Stripped lowering bolt...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 442
Likes: 0
From: Dallas,TX,USA
Stripped lowering bolt...
I decided to lower the car today. Lowering the rear went smoothly. The front, was another story. Had a hell of a time with the passenger side stud and then wound up stripping it. The driver side was much easier to adjust. Is there a way to replace the stud? Do I just vice-grip it to where I need it? Thanks for the help.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,234
Likes: 19
From: Freestate Corvette Club! Elkridge, MD
St. Jude Donor '17
Originally Posted by RunNE1
I decided to lower the car today. Lowering the rear went smoothly. The front, was another story. Had a hell of a time with the passenger side stud and then wound up stripping it. The driver side was much easier to adjust. Is there a way to replace the stud? Do I just vice-grip it to where I need it? Thanks for the help.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,762
Likes: 2
From: Murphy TX
Originally Posted by vetteamerica
how do the bolts get replaced?
Even if you don't have to, I can tell you from experience it isn't that difficult and makes things MUCH easier. Torque on those bolts is relatively low so they're easy to torque back up. Just be aware there are washers behind them that need to go back in the correct places.
My advice would be to vice-grip it to where you want, buy replacement bolts, and the next time you have it up in the air for some reason just replace it then.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 442
Likes: 0
From: Dallas,TX,USA
Thanks for the help guys.
Yes I did put another jack on the spring to release tension. It helped out alot on the driver's side, but did not make much of a difference on the passenger side. Maybe the stud is stripped inside the leaf spring? It does look like you have to take off some suspension parts to replace the bolt. I will try again tonite(vice grips please work) and let you guys know how it turned out. Once again, thanks for the help.
Yes I did put another jack on the spring to release tension. It helped out alot on the driver's side, but did not make much of a difference on the passenger side. Maybe the stud is stripped inside the leaf spring? It does look like you have to take off some suspension parts to replace the bolt. I will try again tonite(vice grips please work) and let you guys know how it turned out. Once again, thanks for the help.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,331
Likes: 32
From: USA
Run,
Before you start spray some lubricant on the threads.
You have to jack the spring far enough to get the rubber bushing to come unseated from the lower control arm. You will sometimes hear it pop. If not you will need to get something under the bushing and pry it up.
It will seem like the jack is lifting the car. It is. Lift until the bushing comes unseated.
If that does not work get some large vice grips or channel locks and grab the metal part of the bushing under the spring and turn it. It is much larger and will turn easier.
Do not replace the bolt. It will turn if done properly,
I did 2 this weekend. Both cars (4 bolts) turned by hand.
Dave
Before you start spray some lubricant on the threads.
You have to jack the spring far enough to get the rubber bushing to come unseated from the lower control arm. You will sometimes hear it pop. If not you will need to get something under the bushing and pry it up.
It will seem like the jack is lifting the car. It is. Lift until the bushing comes unseated.
If that does not work get some large vice grips or channel locks and grab the metal part of the bushing under the spring and turn it. It is much larger and will turn easier.
Do not replace the bolt. It will turn if done properly,
I did 2 this weekend. Both cars (4 bolts) turned by hand.
Dave
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Originally Posted by corvette dave
Run,
Before you start spray some lubricant on the threads.
You have to jack the spring far enough to get the rubber bushing to come unseated from the lower control arm. You will sometimes hear it pop. If not you will need to get something under the bushing and pry it up.
It will seem like the jack is lifting the car. It is. Lift until the bushing comes unseated.
If that does not work get some large vice grips or channel locks and grab the metal part of the bushing under the spring and turn it. It is much larger and will turn easier.
Do not replace the bolt. It will turn if done properly,
I did 2 this weekend. Both cars (4 bolts) turned by hand.
Dave
Before you start spray some lubricant on the threads.
You have to jack the spring far enough to get the rubber bushing to come unseated from the lower control arm. You will sometimes hear it pop. If not you will need to get something under the bushing and pry it up.
It will seem like the jack is lifting the car. It is. Lift until the bushing comes unseated.
If that does not work get some large vice grips or channel locks and grab the metal part of the bushing under the spring and turn it. It is much larger and will turn easier.
Do not replace the bolt. It will turn if done properly,
I did 2 this weekend. Both cars (4 bolts) turned by hand.
Dave
( I almost did the same thing) I was lucky and had my car up on a lift in my buddies shop, and the passenger side was a tough SOB to adjust so we sprayed some lube on it, waited a few minuets and it was stil tough but we were able to adjust it,,just took some elbow grease to get er done.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 442
Likes: 0
From: Dallas,TX,USA
Good news. Was able to get the bolt to turn. I had to basically lift up the car by the leaf spring to get it to lift off the lower control arm. The bolt was a little easier to turn. Had to use lots of anti-seize and vice grips to start it off. I then was able to use a box end by sort of angling it to catch one of the last few ridges. Had to end with the vice grips again, but it did turn almost all the way up against the spring. So now, the car looks much better. By the way, how long should you wait to let the car settle and adjust again? Thanks
