Installing 5100's without a Spring Compressor Video

I just tried this over the weekend and everything went smooth... until I was unable to loosen the cam bolt I was using a long handled breaker bar and utilizing the jack handle to extend (for more leverage) and the thing would NOT BUDGE First time experiencing something like this and knew something wasn't quite right. I was unable to complete the task and will attempt again. I just bought PB Blaster and WD-40 (not the regular one, but one that is formulated for penetrating seized bolts) today from Autozone. I was also reading to use heat on the nut side and then spray the bolt so the penetrating oil will "seep" in better and tapping/hammering as well. Finally, I also tried the spring compressor route as well and just WAYYY TOO SKETCHY FOR ME!!! I plan on spending a complete day just to simply loosen the nut and/or nuts for these cam bolts. Until I am able to loosen them (i.e. ALL four) I am not going to go further.

One question I do have, should I take out the complete LCA and replace the CAM bolt w/ sleeve/bushings so that they are properly lubed???

Other than that, this method worked VERY WELL and I felt WAYYY safer doing it this way. I will eventually take pics of the final install when done.

Thank you for reading and have fun 4whln

 

Ok. The cam bolts are strangely engineered. You loosen the outside points. That is, on the passenger side loosen the front most bolt, and the rear most nut. If you are already doing this then most likely your bushings are seized. You better start reading up on LCA bushing replacement.

Not sure about your question. You will need the cam bolts to maintain and adjust your camber and caster alignment. The holes are oblong to allow shifting. You can replace them with new cam bolts, and there is one that is hollow that allows grease to be pumped into it. You may not want that if you do any rock climbing. Plenty of good info on both subjects here.

 

Sorry for being an idiot for asking this question, so on the driver side, which is the side I started on first (i.e. never touched the passenger side), I would loosen the cam bolt on the front and then loosen the "nut" on the rear cam bolt. Or I look at it like this as well, loosen the "points" that are facing towards the front of the truck, but starting with the front first? Am I correct?

Finally, my question in my last post, if they do happen to come loose, should I still go the whole route in taking out the complete LCA and just replace ALL hardware/fittings? Or just simply lube the bolts (i.e. I know not the threads, but instead the "sleeve" part of it, the unthreaded part) with some sort of anti-seize when putting back together?

Finally, finally, if I'm "hijacking" this thread, I do NOT mean to and apologize for this. These are really my only question(s) at this point as the rest is pretty darn straight forward.

Thank you all and happy 4whln

 

so I'm working on doing this, and I'm having some issues.

I loosened both cam bolts on the LCA, and still the LCA wont drop far enough to get the top part completely out of the top hat. it comes most of the way, but not quite all the way.

so I figured maybe that would be ok as I heard some people were able to do it without loosening the cam bolts, so I lowered the control arm and started taking off the bolt that holds the lower shock mount in, and the bushing is spinning with the bolt. so I got the nut off the other side, but I don't know what to do about the bolt that is seized to the bushing, any suggestions??

 

Just trying to help here, so the bottom part of your strut has the bolt seized to the bushing??? Have you tried any sort of penetrating oils or maybe applied a little bit of heat and then pounding out the bolt? I would put the nut back on just enough so you can tap on the end of the bolt without mashing the bolts threads at the end of it. I wouldn't hit it too hard, but just enough to "jar it"... MAY BE??? I know a little more than your basic mechanics and the average person, but ONLY when the parts cooperate. I too am new to seized bolts. Up until now, things have always worked like it should as far as taking things apart. I guess now the fun really begins, huh. Hope my suggestion helps... if I understood you right. Good luck man...

happy 4whln

 

yeah thats correct, I have a punch Im going to try to hammer it out with tommorrow, theres no way to get a hammer to the open side of the bolt. I also soaked it with penetrating oil overnight. so I guess we'll see tomorrow.

Also you're very lucky, ever since I got this truck it seems like every bolt I have has some sort of issue. oh well, its been a learning experience.

 

Yes, you are correct. You loosen both the front most bolt and the rear most "nut" on both sides.
If you can then pivot the LCA enough to remove the strut, use your own judgement on the LCA hardware. It will never be easier than at that moment to pull the LCA.
Trouble is, in most places these aren't bolts you just run down to your local auto parts store to get easily. Be prepared to either have the truck offline a while or source the parts first.

Oh shit guys. I've been in the 1st Gen forum and didn't realize it.
ALL OF MY ADVICE IS 2nd Gen. Your experiences may vary!

