Help!!! Lowering front on stock bolts
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 1
From: springfield MO
Help!!! Lowering front on stock bolts
Ok I jacked up the passenger side and removed the wheel/tire.
I used a bottle neck to jack the leaf up but all it did was raise the car even more.
I tried turning the bolt but ended up rounding it pretty damn good.
I even tried getting some vise grips but I still cant get the damn thing to turn.
I am turning it counter clockwise, should I be going the other way?
Im just about to give up and take it to a shop. Its really pissing me off.
Could it be that its because I only had the passenger side jacked up? Do both sides need the wheels and tires removed and up off the ground?
Im just thinking it has something to do with tension but this damn bolt wont turn one bit. I tried PB blaster and everything I can think of
I used a bottle neck to jack the leaf up but all it did was raise the car even more.
I tried turning the bolt but ended up rounding it pretty damn good.
I even tried getting some vise grips but I still cant get the damn thing to turn.
I am turning it counter clockwise, should I be going the other way?
Im just about to give up and take it to a shop. Its really pissing me off.
Could it be that its because I only had the passenger side jacked up? Do both sides need the wheels and tires removed and up off the ground?
Im just thinking it has something to do with tension but this damn bolt wont turn one bit. I tried PB blaster and everything I can think of
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
Ok I jacked up the passenger side and removed the wheel/tire.
I used a bottle neck to jack the leaf up but all it did was raise the car even more.
I tried turning the bolt but ended up rounding it pretty damn good.
I even tried getting some vise grips but I still cant get the damn thing to turn.
I am turning it counter clockwise, should I be going the other way?
Im just about to give up and take it to a shop. Its really pissing me off.
Could it be that its because I only had the passenger side jacked up? Do both sides need the wheels and tires removed and up off the ground?
Im just thinking it has something to do with tension but this damn bolt wont turn one bit. I tried PB blaster and everything I can think of
I used a bottle neck to jack the leaf up but all it did was raise the car even more.
I tried turning the bolt but ended up rounding it pretty damn good.
I even tried getting some vise grips but I still cant get the damn thing to turn.
I am turning it counter clockwise, should I be going the other way?
Im just about to give up and take it to a shop. Its really pissing me off.
Could it be that its because I only had the passenger side jacked up? Do both sides need the wheels and tires removed and up off the ground?
Im just thinking it has something to do with tension but this damn bolt wont turn one bit. I tried PB blaster and everything I can think of
mine did the safe thing... it sucks. you can take the hole leaf spring out which i did or if i had to do it again i would heat the bolts up and melt the epoxy and pull the bolts plus the thing the bolts goes into and heat them up in the vice and and get hem to turn free then reinstall and epoxy them and adjust ride hieght ect a night mare i know
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,325
Likes: 1,588
From: Western NY
Jacking on the spring, with a piece of wood in there, so you don't damage the spring, should take the tension off the leaf, and allow you to turn the bolt. Yes, turning the bolt counter clockwise will lower the car. HOWEVER, even the newest C-5s, are what, 7 years old? You'll need to use some penetrating oil on that screw, as it's been in place for a while....
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 1
From: springfield MO
Jacking on the spring, with a piece of wood in there, so you don't damage the spring, should take the tension off the leaf, and allow you to turn the bolt. Yes, turning the bolt counter clockwise will lower the car. HOWEVER, even the newest C-5s, are what, 7 years old? You'll need to use some penetrating oil on that screw, as it's been in place for a while....
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,325
Likes: 1,588
From: Western NY
How old is the car? Was it driven through winters, with road salt? Yes, you hit it w/Blaster, but it might need to soak in for a few days....
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
The bushing could be vulcanized to the control arm. Use PB BLASTER and a putty knife to free the bushing from the control arm.
There is a little trough on top of the spring that surrounds the adjustment bolt. Fill that area with PB BLASTER and be patient. Allow it to penetrate at least over night. If you see the lubricant on the adjustment bolt below the spring, you know it's seeping through the spring insert.
On my car once the lubricant seeped through, I didn't need a wrench to turn the adjustment bolt. As mentioned, some cars are a decade or more old now. Lots of contaminants/corrosion prevent easy adjustment. And some have discovered the spring insert/adjustment bolt are permanently fused together.
There is a little trough on top of the spring that surrounds the adjustment bolt. Fill that area with PB BLASTER and be patient. Allow it to penetrate at least over night. If you see the lubricant on the adjustment bolt below the spring, you know it's seeping through the spring insert.
On my car once the lubricant seeped through, I didn't need a wrench to turn the adjustment bolt. As mentioned, some cars are a decade or more old now. Lots of contaminants/corrosion prevent easy adjustment. And some have discovered the spring insert/adjustment bolt are permanently fused together.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 1
From: springfield MO
What is that bushing there for? I have a feeling it is the problem or just below it. I want to take a screw driver and just pry the crap out of it. What do you think?
Also is there a link that shows detailed pics of what it looks like in that control arm pocket without the bolt there. I want an idea of how this bolt is seated in there
Also is there a link that shows detailed pics of what it looks like in that control arm pocket without the bolt there. I want an idea of how this bolt is seated in there
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
If it was the bushing then you would be turning the bolt and it would spring back.
Just pull the spring. Carefully mark the 2 lower control arm bolts - actually mark the washers on both sides of those bolts so you can get them back in the same position and not mess-up the alignment. Then, pull them out and lower your bottle jack while pulling out the suspension so it clears the end of the spring. Then, put a floor jack under the end of the spring and lift it up a bit again before removing the 2 spring straps and dropping the jack. Make sure the car is about 1.5ft off the ground or the jack won't go low enough to let the spring out. You may have to remove the sway bar link but the a-arm should just clear the spring with it connected. Instead of the sway bar link, you could also just pull the 2 lower bolts on the shock so the suspension can move around a little easier. I got mine out no problem with everything else connected. It only took about 15 minutes to remove the spring after the car was already sitting on jack stands.
Then, you can grab the back-side of the bolt with a pipe wrench and work it loose. You could also replace them it you so desired.
Peter
Just pull the spring. Carefully mark the 2 lower control arm bolts - actually mark the washers on both sides of those bolts so you can get them back in the same position and not mess-up the alignment. Then, pull them out and lower your bottle jack while pulling out the suspension so it clears the end of the spring. Then, put a floor jack under the end of the spring and lift it up a bit again before removing the 2 spring straps and dropping the jack. Make sure the car is about 1.5ft off the ground or the jack won't go low enough to let the spring out. You may have to remove the sway bar link but the a-arm should just clear the spring with it connected. Instead of the sway bar link, you could also just pull the 2 lower bolts on the shock so the suspension can move around a little easier. I got mine out no problem with everything else connected. It only took about 15 minutes to remove the spring after the car was already sitting on jack stands.
Then, you can grab the back-side of the bolt with a pipe wrench and work it loose. You could also replace them it you so desired.
Peter
Last edited by lionelhutz; May 16, 2011 at 12:09 PM.
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