stuck strut bolt :(
 

So i'm taking off the struts from my STI to mail off to have them revalved. (they make noise, stick and have 92k miles on them)

Front right came off no problem, front left i couldn't get the lower bolt /nut to come off with my harbor freight 350 foot pound rattle gun. :(

picked up a breaker bar and i was able to get the nut off, but the bolt won't come out. i got the rears off with a lil bit of fighting but no real drama.

so the nut is off i can rotate the strut/knuckle but even if i beat on the end of the bolt with a hatchet (i don't have any real hammers) it won't come out, and i'de have to either discconect the brake line or take off the brake caliber to get the breaker bar on that side of the knuckle/strut (which may be my only option now .. i dunno)

I've yet to use PB Blaster on it, but i tried some WD40 .. maybe its the fact that it was snowing on me while i was doing all this :( 2" in about 90 minutes all while i was wrenching outside..

anywho any advice is greatly apreciated. :D

Take off the brake caliper, go to HF and get a $7 2.5 pound hammer, and knock that bitch out. Try rotating the bolt with the breaker bar first, in case it's got some corrosion in it.

Copy , ya the upper bolt had a lil bit of rust on it , and the nuts too ...

HF visit #2 in 2 days coming up!

Don't tell me you haven't tried yelling at it.

Lots and lots of penetrating lube.... wait, was that what she said?

What does "she" recommend? PB Blaster? WD40? ??? brand X ?

PB Blaster is awesome. Keep plenty of it around.

Qft

Put the nut back on so the bolt is just below the surface to protect the threads and hit it with a BFH!

i gotta better idea heat it that bolt up for a few minutes and BAM your done ive used this technique before a few times

Right next to a sealed strut? Not so much.

I think Alex should just hit it with the hatchet some more.

Or perhaps upgrade his tools to the next echelon of technology and try one of these:

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/6a...b0b288cbc9.jpg

Since its my Bday and all could you deliver your Uber hammer? :lol:

Sorry, I sold it back when the bronze age started and I upgraded.

A hatchet is for smaller bolts, you're going to need a real axe for a bolt that size.
Or better yet a .22 shot will get it out easier.

Oh yeah, Happy Bday!

Get yer self a Ford tool

http://neurosybir.net/nkoan/images/ford_tool.jpg

In all seriousness, you've been running rally stages for how long, and you've never acquired an engineer's hammer at the very least? That is a staple of any on-site motorsports repair kit.

Yeppers, I keep amazing people at rallies, 1) lack of proper tools and know how, 2) rarely ever having any mechanical issues, 3) actually doing well. :) i'm afraid if i learn too much i might throw that all out of whack :P

but yeah i need to grow my tool supply i've gotten by with borrowing / hatchets. Usually while at a rally a lot of the teams have a large supply of tools (and know how) so it really just hasn't been an issue.

Got it, it just needed some PB Blaster, some being yelled at, and my hatchet. i bought a 2lb "dead blow" hammer at HF but being a bit more rested and less frustrated i realized i could crank the steering wheel all the way to the left, and was able to get a clear strike at it ...

.... Uhm ... :oops: Looks like this bolt from a random pic and pull knuckle will fit just fine ... :lol: