also have you heated???
ARGH! :ack:
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
ARGH! :ack:
Can someone help me before I GO CRAZY!! 
I've tried everything on these damn trailing arm bolts. I've wrapped a chain around the frame and an hydraulic lift and pumped it til the bottom of the pump started bending, I've put both castle nuts on one side flush with the bolt and pounded many times with a huge sledge hammer, I've broken a reducer and a 5/8 socket (cracked it in half) trying to twist it. Now I'm starting to think it's threaded through the frame please don't tell me it is. It did start to turn slighting before the socket cracked.
If I must resort to cutting, whats the best way to remove the shims to get to the bolt. I DO NOT WANT TO DRILL THIS DAMN THING.
Thanks
I've tried everything on these damn trailing arm bolts. I've wrapped a chain around the frame and an hydraulic lift and pumped it til the bottom of the pump started bending, I've put both castle nuts on one side flush with the bolt and pounded many times with a huge sledge hammer, I've broken a reducer and a 5/8 socket (cracked it in half) trying to twist it. Now I'm starting to think it's threaded through the frame please don't tell me it is. It did start to turn slighting before the socket cracked.
If I must resort to cutting, whats the best way to remove the shims to get to the bolt. I DO NOT WANT TO DRILL THIS DAMN THING.
Thanks
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 1
From: North Bend Ohio
This is what I had to do with mine.
With lots of liquid wrench I placed a quality (Snap on or Craftsman) 6 point box wrench (NOT a 12 point) on the head of the trailing arm mounting bolt and useing a hammer pounded the bolt 1/8 of a turn counter clock wise. Spray it again. Now, pound it 1/8 turn clock wise. Repeat this process for the next hour. It took me over 2 hours to get one off.
What you're trying to do is crush up the rust that is holding the bolt in. You will notice rust comming out of the bolt holes after a while. You could also try tapping on the end of the bolt while putting torque on the wrench. This is how impact wrenches shake rusted bolts loose.
You can never hope to get that bolt out until you can turn it. Don't give up! Good luck.
Hope this helps.
BigBlockk
Later.....
With lots of liquid wrench I placed a quality (Snap on or Craftsman) 6 point box wrench (NOT a 12 point) on the head of the trailing arm mounting bolt and useing a hammer pounded the bolt 1/8 of a turn counter clock wise. Spray it again. Now, pound it 1/8 turn clock wise. Repeat this process for the next hour. It took me over 2 hours to get one off.
What you're trying to do is crush up the rust that is holding the bolt in. You will notice rust comming out of the bolt holes after a while. You could also try tapping on the end of the bolt while putting torque on the wrench. This is how impact wrenches shake rusted bolts loose.
You can never hope to get that bolt out until you can turn it. Don't give up! Good luck.
Hope this helps.
BigBlockk
Later.....
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: marble falls texas
Hi Bryanan8412-2
I replaced my trailing arms last year, so I know what your talking about. I ended up using a sawzall to cut my bolts out and had to cut a few shims along the way . The new shims and bolts were less than $20 bucks I bet you already have that much of a headace. Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
bump!
Well I bought a mini torch and heated the area around the bolt head and got it to turn!! However the metal part of the bushing is still fused. So we popped the shims out and cut. Man what grade steel are those bad boys!! They were pretty tough. So one trailing arm out one to go, the other one has the shims fused in there so im going to be beating it up today. Thanks for the advice guys!
Bry
Well I bought a mini torch and heated the area around the bolt head and got it to turn!! However the metal part of the bushing is still fused. So we popped the shims out and cut. Man what grade steel are those bad boys!! They were pretty tough. So one trailing arm out one to go, the other one has the shims fused in there so im going to be beating it up today. Thanks for the advice guys!
Bry
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
sawz all and before you cut away you may want to take a quick meaurement on the space on either side of the trailing arm so when you reinstall it you have aball park setting before you take it to the alignment shop.. good luck
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 2
From: Dayton Oh
My favorite is heat. If that fails, take a cold chisel to the nut. Hold the chisel perpendicular to one of the flats and pound away until it is almost cut into the bolt. May have to do a couple of flats. This always works.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,338
Likes: 786
From: Redondo Beach, California
Just some information. For people who haven't fussed arount with trailing arm bolts. The shims....Some of the early C3's, I think 1968's and a little bit into the 1969's (?), the shims where held in by the trailing arm (pivot) bolt itself. In other words, to get those shims out, you had to remove the trailing arm bolt. The shims had a hole through which the trailing arm bolt went and so to get the shims out you had to remove the bolt. Later GM slotted a grove in the shim to fit around the trailing arm bolt. Now with the trailing arm bolt in place you could freely add and subtract shims. These shims had another small hole in them. There were small holes in the frame in front, and below, the trailing arm bolt. A cotter pin was inserted through the small frame holes and through the small shim holes to hold the shims in. My 1968 had the small cotter pin holes, but did have the shims that required removing the trailing arm bolt before you could take the shims out. Bottom line here is that if you have the slotted shims (post mid 1969) you should be able to remove them. I think that will give you room to get a sawzall into the frame pocket and cut the trailing arm bolts.