Thanks for all the help guys, probably tackle it again in a couple of days. Have tried everything you guys suggested, but again, that bolt is unbelievably frozen.

 

i had the same problem u guys did and if i can rember corectly we welded a nut on the bolt to turn it then i think we dropped the lower control arm we had pressure on the leaf spring and the bolt juts fell out from the bottom. Im pretty sure this is how we did it like i siad a while ago and i have a bad memory to much drinking. Hopefully some one wiht more experience can chime in and tell me if i am correct. good luck

 

I would put a jack under the front spring that you are working on to take some weight off. This may help loosen the nut.

 

hi folks -

This is best done with a six-point combo wrench - I picked up one just for this purpose.

Using a twelve point on the bolt can round off the head of the bolt.

At this point, you might grind the head of the bolt square to fit the next size smaller wrench, and then go to work on it again.

Good luck!

best regards -

mqqn

 

used a 10mm 12 point socket when my 10mm boxed end wrench started to slip very tight but I got it to work

 

Can ya get a decent sized pipe wrench in there??

 

Renegad44......

Here is something that I did to take complete pressure off the adjustment screw / rubber pad against the lower control arm without using a jack to raise it.

First, do you have a C5 Manual ?? There is a section regarding setting Trim Height. This is an adjustment that is done during alignments to adjust the vehicles height using the so called "stock bolts".

It shows a special tool that they slip in between the top surface of the lower control arm and the bottom surface of the spring. This tool takes any tension off the adjustment bolt.

Here is what I did to mimick this tool.

You need to get a 6 point box end wrench. Got one at Sears or a 6 point 1/4 drive socket set, 10 mm.

At a hardware store, find a 5/16-18 or 1/4 -20 thread, 1/2' long HEX spacer. Hex width across the flats should be about 1/2". Find a 5/16-18 or 1/4-20 hex head bolt (get a few) 1/2" long, 5/8" long, 3/4" long, 1" long.

Assemble one set, spacer and bolt and slip it between the bottom of the spring and the top surface of the control arm. With (2) open end wrenches, begin to raise the spring. USE an oil or grease on this setup.

CAUTION: if you do this, make sure you only unscrew 1/2 the lenght of the screw you chose from the spacer. If the spring isn't raising, go to the next bolt lenght. You don't want to jam the bolt and spacer.

AND CAUTION: unless you know exactly what your doing, don't change the height of the adjustment screw unless you have enough travel in your bolt / spacer setup or you will have a hard time getting the bolt and spacer out. In other words, you need to back off the bolt in the spacer till bottoms and still be free to remove it.

This procedure will take any pressure off the bolt pad by seperating the bolt from the control arm.

Next you will have to work the bolt loose with WD-40, etc. and your 6 point box end wrench set. Or if your at a point, vice grips.

I hope this can help.

NOTE: I also use this method when lowering or raising the front so that I get real time results, meaning I don't have to drive the car around for a few days for it to settle.

Good luck,
c5firstimer

 

This is bad advice!!!

If a bolt is stuck, never use a 12 point tool on a 6 point fastner!!!

The bolt has a 6 point head, use either a 6 point wrench like MQQN said or use a 6 point socket.

 

I had the same problem. I removed the shocks and sway bar end links from the lower control arm. Then removed the steering knuckle from the upper ball joint. Loosen the ball joint nut and hit it with a plastic hammer to break it loose. Be careful not to damage the threads or nut. Lift knuckle assemble from up control arm and lower slowly. Watch out for brake lines getting stretched to tight. This allows the weight of the rotor and brake caliper to drop the lower control arm much further down, allowing you to get a pipe wrench on the lower side of the adjustment bolt. Turn it in both directions to break it loose. If it rusted is bad as mine this will take a lot of effort. I replaced mine with HARDBAR adjusters. The car sat to high. So I will be replacing them with West Coast Corvette lowering adjusters ($25) shortly.

Hope this helps!

 

I haven't seen the OP confirm the direction being used to spin the bolt. If you're turning from the top, you're turning clockwise, correct??

 

BlueBlood;

Turning from the top down, your going to turn counterclockwise to lower your C5.

c5firstimer

 

my passenger side bolt was frozen to. i got it loose using blaster and a pipe wrench. even if the bolt is stripped the pipe wrench will dig in.

 

Thanks to all you guys, but believe me I have tried everything offered on this thread, understand that counterclockwise is the correct direction, and I have tried both ways trying to break rust, using PB Blaster, with no luck....I may try once more during the week, otherwise I'll either raise the back up to where it was, or find someone who can get that damn bolt broken.

 

The rust damage may be irreversible. The inserts in the springs could be so corroded that breaking the bolts loose will only destroy the threads.
If you're dead set on lowering the car, watch the classifieds or EBAY and buy another front spring/good adjustment bolts.

 

"The inserts in the springs could be so corroded "

With all the PB Blaster I've sprayed on that bolt, I can't get any of it to penetrate through the thread inserts in the spring, regardless what I tried, and I know that is the important part of the PB working, penetration. Looking at/for another spring is an option I've considered.
Thanks...

 

I knew that, I was thinking he was trying to take the bolt out. Thanks for correcting.