control arm removal
 

I've been having issues getting the vertical bolts off the control arms. Anyone have any tips or tricks? I'm worried about snapping the head off the bolt or the clip on top.

balls to the walls. if you dont attempt to brake it, you probably wont get it out. their pretty rugged. sometimes it requires big tools. i use a 1200 ftlbs impact gun when i do my work and even sometimes that strains.

Should have mentioned, impact gun, 3ft breaker bar, won't budge

You don't have a torquey impact gun then....when i took mine off both aleros (one with 160k on them) they came off pretty easy with a 1200 ft/lb impact. Good luck!

Try using a torque wrench instead of a breaker bar. There isn't much I can't break loose with a big torque wrench. And before anyone says it...it's just a Harbor Freight special but it gets the job done. ;)

EDIT: Use impact grade sockets on the torque wrench because regular sockets will crack under that much torque force.

I'll have another go at it, I've used penetrating lube on it a few days ago. If that doesn't work, off to the mechanic it goes

let put it this way... either they will come out or they will break

So what should I be prepared for if they break?

drill them out and drink lots of beer. PROBABLY what is happening is the bolt is rusted inside the bushign? would be my guess IF they truly are stuck.

Asetling torch and burn the bushing out..

wont help getting the metal tube in the bushing that the bolt goes through out though.

spelled it wrong, acetylene

Do I care?

Well if its really rusty a trick I use it pour ATF on it and let it sit for 24 hrs to eat any corrosion

Never worked on control arms, but I have removed some pretty stuborn bolts on my Delta (28 years old) by just putting the breaker bar on, pipe over the brakers bar (same effect as a larger bar) and tap it with my hammer. Works pretty good in those tight areas a impact won't fit ;)

I have ran into a few cars were the bushing sleeve is rusted to the bolt so the bolt can't back out of the hole, never on the Alero though.