 

Dragon, "Oh shit guys. I've been in the 1st Gen forum and didn't realize it.
ALL OF MY ADVICE IS 2nd Gen. Your experiences may vary" doesn't matter much to me as much as the advice in itself. Man, I'm no stranger to auto mechanics and know more than your average person just changing your own oil, but this is the reason why I came here to learn more about my truck, do's and don'ts, and just plain out learn more about auto mechanics. Reading your guys posts, I can't quite say I've learned, but at least for now, I'm exposed to it. Anyways, thank you Dragons for your input and I will just use my best judgement call about changing out the parts. I kinda figured I wouldn't be able to just go down to the local auto store and get these. I can tell you that some people I've talked to... well, let me just say that I tell them something and they just won't listen to me. Again, no stranger to mechanics and/or electronics as well. So a little more about me I guess. Well, I think I'm hijacking this thread and didn't mean to... so I'll just end it here.

Thank you guys for being patient and letting me ask questions!!! I hope to expand my knowledge and pass it along some day.

Happy 4whln

 

So why wouldn't my LCA drop all the way down even when I have both cam bolts loosened up? Do I have to take them out? Is the sway bar stopping it?

 

You might be right. My sway bar has a "linkage" bolt connected to it. I would take a pic, but am "at work". Anyways, on mine it is connected to the "lower ball joint assembly", if I remember correctly, and then that is connected to the steering knuckle. Follow your sway bar to the linkage and it is more than likely "tied" to the LCA. Hope this helps?

happy 4whln

 

Have you dropped the lower ball joint & taken loose the sway barlinks ?

 

& don't know if you had planned on doing the LCA bushings from you're description but if they're siezed , not fun for removal...

 

Dropped the Lower ball joint, but I thought I remembered someone saying not to disconnect the swaybar. But I will do that when I get home, how is it connected? I tried turning the nut on the top that sandwiches the sway bar to the bushings, but it just seemed to keep turning and caused the bottom joint (on the LCA) to twist and it didn't look so good for it

 

The sway bar link is connected to the LCA, look on the threaded end of link ,see if theres a flat spot to put vice grips/wrench on, also look to see if an Allen wrench will work

 

Just below there should be a "hex" end on the bolt shaft itself on the linkage bolt. Mine was a 7/16" or something like that? Anyways, you will need two wrenches: 1) to hold the "bottom" part of the linkage 2) two unscrew the top nut (i.e. the one that has rubber bushings connected to the sway bar... if it is anything like mine). I have a 1998 and don't believe it is all that different from yours. Hope this helps?

 

Yep, 1st gens are the same IIRC If he does this no reason he can't leverage/push the LCA down unless its absolutely frozen in place ,which I doubt, don't know if he planned on doing LCA bushings but if so & the CAM adjusters are froze , you can pretty much plan on getting some new ones, we tried soaking/drift pin/heat/ finally ended up drilling the fucker out & collapsing 1 side, major bitch...

 

I appreciate the help with the swaybar link, I was able to get it off with the help of an Allen wrench. But now I'm trying to get the bottom shock mount out, but the bolt is turning with the bushing and it won't come out? Anything I can do besides cut? There's almost no room to cut there

Edit: so I applied copious amounts of heat to the bolt, and eventually the bolt began to move free of the bushing, but now I can't get the bolt out. It spins pretty easy, but no matter how much I hammer it it won't budge.

 

Is there any way you can put a "punch" through the hole? Heat and then pound. Heat and then pound. I can't see it, of course, so I can only picture what you have in my head... comparing it to what I have, which, again, I think is very similar to mine... just like 4WD is suggesting. I hope I'm helping a little bit.

Thank you 4WD... I LOVE your posts TO THE POINT!!!

happy 4whln

 

Yeah, that's what I've been trying, and it's just not moving, I've really messed up the end if the bolt hammering on it with the punch and still nothing:/ I would think since it's spinning freely it would push through, but no such luck.

Thank you though!

 

Here's a thought, how far out is the bolt punched "out"? Since the threads are getting jacked-up, then may be do the following:

1) Pound the bolt all the way back through.
2) Cut off the very tip of the bolt... somehow... with a cutting wheel.
3) Then pound the bolt back out.

Maybe, for some reason, the tip is preventing from going all the way through? I think I'm making an obvious statement here, I realize that, but this is odd??? I don't know what to say from here? Can you take a picture of it and post? Maybe someone can chime in and seeing the picture just might help???