UCA Bolt Seized

I've been running SPC Light Racing UCAs with OME struts and stock LCAs, braced knuckles and no sway bar. Recently failed inspection due to play in the bushings, so it's time for new bushings.

I tried everything to get the darn UCA bolt out, but no luck. I can't make it turn, wiggle or move. I cut the UCA off, so now there's just a stub of the bolt left, maybe half an inch. I put a solid bar through the grill to the bolt and hit it with a sledge. Nothing. This is after days of pb blaster and heat.

Can I get stock height replacement strut towers?
Any other ideas?

 

did you round off the head of the bolt? I would cranked on that fucker to break it free.

 

I’ve always been able to get a bolt after: a week of PB Blaster soaking, laying on my back, using legs to push a 3 foot breaker bar. If that doesn’t work, there’s got to be something else going on. I’ve never had to take that bolt out, but next I’d look at ways to cut it out somehow.

 

You cut the UCA off..?

You're talking about the wicked long bolt through the back of the shock tower right? Snap a picture of each side and post it

 

that bolt is a pain in the ass. on my old truck, i had to use vice grips on the sheet metal to bend it enough to replace the UCAs. also had to remove battery on drivers side to take that one out

 

600ft lbs is lost quickly to extensions.

This bolt is a bastard, and it gets stuck in the strut tower sometimes.

I just soak it, and use a solid large punch with a hammer to get it out. Working it back and forth with tons of fluid soaking.

 

PICS

 

Thats what Im saying. I want to see this

 

Brought in a pro, he couldn't get it either.

 

I'm ready to weld in a new strut tower if that's a thing.

 

Is your bolt bent or seized? Mine bent because I ran into a concrete wall and I had hell getting it out. If it's seized that torch and some hammering should do it.

 

I assume at this point that it must be bent. We had the whole tube glowing with no results, and weeks of pb blaster before that

 

You can move the brake line out the way, and hammer from the cabin side. I put the nut on the thread and used that as a surface to bang on. Best of luck

 

I've seen them bent, it's awful. Just gotta cut and hammer till you're out of swear words.

 

Holy rustbucket, Batman! How does that not qualify for a free frame?

 

A "pro" with no eye protection? Yikes!

 

How long were you running those UCA's for before this happened? Seems like if you replaced it once that bolt should've come right out.

This is also probably beyond my skill set, but if that happened to me (and I would've lost patience long before you have) I might have tried something like cutting the bolt on the inside as well. Then slide some tubing/socket/whatever is strong enough over the inside, and something on the outside then press it through.
Then if that doesnt work...And if you're considering replacing the whole strut tower, can you ....very accurately.... cut the bolt flush on both sides then drill it out?
If it doesn't work out, you planned on replacing the strut tower anyway, right? lol

 

You live in an area that gets a lot of salt? Lots of rust. Which is very likely what's happened to you bolt.

Find a junker, do some defabrication, measure, mock, weld. Grease new bolt for protection.