Help! T/A removal nightmare
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Help! T/A removal nightmare
I've been trying to cut my T/A bolts out - I picked up some 6" rescue blades at Home Depot (the only size rescue blades they had). These things won't cut the bolt at all. They slice through the shims, then instantly go dull when they hit the bolt. I wish I had an oxy/acetelyne rig here, I'd just burn the SOBs out...but I don't and I can't. Any recommendaitons?
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,547
Likes: 12
From: Carbondale Pa.
I think a member here sells that kind of stuff for his job,, it might be Gordonm from N.J. with a red LT-1 roadster, if it aint him,,,,sorry, maybe someone else has a better idea of who,,,,Peace,,, Moosie 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,429
Likes: 44
From: Macon, GA
Expect this to take longer than you can imagine as they are usually rusted in and there is little space to work. Rent or buy a reciprocating saw with several blades if you don't already have one. Some guys use a cutting torch to cut the shims and bolt out and then just replace the old bushings. If you are removing the arm, it is probably because the front bushings are bad so they are possibly correct in their method. Just be careful not to set the car on fire and have someone standing by with either a fire extinguisher or a water hose.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 402
Likes: 4
From: Nassau
Ive heard that the lenox lazer blades are the best for cutting that damn bolt. I went through almost 40 milwaukee blades by the time I had both my arms out. As soon as I touched the blade to the bolt the teeth were gone lol. One of the guys on here works for the co that makes the lenox blades. Hopefully he will see this thread and give you advice on where to get them. There is also a thread about them here with a link to get a free sample http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...ead.php?t=5197 and I know a bunch on here used them to cut the TA bolt.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 360
Likes: 1
From: Meridian, MS
ok, did you get the shims out? has the bolt moved at all? i have always been able to get the bolt to move just a little by hitting the end with a punch and hammer. I also soak the bolt in pb blaster for atleast a day before i tackle the project. i will have the car all prepped and spray it every few hours. once it moves enough that i can get an open end wrench under the head of the bolt i Pry it out. with the wrench. once it is to far for the wrench to fit under it i put two wrenches together and pry with both. start with a thin one. this is how i placed the wrenches on mine. and this is the actual bolt.
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Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 627
Likes: 1
From: Naperville IL
lenox blades are the best to use, but you should still be able to do this with milwakee blades as long as they're bi-metal. The trick for cutting hardened steel is real slow speed and lots of cutting oil, any light oil you can spray in there easily should work. 6" blades sound kinda short for this job too, but they might still work fine. Also anything you can do to get the shims out beforehand will help, I couldn't even get a cut to start on my shims because they were so close to the back of the pocket.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
I have a sawzall...I think I was trying to go too fast, it was jumping around and bending blades if I ran it at slow speed. The shims are out of one side of one arm, the others are stuck and I haven't had a lot of luck prying them out. All of the shims on the driver's side were on one side of the arm - fortunately it's the side with the bolt head, so once I'm cut through there I should be OK.
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
All shims are now out, (thank Dog), now I just have to cut the bolts. There is no driving them out, they're rusted solid to the bushing sleeves. One bolt is cut about a third of the way through, but the 6" blades are just too short. I'll get some 8" blades tomorrow.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
I am the Lenox guy everyone is talking about. Get the 9 inch blades you might have to trim off the end so it does not hit the back of the frame. The 6 inch ones are too short. Use a cutting oil and don't run the saw at to fast of a speed. The rescue blades are OK but get the ones that have a 10 tooth or finer. This will cut smoother and last a little longer. It also will not bounce around as much. The Lazer blade is also a good blade to use. It is a little thicker than the standard blade. Again get yourself at least a 10 tooth better yet a 14 tooth blade. I have done a set of trailing arms with one blade. Get yourself a few just in case though. 
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
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From: Florida
Originally Posted by Gordonm
I am the Lenox guy everyone is talking about. Get the 9 inch blades ...Use a cutting oil and don't run the saw at to fast of a speed. ...
