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Posted by: boiledcabbage Aug 11 2021, 11:12 AM

Trying to replace bushings but can’t remove control arm to strut bolt - have tried heating with a torch at back end for 1-2 minutes and won’t budge. Should I heat longer?. Worry about cooking the ball joint. .Thx for any suggestions and advice!

Posted by: mepstein Aug 11 2021, 11:47 AM

Impact gun and a good ball joint socket or cut it off.
When you heat it, make sure to spray the threads with penetrating oil as it cools and then heat again. Dripping some wax on the hot threads is even better since it doesn’t evaporate like the oil when the metal is hot.

I’ve removed a couple dozen of the ball joint nuts and a good impact gun does it every time. It breaks the corrosion quickly and let’s the lube do it’s job.

Posted by: boiledcabbage Aug 11 2021, 01:23 PM

Thx mepstein - this is the weird shaped horizontal bolt that that connects the ball joint to the strut - I’ll try heat/wd40/more heat. Thx.

Posted by: mepstein Aug 11 2021, 01:33 PM

Ok. That one you want to heat and cool a couple times. You really want to heat the housing more than directly on the pin. Tap the pin with the nut on it but don’t hit it so hard that you bend the pin. You’re just trying to break the corrosive bond. I would use a penetrating oil vs wd-40.
Don’t be afraid to really lay on the heat for a couple minutes at a time. The heating and cooling will help but it has to get HOT. You will ruin the paint on the strut and the ball joint but they are probably due for replacement by now. There’s a good chance the ball joint shaft is corroded in the strut bore but the heat cycles will help loosen it.

Posted by: 930cabman Aug 11 2021, 01:45 PM

Are you using propane or oxy/acetylene?

Posted by: ddire333 Aug 11 2021, 02:41 PM

Had same issue last week, heat on its own would not budge. forgot i had this kit in the shed and once tighten up, heat and a few taps of a hammer and they both popped out. But glad i was changing the ball joints as very hard not to damage boots with the heat

Posted by: willieg Aug 11 2021, 03:36 PM

I just changed struts on my 914 and am in practice. First, I ordered a couple of those special bolts and nuts and waited to receive the bolts and nuts before I started. The previous night,I shot penetrating oil on both bolts and rapped the lower part of the strut to warn the offending bolt I was coming. The next morning, I backed off the nuts a couple of turns, pulled out the 5lb bfh and enthusiastically hit the nut a couple of times. I swear the bolt cried “uncle” and backed out. In the process, I mangled the threads on the bolts but had the replacements in hand.

Posted by: rhodyguy Aug 11 2021, 04:35 PM

WD-40? You need a proper penetrant. PBblaster, Areokroil are good penetrants. Early or late struts? The fasteners differ. The tapered pin version does not like to leaned on hard.

Posted by: boiledcabbage Aug 12 2021, 07:29 AM

Thx all for the advice - will order some pins, get pb blaster, and a BFH

Posted by: boiledcabbage Aug 14 2021, 02:10 PM

Update- so I have tried to heat 3 times for 3 minutes each (with a propane torch) the area around the wedge bolt (from thr front of car side of that bolt) - previously tried heating the pin with no effect- , followed by an enthusiastic whack with 2 pound sledge with no effect. Lots of pb blaster in between.

Originally just wanted to improve the ride with new rubber bushings after watching the very simple available videos on line….o

My options seem to be
1. Give up
2. Remove the whole strut assembly so I can get better heat access/brute force on a bench.
3 separate the ball joint at the control arm tho suspect that will be a PITA. And would have to hope it is relatively easy to reinstall….

All assuming I have not cooked an otherwise good ball joint

Anyone have any other ideas? I don’t have access to a super c clamp or equivalent to press it out.

Much appreciated.