trailing arm bolts
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,943
Likes: 44
From: Florham Park NJ Port Credit Ontario
Re: trailing arm bolts (wcsinx)
The bolt heads are on the inside of the frame. I dont think there is any room in there. Are your bolts in backwards?
Erm ... I don't think so. My castle nut is on the fender side. I know a lot of people suggest using a prybar (or something similar) to pound on it from that side because the fender is in the way. Just crawling under there and looking around, it seems like you could get a decent swing on it from the inner side, you'd just have to grind the head off the bolt first and poke it through with a screwdriver or a center punch. If there's enough room to get a drill through it (like someone else suggested) then surely there's enough room for a hammer!
Erm ... I don't think so. My castle nut is on the fender side. I know a lot of people suggest using a prybar (or something similar) to pound on it from that side because the fender is in the way. Just crawling under there and looking around, it seems like you could get a decent swing on it from the inner side, you'd just have to grind the head off the bolt first and poke it through with a screwdriver or a center punch. If there's enough room to get a drill through it (like someone else suggested) then surely there's enough room for a hammer!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Re: trailing arm bolts (Stewart's74)
:thumbs: Nut on outside is correct.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 4
From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
Re: trailing arm bolts (bigthreefan)
Try an air chisel with a hammer type bit. The rapid solid impact on the bolt may be enough to knock the rust off and loosen it a bit. My air chisel is one of the handiest tools I have in my arsenal against rusty bolts (the acetylene torch comes in handy too). I've used this on rusty bolts but I've never tried it on trailing arm bolts but what've you got to lose?
Here in the rust belt you gotta play dirty and resort to extreme tactics.
Personally, I cut the bolts with my torch. I never would have got them out with the body on the chassis and without breaking something. They were just rusted too solid.
Good Luck!!
Here in the rust belt you gotta play dirty and resort to extreme tactics.
Personally, I cut the bolts with my torch. I never would have got them out with the body on the chassis and without breaking something. They were just rusted too solid.
Good Luck!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: Corinth Tx
Re: trailing arm bolts (LemansBlue68)
i have the old bolts and shims out and the new ones in i used the saw zaw to cut it out and than the new one slid right in on the other side the old one came right out no prob but the new one took a very long time to get in.
thanks for all the help everyone :seeya
thanks for all the help everyone :seeya
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 922
Likes: 0
From: Maine
Re: trailing arm bolts (dewcustom)
Sounds like something else is going on. If the bolt turns it's obviously not rust-bound. Is it possible that the shims are catching-up on the threads or something? If you had this apart just a year ago I can't believe that it'd be so hard to get it out. Bigger hammer?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: Corinth Tx
Re: trailing arm bolts (Frank75)
the sleeve had seized up on the bolt and the sleeve and bolt were turning together
i was hitting that bolt very hard and it never budged a hair but it is all done now the saw zaw worked :party:
i was hitting that bolt very hard and it never budged a hair but it is all done now the saw zaw worked :party:
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,397
Likes: 0
From: Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffin glue Orlando
Re: trailing arm bolts (dewcustom)
When I removed my T-Arms it was a two man job. Tools needed are a 4 foot ¼ inch ratchet extension, and a 4 pound ball-peen hammer.
Install the castle nut so the top of the nut is even with the bolt. This will give you a larger surface to place the ratchet extension on. While one person is holding the ratchet extension squarely on the nut/bolt assemble the other person can devote their entire attention to the other end of the ratchet extension.
I tried it by myself and just couldn’t make it happen and extra set of hands make all the difference. We had it out in about 30 seconds.
:chevy
Install the castle nut so the top of the nut is even with the bolt. This will give you a larger surface to place the ratchet extension on. While one person is holding the ratchet extension squarely on the nut/bolt assemble the other person can devote their entire attention to the other end of the ratchet extension.
I tried it by myself and just couldn’t make it happen and extra set of hands make all the difference. We had it out in about 30 seconds.
:chevy
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: Corinth Tx
Re: trailing arm bolts (IBEAM700)
that is for the most part what i tried except i used a 3/8 ext. about 3 foot long with a 7/16 socket on the end to keep it from slipping off the bolt
the bolt never flintched but i will have to make a trip to sears to replace the ext the end has flatened out and looks like i glued a quarter to it. you think they will give me any hasle over it? :crazy:
the bolt never flintched but i will have to make a trip to sears to replace the ext the end has flatened out and looks like i glued a quarter to it. you think they will give me any hasle over it? :crazy:
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,397
Likes: 0
From: Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffin glue Orlando
Re: trailing arm bolts (dewcustom)
LOL, Ok I typed 1/4 but I meant 3/8. Anyway.
Iv never had any problems exchanging tools at Sears. They don’t even question it, they just take my old tool match it to a new one, and you’re on your way.
Remember, have someone help. I could have never got that bolt out on my own.
Here's a link to some pix took during my T-Arm rebuild.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=625360
:chevy
Iv never had any problems exchanging tools at Sears. They don’t even question it, they just take my old tool match it to a new one, and you’re on your way.
Remember, have someone help. I could have never got that bolt out on my own.
Here's a link to some pix took during my T-Arm rebuild.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=625360
:chevy