bernd

Hey all,

Due to rust here in the great and rusty northeast, I need to replace both lower control arms on my '94 Xcab 4x4. I have removed the nuts and associated cam washers on the control arm bolts. However, the bolts themselves are stuck tight.

Should they just push right out of the rubber bushings? I've tried whacking them out, but they won't budge. I have used control arms with bushings and hardware, so I'm thinking about cutting the old ones out with a sawzall (just have a mapgas torch for heating bolts). Thought I would post first before trying this.

much thanks,
bernd

Jay351

Best way is to simply torch and melt the bushings. Then you can pound out the sleeve thats left. Smells soooo nasty!

4banginRunner

They, in theory, should push out effortlessly, But that was 15 years ago. Cut them if you have "new" ones. The sleeve's are bigger than the holes, so if you manage to rip the sleeve out of the bushing your still stuck since it have no where to go. Cut um out. Just have alot of blades, and some cut off wheels

bernd

Thanks for the replies. The control arms move up and down with little effort, so they must be hung up where the head of the bolt intersects the cross bar. Those adjusting cams look pretty rusted too. Since I have new bolts, I've whacked the heck out of the bolt ends with no luck.

I'll try heating some more first, then will get out the sawzall. New control arms and bolts, so the only thing I don't want to mess up is the crossbar member that the arms bolt to.

chubbydude

I think Jay was thinking you had the control arms out and just wanted to get out the bushings???

Use a sawzall, or I used a grinder and dremel to cut and grind the bolt on both sides, then ground the bolt past the frame ears (carefully and very slow). Then I spread the frame ears a tad and I was able to get it wrestled out. I think the sawzall method that some people have used would be the best, but it is a painfull job no matter what.

Cyberman

Grinder all the way...

x2 on the PITA job that it is. Took me 4 days.

abecedarian

on the control arms, it's a rubber bushing with a metal sleeve that the bolt goes through. if you can't get the bolt out, it's likely rusted to the sleeve.

bernd

The passenger side, which had the most fatigue, is done. What a PITA. I wound up cutting the bolts out with a right angle cutter. The sawzall took too long.

I think the above comment is exactly what happened. The bolts rusted to the metal sleeves.

chubbydude

Congratulations, I think this is the hardest job on a toyota.

I think the correct term is chemically welded = rusted. LOL

After I cut mine out I had the sleeve with the frozen bolt in a big vise and pounded with a big sledge, even then it took a huge beating before the bolt finally came out. I had to use the sleeve with the poly bushings, which sucked, and have since gone back to OEM rubber.