Cutting oil makes a world of difference. I like to use Rigid pipe threading oil, is a little thicker and will hang in there longer. Generally, the harder the bolt, th finer the teeth.
I don't know what a Lazer blade is, but some manufactures make an abrasive blade and there are even diamond blades available.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by noonie
Cutting oil makes a world of difference. I like to use Rigid pipe threading oil, is a little thicker and will hang in there longer. Generally, the harder the bolt, th finer the teeth.
I don't know what a Lazer blade is, but some manufactures make an abrasive blade and there are even diamond blades available.
The Lazer blade os just an oversize recip blade. Standard blade is 3/4 wide and .035 thick. The Lazer is 1 inch wide and .042. The fire/rescue or demolition blade is 7/8 wide and .062 thick. Here is a link to the Lazer blade http://lenoxsaw.com/lazer.html
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,951
Likes: 1
From: Shore NJ
Originally Posted by Gordonm
We make a grit edge blade. It is extremly slow cutting. If the material you are cutting is extremly hard 45Rc or harder than a grit is the only way to go. I have cut hardened bolts many times with a tooth edge blade, the blade life is not great but it will get through. Diamond blades are very $$$ and usually are for special applications.
The Lazer blade os just an oversize recip blade. Standard blade is 3/4 wide and .035 thick. The Lazer is 1 inch wide and .042. The fire/rescue or demolition blade is 7/8 wide and .062 thick. Here is a link to the Lazer blade http://lenoxsaw.com/lazer.html
The Lazer blade os just an oversize recip blade. Standard blade is 3/4 wide and .035 thick. The Lazer is 1 inch wide and .042. The fire/rescue or demolition blade is 7/8 wide and .062 thick. Here is a link to the Lazer blade http://lenoxsaw.com/lazer.html
...couldn't let this one get by...
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
Originally Posted by Gordonm
We make a grit edge blade. It is extremly slow cutting. If the material you are cutting is extremly hard 45Rc or harder than a grit is the only way to go. I have cut hardened bolts many times with a tooth edge blade, the blade life is not great but it will get through. Diamond blades are very $$$ and usually are for special applications.
The Lazer blade os just an oversize recip blade. Standard blade is 3/4 wide and .035 thick. The Lazer is 1 inch wide and .042. The fire/rescue or demolition blade is 7/8 wide and .062 thick. Here is a link to the Lazer blade http://lenoxsaw.com/lazer.html
The Lazer blade os just an oversize recip blade. Standard blade is 3/4 wide and .035 thick. The Lazer is 1 inch wide and .042. The fire/rescue or demolition blade is 7/8 wide and .062 thick. Here is a link to the Lazer blade http://lenoxsaw.com/lazer.html
I got 2 answers, didn't know what a rescue blade was either but have used them. A sawzall is probably one of my favorite tools. I use a lot of grit blades for stucco etc and the diamond blades for granite and rarely steel. They are a lot cheaper than they used to be, come from China or Europe.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
The rescue blades would be perfect if they were 7" long. I think HD had some in an 8" size, and I'm going to take a look at ACE first to see what they have.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
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From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
The rescue blades would be perfect if they were 7" long. I think HD had some in an 8" size, and I'm going to take a look at ACE first to see what they have.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,008
Likes: 38
From: Space Coast Gator Territory
Gordonm is right on this job. I removed my old rusted shims with a slide hammer with a hook end first. This exposed the bolt and made cutting with a Lennox blade easier. It still took one blade for each TA. My blades were 14 tpi and 9 inch, I think. Stick with it and you will prevail.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,725
Likes: 5
From: Minnesota
My experience was that it's very tough to cut through the bolts with the shims still in place. The blade heats up quickly and the teeth are gone. Once I got the shims out the bolt cut like butter. Since you managed to get the shims out I'm sure you'll have no problem now.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Belleville IL
I did this recently on my '77, I used the lenox blades as well got them from Ace. They cut through the bolt like a knife through hot butter. It was harder cutting through the shims. My boss used to be a machinist and told me to use motor oil as cutting fluid. Worked like a charm. I only went through 3 lennox blades total.