Problem with installing rear lowering springs

[CivicEk-ITC-804]

Hey i was wondering if you guys can help me. i am currently installing my rear lowering springs but i am having trouble taking out the bolt with the long thread. I took off the left bolt but the thread is still stuck in between and won't move ive tried hammering it and everything but wont budge. Please help me asap

 

[JohnS.]

Try PB Blaster or heat it up with a torch.

 

[CivicEk-ITC-804]

The second bolt is the one i am trying to get out, im not sure if heating it would work

 

[CivicEk-ITC-804]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imclumzy/3801766782/sizes/z/in/set-72157621975381076/

 

[Decipher]

Can you be more specific?

 

[CivicEk-ITC-804]

its the bolt at the bottom of the shock, its hard to explain over the internet. But its the bolt atatched to the long thread with a nut that screws on the other side of it

 

[Decipher]

The bolt that secures the strut to the lower control arm?

the bolt on the left?

 

[CivicEk-ITC-804]

yes the bolt on the left is stuck and wont come through ive tried hammering it ect., do i need to take off both of them??

 

[Decipher]

Are you making sure there's no pressure acting on the bolt from the strut fork sheering against the LCA? Try to equalize any force on the bolt, so that it moves freely. If I remember correctly, the only threaded part is the nut that's welded on the far side of the fork... once it's backed out of that it should slide all the way out.

 

[CivicEk-ITC-804]

nope it still wont budge, but should i take both of the bolts out??

 

[civexspeedy]

Sounds like you may have broke the bolt, which is very common and very likely.

If you can get the other 2 bolts(subframe and hub assembly bolts) out, you can drop the suspension from your car and have more room to work and try to get that bolt out. If it's broken, you may have to do some cutting/hammering. It's a pain and takes time...

 

[Raabe]

Lower it, PB Blaster the hell out of it and break it loose as it sits on the ground. Thats how I've managed.

Always gotta break 'em loose before jacking it up.

 

[CivicEk-ITC-804]

i took out the bolt with the long thread attached to my rotor and then tried the other one i was having trouble with and no luck. All it does is turn and doesn't move out

 

[civexspeedy]

Looking at the picture, it looks like that bolt may have been replace(doesn't look like the OE bolt like the other 2). If that's the case, maybe who ever installed it crossthreaded the bolt enough to get it stuck. Which could explain why it's spinning and not budging.

 

[JGvtec]

When i did mine. Well i was planning on doing springs also. The lca bolt that you are talking about holding the fork on was rusted through to the bushing. Im sure thats the problem you are having. Your best bet is like what others are saying and just pb blaster it. I would try to take a breaker bar to it.

 

[JohnS.]

its the bolt at the bottom of the shock, its hard to explain over the internet. But its the bolt atatched to the long thread with a nut that screws on the other side of it

That nut is tack welded onto the shock itself so you're not supposed to crank on it.

i took out the bolt with the long thread attached to my rotor and then tried the other one i was having trouble with and no luck. All it does is turn and doesn't move out

It sounds like it's stripped. Did you try cranking on the nut on the other side? If you broke that loose somehow, you're going to have to put a wrench or socket on it to keep it from spinning while you remove the bolt.

Or tap on the bolt from the opposite side while you attempt to loosen it.

 

[CivicEk-ITC-804]

yeah i think it might be the bushing because when i turn it bits and peices fall off im going to get pb blaster today and try it. So after i pb blaster the whole thread and bolt it should start turning out? i don't have to hammer it?

 

[civexspeedy]

PB Blaster may not be able to get into where the bolt is seized to the collar in the bushing. The bolts don't generally seize on the outside(the head of the bolt or tip of the bolt where the shock mount is). From my experience doing multiple suspension jobs on these cars, they seize onto the metal collar that's inside the bushing. The penetrating oil may not be able to reach and soak into the problem area.

 

[CivicEk-ITC-804]

damn well this sucks

 

[wazup_74]

I had so much trouble with that bolt that i just gave up on it.
I tried several lubricants, wd40, pb blaster, CLR(which has worked on a LOT of applications and better than pb blaster), i tried heating it, and even cut off the back side(the welded part) and the front, all with no luck.
I ended up getting new LCA's
For less than $100 and some bling factor it was worth it to me at the time. I did replace the whole thing though so if youre only doing the springs then cutting and replacing probably isn't an option.