dnb

Got the other two cracked, just left with the bottom bolt on the damper left to go. It's being awkward. I have used a hardened socket, and jumped on a breaker bar to try to crack the flipping thing, but it won't budge.

Do I blowtorch the thing? (carefully, so I don't cook the CV joint)

Pavlo

I assume you've used some wd40?

can work wonders.

How long is the breaker bar? I bought a 2foot long one just for the job.

Paul

dnb

Yes, I used WD40. Lots of it... and I'm leaving it to soak overnight.

breaker bar was 16" and I had a scaffold tube (3 foot) on the end as well. I cracked the end off a borrowed 1/2" extension bar

Just don't want to break the thing, as I don't know my own strength sometimes...

Pavlo

I didn't need an extension bar on mine, and I used a short socket. I had a ring spanner on the other end too. I would try and get the breaker on with minimum extentions etc, as you can put more torque on.

Can you get to the nut end? As that often is easier to shift.

I would also try doing the other one back up tight as this can relieve the other (stuck) one.

paul

dnb

I first tried the nut end. I will try to wind up the bolt end tomorrow morning.

As for getting tourque on, I arranged the nut to be on a line with an axle stand, then supported the exension bar & socket on the stand so that I could stand on the breaker bar and not apply a downward load. (Easier to do than to say...)

Thanks for the sugestions.

pban

dnb

I've had this very same trouble. I was just about to give up when she cracked. I used a 16" 1/2" drive knuckle bar with a short extension to get past the brakes. I also used a ring spanner jammed in there to stop it spining.

Not much help I know, but another option (hassel as you have to replace all the other bits) is to take it to a garage with a air ratchet and get them to losen them

Paul

dnb

it's all back together now, with the old bits, as I need to use the car for work tomorrow. Could stop in at a garage with an air wrench. I have a nice impact socket in the boot...

NutterKam

I has same prob and ended up rounding the nut - it's easier at the nut rather than bolt end although pain to get to. Ended up using nut splitter and then a coal chisel (is that what they're called?!). Took pretty much a whole day to get it off! Replaced the bolt as well as the nut. Made sure they were copper greased when re-installed.

dnb

Got it done this morning! Used an opened beer can & some house insulation to form a heat shield over the CV joint, and blowtorched the so-and-so!

I then WD40'd the bolt, so it would shrink a bit faster than the nut, and heaved with a decent impact socket & breakerbar.
It gave up in the end, and I got the job done in a couple of hours. Just need to do the other side now, then get the geometry checked...