial nut on the other end, then tighten a large G-clamp onto the socket and nut until the bolt pops free?

 

[toohey]

just been there!

I found a professional level of swearing and as Demort says - impact gun was the winner in the end, bolt will come out with plenty of aluminium oxide dust....its a pain in the butt but it will come free eventually.

 

[UncleP]

It's a C4, so not the same as a C2 where it's part of the drop link so the back joint info doesn't apply.

I ended up taking mine to an engineering company to be drilled out as nothing worked. Here's what I tried and what I found happened.

1200nm gun ended up just rounding the bolt head eventually.

You can't get enough heat into the hub without damaging the hub so no point trying.

(allegedly) Penetrating fluid has very little effect on the galvanic bond between aluminium and steel. Old mechanics trick is to melt candle wax in. I found both did nothing.

I put the nut back on and tried smacking it with a big ***** hammer. This pushed the threads through on the nut so it was then stuck on the end of the bolt.

Tried just smacking the bolt shaft through on the other one. Discovered this can effectively turn the bolt into a rivet

My mates (runs his own garage) 6 ton hydraulic press had zero effect so we gave up as he was in fear of damaging the hub carrier.

Like I said. In the end I got a local machine shop to drill them out for £50 after a local indie said that's what they always do with the C4 pinch bolts. If I knew then what I know now I would just do that straight away.

You could be lucky with yours but it seems pretty common to have to drill them out.

 

[mattomg]

Had this o my m/c. Tried everything until in the end it was the freezing spray daily for a week & a 5 part socket on a18 inch breaker bar. Piece of paper in the socket head also gives it more purchase

the freeze spray has some lubrication in it & as the metal contracts minutely it allows the lube to enter the bolt thread.

 

[berni29]

Hi

Have found the impact gun on the ball joint (cut off end) can work sometimes to get it spinning, but even then I have had to use a press to get them out.

Right PITA they can be.

Best of luck

Berni