[badman]

Hi I'm in the process if removing the rear axle tube.

All went well until I tried to withdraw the bolt that runs through the shock bottom and anti-roll bar mount (nuts came off ok).

One side is well and truely stuck fast, the other just springs in the rubber bush when I try and pursuade it out.

I'm sure this must be a common headache - any tips guys? .....Please!!

 

[dicreamio]

I know how you feel Jules, I have two dodgy shocks on the back of my car, due to the fact that the bolts wont come out...

I thought I was smart taking the easy option bringing the car into kwik fit to get new shocks... didnt work out as they couldnt get the bolts out... had a go myself sprayed the living daylights out of them with wd40... didnt seem to work despite taking off one of the rear discs and clobbering them out. That didnt work either, so the disc went back on and the shocks are still in place.

Ive managed to get hold of a spare set of bolts so I now have the option of cutting them off... it may come down to that. I may give it a go to try and put some moderate heat onto the area to see if it helps unstick all.

If anyone comes up with any better ideas, Im all ears!. Your not alone Jules!

 

[rhino2.3t]

the chimps at kwik-fit zoo couldnt get them out? why doesn't that suprise me not a very constructive answer i know, but ut is late..

 

[HAGGAG01]

jules, have you tried plus-gas ? it is ten times better than wd40, it is designed for siezed and rusted parts, bit like Carlsberg !! "reaches parts others can't"

HTH Haggag01

 

[asahartz]

I've not seen these, but can you get a puller onto it?

It's got to be better than doing Mercedes self-levelling shocks anyway; they're spheres fed with hydraulic fluid, almost inaccessible, and the unions inevitably seize so you end up cutting and renewing the pipes. Oh, and they're £135 each

 

[Schu]

We have a product on this side of the pond called PB Blaster. Its not a penetrating oil like WD40 but a penetrating catalyst. It eats the rust and frees stuck bolts. I've used it successfully to break free many rusty components on a VW Golf project of mine. The car had been sitting outside for probably 5 years and then the 10 years before that was very poorly maintained. Even the toughest of stuck buts and bolts spun freely with ease after a few days of spraying them.

 

[FoeCom]

You're at the fun part! I found that attaching a C-clamp to the thread end of the bolt, and the other side, not on the bolt head, but as close as you can get to it. Then apply some liquid wrench, and turn it a few times. Keep tension on the C-clamp and keep turning the nut with a wrench, it will eventually come out enough for you to pull on it while turning. Not sure how clear all that is, but it works well! Hope that helps.

Reread post: The other bolt WILL turn with enough convincing. There not threaded to anything except the nuts on the end which you have removed. I had a similar problem with one of mine. Breaker bar and a few curse words did it.

 

[ylee coyote]

they all do that sir....
This is the royal pita job..
After 4 hours of struggling I gave it to my very local man who got out the oxy acetylene

I tried everything .....

good luck !!

 

[badman]

Hmmm..... What can I say?!

I guess a combination of WD40 type stuff and some heat and puller is in order....

Cheers all.

 

[sj]

I had one totally seized, wouldn't turn at all. Eventually I cut through the bushing tube and the bolt with a padsaw (hacksaw blade) on both sides of the shock. This left it with nothing to hold on to...
ha, ha, beaten the B*****D

 

[philcrombie]

mine came out no issues. Don't know what the fuss is about.

 

[alan_b]

I spent four hours this weekend with Big Nev trying to get the bolts out only to be defeated. I now have spare bolts and two new anti-roll bar bushes ready so that I can cut through the bolts this weekend.

Alanb

 

[badman]

SO it ain't looking good then!
I think I'll get hold of some new bushes and bolts - I can't be arsed to spend several more hours... only to be defeated!

It's weird though - even the one which isn't siezed seemes to be stick in the rubber bush and won't budge.

Ahhhgggh! The only reason I need to remove the bolts is to replace my rear axle tube (someone has either lost the back ens and hit a kerb, or jacked it up on the tube - either way the back wheels are on the p*ss!) ... the shocks are fine!!

 

[adrian]

Never tried it myself so its only an idea - but as you need to drop the rear axle tube why not drop it with shocks and trailing arms still attached (assuming front trailing arms are not stuck solid!). Then you will be able to get to the shock/tube/arm bolts much more easily - either to cut them or get some heat on or c-c-plamps etc.

 

[badman]

Cheers Adrian - fantastic idea, I'll give it a bash.

Failing this, does anybody know the correct part name for this bush? (so I can order another if I break it)

Am I right in thinking that it's NOT the ARB bush? (as that is located further towards the middle of the ARB)

Many thanks.

 

[sj]

The bush that you might wreck getting it off is the bottom shock absorber bush. I doubt you will find this listed separately, as it is normally supplied as part of the shock absorber. I only took them off to change the shocks, so I didn't care how much damage was done to the old shock.

 

[badman]

Took Adrians advice - last night I managed to drop the axle with the shocks and ARB still attached. I ran out of light so haven't had a chance to free the bottom shock bolts yet.....

The more I think about it, the more I'm verging towards the idea replacing the shock and ARB bushes while it's all in pieces!

 

[adrian]

Hope it works out OK

Did the brake pipes split apart OK? I've thought about using this drop the whole tube method before but (now I think about it again) I was always put off by the thought of trying to split the corroded brake pipes

 

[zeke]

SJ, the bottom shock bushes are available - I'd have to sort through tons of paperwork to get the part no's, but I was able to secure a couple from my local Saab dealer. Also, dropping the complete rear suspension assembly is a very elementary procedure, if like Adrian noted the brake lines aren't too corroded. If you follow the link, hit the "Start Slideshow" button,and go to the third slide, you'll get large, detailed pictures of how easy this is. It took me less than an hour to install the complete suspension. zeke's 9000 page

 

[zeke]

Oh, I forgot to add about bushing removal: I used a Saw-z-all w/a metal cutting blade and cut the bolt in two places, both on the inside edge of the mount bracket. What happens is that the metal sleeve inside the rubber bushing corrodes/welds itself to the bolt. Even an impact tool wouldn't work because the rubber part of the bushing absorbed the energy. I used a liberal amount of copper anti-seize on the new bolt and on the inside of the metal sleeve, in case I ever need to remove the Bilsteins. This is something (the use of anti-seize) I would have thought Saab would have done at the factory - they must use salt on the roads in Sweden, too, eh?