Need some ideas

submitted by Airbus320 from (self.AskSaidIt)

has anyone done the pinch bolt on ball joint in subarus. mine is stuck, a whole day went by and I still failed, I used heat and used plenty of wd40, I don't know what to do

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[–]jingles 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (5 children)

just fyi, typically wd40 is not a substance that "unfreezes bolts" not typically... it is a light lubricant.. to unfreeze, many auto parts will be able to recommend something stronger.. there are substances that can unfreeze bolts..

btw, there are only about a few dozen videos about this on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pinch+bolt+ball+joint+subaru

if i were handling a job like this, i would first do a shitton of research to see how others had handled this type of thing.

dont. be. lazy.

do. your. homework.

here is one that you would want to check out by scotty kilmer.. he is probably one of the slickest youtube mechanics.. this video is about how he handles stuck bolts..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zy_SM5aXkU

/u/airbus320 is too smart and too lazy to actually post a few high resolution pictures of what he has going on with his car... he expects that we are just going to read his mind about what his car problem looks like..

fk.

if i were sitting in front of his car, i would probably have his problem solved in about ten minutes.

how to change lug nuts video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NTkb1nA3sQ

[–]Airbus320[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

It seems a common problem in legacys and other models, youtube suggested to use heat and I did but my 14 mm wrench broke, its stuck really hard, I will try to drill it out

[–]jingles 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

again, it takes probably five minutes to actually post some high resolution pictures...

of course it is more fun to just guess about what your situation actually looks like.

note that when posting real pics, you do want to be sure to not include any gps location info in the exif data of the images. you dont want to the boogey man to come and bite you.

https://www.howtogeek.com/211427/how-to-see-exactly-where-a-photo-was-taken-and-keep-your-location-private/

edit: even tho you and i have crossed wires on several occasions, i probably dont need to be so abrasive about this.. you see, i am the type that will actually sit down and watch something like twelve hours worth of videos about something like this AND THEN TACKLE THE PROBLEM AGAIN.. i am betting that there is a substance that is much better than wd40 to unfreeze bolts and then YOU ALSO NEED A NEW WRENCH... A GOOD WRENCH... DONT BUY SOME GARBAGE BULLSHIT THAT IS GOING TO BREAK AGAIN.. GET SOMETHING THAT IS VERY HIGH QUALITY..

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=unfreeze+bolts

and if you dont know what a "breaker bar" is, read about it.. it can be a life saver..

best wishes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUGjJMfuBGg

[–]Airbus320[S] 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

Thanks for your advise, I have watched some videos before I started doing this, they all warned that the pinch bolt will be rust welded to the knuckle. If I use a braker bar it will shear off the bolt head and I will be screwd. It takes a good drill to drill out the bolt but I dont have one now. I will go out soon and buy new wrench and some chemicals that freezes steel instantly. Maybe instant frost will shrink the bolt.

I have never seen a bolt seize this bad. My English is limited because I eat camel kebab...

[–]jingles 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

I don't know what your financial situation is, but sometimes you can call an equipment rental to rent certain things like drills, etc.

Either way, I am going to make dua for your stuck bolt problem, and I don't do that very often.

Consider your problem as good as solved.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

So you're better again. Nice to see this happening.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

I have not, but upvoted for visibility.

[–]ID10T 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Try soaking in PB blaster for 24 hours.

[–]Airbus320[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Ok

[–]SoCo 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

I definitely second PB Blaster (or another actual "penetrating oil"). WD40 just doesn't have a real use on cars or most anything. It's just a lame cleaner, not even really an oil.

It's been awhile since I've done one of these, but the trick was always a sledge hammer. Maybe an impact wrench for the bolt if it's still on, but those can usually be cut off easy. Then, as the "pinch" part of the name implies, it gets pressed onto the tapered part. It needs hammered, wedged, and pried off. A good sledge and a crowbar/flat-bar/or big flat-head screw driver help.

If you ever need to cut, drill out, or remove broken bolts, skip the pain, like carbide drills bits and go strait to a "diamond impregnated hole saw". It is a drill bit with a donut shaped tip, with diamond sprinkles, tasty!

[–]Airbus320[S] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Nice idea! I will pry on the pinch or wedge with a ball joint separator and hammer away! Maybe it will losen the bolt up. Didn't think about it. I will give it a spray of pb blaster and let it sit over night now. I was able to change the bushings anyway!

[–]chottohen 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

You used to go out to new, hip joints but now you need a new titanium hip joint.

[–]Airbus320[S] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Thanks guys, you helped me more than youtube today!

[–]johndoyle 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

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