rodney25

Hi Everyone,

I'm removing the upper control arms and can't find any store that has the attachment to a slide hammer to remove the upper control arm bolts. Is there another way to remove the bolts? Can I use a hammer or something else?

Thanks.

lars

My front end rebuild paper has the procedure for removing the bolts - you can e-mail me for a copy:
V8FastCars@msn.com

Here is the paragraph from the paper dealing with the studs:

The driver’s side upper a-arm can easily be removed by wiggling it off the studs and pulling it out. The passenger side does not have adequate space to slip it off the studs, so the pressed studs must be removed. This can be done in several ways: Many of these studs are pressed loosely enough that you can wiggle the a-arm back and forth to make the studs wiggle. By having a helper pry against the studs while they’re wiggled, they will pop out. You can also use a C-Clamp against the protruding threaded end of the stud while placing a large socket over the head of the stud. You have to have just the right sized C-clamp to do this. You can then press the stud out into the socket covering the head. Finally, if the studs do not want to come out, you can put a socket onto the stud head and give it a few zaps back and forth with your ½” drive impact. This will loosen the knurled shank of the stud in the frame, and the stud can be wiggled out. If you do this, be careful about how much you hit the stud with the impact gun – you just have to BARELY give it a few whacks in each direction to get it loose. If you really pound in it you will completely turn the stud in the frame hole, and you will round off and destroy all the knurling. You will then need to buy new studs (available from any auto parts store). With the studs removed, the a-arm will come out from the wheel-well side of the car once you figure out just how to twist it to get it out of the wheel well opening (it really does come out).

Lars

69 Chevy

The upper control arm bolts are no different than wheel studs...they have splines under the head to keep them from turning since the nuts are lock nuts. Bash out with a hammer. Replace with new ones. So simple even a caveman could do it.

mandingo214

Glad to see that name showing up again.

Mashman

I just removed my control arms to replace the bushings. When I went to remove the uppers, one of the studs holding the upper arm on was freespinning.

Where do you get the replacement studs? Is there a car that uses wheel studs that are the same size?

nate99

Can you get a wrench on the back side? I'm visualizing bolts going through the frame there, but it has been a while since I looked at it, and I may be thinking of something other than what you are describing.

Your spring is out of the way, right?

Mashman

Yes, I had the lower arms, and the whole steering knucle off - so I had no problems getting the bolt out.

My issue is that when I take the car in for an alignment, and they need to take the nut off to shim the arm, they are going to run into a problem if it just spins. So I'm looking for where to purchase new studs - 69Chevy seemed to indicate that they were readily available.

69 Chevy

I bought the correct length studs from NAPA. And depending on how rusty your frame is, the OEM diameter splined studs might spin. Match up what you need from the wheel stud bin.

Mashman

OK - Thanks!

The frame does not have any rust, but wondering if someone in the past may have spun the one problem bolt out (it's the one that's hard to reach on the front passenger side), therefore I think I probably have to go with a slightly larger stud.

I will give NAPA a try, I didn't really look through the wheel studs because I thought they would all be too big, I didn't know that there would be wheel studs for any car that were as small as these control arm studs.

RickyBerg

The bolts head is flat and round so that doesnt work unfortunatly.

//Ricky.

RickyBerg

Yepp, thats how i removed mine (caveman).

I put on a nut to save the boltend and the threads and with a gentle tap with a hammer the bolts came loose.

Just the same as the wheel studs.

//Ricky.

Mashman

Actually mine have a 5/8th bolt head on them, I think the originals have the bolt head for this exact reason - the bolt knurls stop holding, and the bolt needs to be removed.



I decided not to go the wheel stud route for that reason - if the knurls stop holding, and the back doesn't have a bolt head, you might have a heck of a time getting the nut off.

So I took out the AIM, and found the original part number (381909), searching for that led me to Paragon that has them - 4 for $12 (https://www.paragoncorvette.com/p-35...-stud-kit.aspx).

RickyBerg

You are absolutely right.
Sorry i have mixed things up, there is a hex head on my bolts to..

//Ricky.

JimT

Two of my upper a arm bolt were spinning - I purchased new bolts but the bolt holes were so worn they would not hold. I decided to replace them all and I spot welded the bolts at the bolt heads in an area that if I had to replace them again (don't know why I would) I could grind the weld down with my dremel.

ed_in_pa

I don't see anyway of getting these methods to work on my 76 Corvette w/AC (I tried my 1/2 inch drive impact but due to inferior equipment it wouldn't move). The radiator shroud is too close to get a c-clamp on the end of the nut. There is no room anywhere to pry and nothing to pry against. How difficult is it to remove fan shroud?

mandingo214

We had to remove the radiator to get the shroud out on my buddies '72. Messed up the radiator in the process.

I would keep going at it with the impact gun until it comes loose. It will save you a lot of time in the long run, and certainly less risk to other parts.

BB68Vett

Oh, and by the way, when you get new studs, put some red locktite on the bolts near the head and on the knurls. This will also help keep them from turning during alignment time.

oldalaskaman

remove the a/c bracket, tap it out, follow the suggestions of previous posters, hope this helps

Street Rat

I had to loosen the shroud and radiator to get by the right front stud. It barely fits but with some effort you can work it out of there.

noonie

The bolts are splined not knurled, big difference.
That is why the method Lars suggests does work, by carefully reinserting the bolt in it's original orientation.
You cannot do that with a knurled bolt.

If the bolt starts to spin, remove it, clean the threads so a nut spins on freely by hand, then take a sharp center punch and punch around the mount hole to slightly disfigure it.
This usually will stop the bolt from turning until the tightening torque allows the head to grip better.
As also mentioned, some Locktite and even epoxy works well for future alignments to prevent spinning.