I've been bashing, sawing, hammering, chiseling and otherwise killing myself trying to get this bolt loose. I've spent 10 hours easy on this so far. I just have to vent here as I'm dying - at 45 years old, this kind of work is brutal. Anyway, enjoy the pictures :hick:
Bash, bash, bash
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/Domeskull/DSCF1181.jpg)
Air hammer & chisel and I still can't even get the tube to open even a little. Lots of rust eater and PB Blaster taste good too when they drip down on you :(
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/Domeskull/DSCF1180.jpg)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/Domeskull/DSCF1182.jpg)
I would have unleashed the blue flamed wrench about 2 hours into the job. That S.O.B would be dead.
If the bolt will spin fairly freely you could put an air impact on it and spin it while holding a hacksaw blade against it. That might do the trick.
Would this (http://"http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00918286000P?filter=Automotive+Air+Tool+Type%7CCutting+tools&vName=Tools&cName=Compressors+%26+Air+Tools&sName=Automotive+Air+Tools") not work?
I am avoiding the flame-thrower so far as even sawing through the rubber with the sawz-all made a horrible stench - sucks when you're trapped in a pit with the smoke like I would be. The bolt is still somewhat difficult to turn, plus the other end of the bolt wants to oval out the hole as the threads dig in as it spins. I am considering possibly taking the die-grinder to it - so long as I can cut the old arm without cutting the mounting area :D
IF, and it's a big if, I could get to the bolt itself, I could cut it. The sleve is chromoly (or something similarly hard) and dulls as if it were butter the same sawz-all blades I used to cut my heavy duty wheel studs. I hit the sleeve with the air-chisel and it mushed the tip like it was butter. That is some seriously hard metal.
use a cut-off wheel to cut the bolt or nut off. then go to the hardware store for a grade 8 bolt and nut close to the original size.
I'm not sure I have enough life-force left for this. I can barely walk (sprained my knee last week fighting with this) and the tendonitis in my elbows is so bad I can barely hold the tools up. Getting the right diameter wheel up in there is proving to be quite a challenge. Even with welding gloves and goggles, I'm still getting burnt to by the flaming embers. This is the worst situation I've even been in working on cars for the past 29 years.
all you'll need to do is weaken the nut enough so it will break when you apply torque to it. i had to do the same thing on some rear control arms with a cross-threaded nut. i also had to do the same thing with nut on top of the strut at the camber plates.
I was able to grind the head of the bolt off, now I'm gonna sawz-all the bolt as I can get at it on the other end - assuming I can ever find another blade :( It's hard when your arms are all burnt up and you can't walk (I can hobble though - lol).
Looks like you have a whole can of PB Blaster on there! I'm sticking to the torch idea. I do not play nice with bolts!!
Can you move the control arm all the way down so that you can chop the other side of that arm? Then you could have the control arm out of your way. Dig all the rubber off and grind the sleeve off.
you're preaching to the choir! i installed my 4r70w by myself 2 days ago, and i had to pull the 5-speed out of my '99 1/2 ton dodge(DD) by myself. and just now, i finally chesiled out the pilot bearing. im taking a ****ing break!
I agree. Take a cut-off wheel and cut the LCA off to give yourself more space.
The brute force method would involve grinding it to bits. I'd wear a HEPA filtered mask for that.
Slightly less brute force is taking a carbide cutting bit to slice through the assembly.
If you can get good access to the sleeve, I'd give it another go with the sawzall. You need the correct blade! I'm not sure if a std. metal cutting blade or a tungsten carbide blade would be better. I'd lean towards the carbide. What kind of blade was used originally?
I try to out-tool the problem instead of out-muscle it. I'm too weak to do otherwise!
Use a blade for black pipe: http://www.midwayrentalsandsales.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29_157&products_id=2079&zenid=b83ab5199fd7f03ec3bcab46b33fb0cd
Be careful with it though. The black pipe blades will break rather than bend like a bi-metal blade.
OK, I ground off the head with my angle grinder and sawz-alled the bolt on the opposite side as I was able to separate it from the mount just a bit after slamming it with that sledge so many times. Old and new are on the ground. I am taking pictures so I will post those on the other post later. Thanks for all the suggestions people!!! Days like today is when I need some moral support - even if it is just the internet folks!!
:D
Time to go snag some new hardware. How come CHE & Chuck provide hardware, but Ford doesn't?? Oh, well - for $150 I shouldn't complain - they are $300+ today!!
The bottom of the spring is pretty crusty. I am gonna wire wheel it, but is cutting off some OK? What are the rules? 1/2 increments or??? (never cut a spring before)
If you cut your spring do it in 1/2 coil increments. Re-assemble and see if you need do cut more. It's a PITA but safe. Some springs start out taller than others.
I lopped a full coil off of some TC front springs once and it dropped the front a little too low. However, with my sport springs I did it 1/2 coil at a time and ended up at a full coil anyway and it still wasn't as low as the TC springs.
I think on the rear springs you have more leeway though. Here's a pic of a rear ST spring next to a TC spring.
(http://i13.tinypic.com/4pwb4sg.jpg)
How would you cut the rear spring while allowing it to sit flat in the perch (like stock)?
Good question. Anyway, I didn't cut the spring. I did rent a spring compressor. The one side is together after 20 hours of labor :(
Now the spring compressor will NOT come out of the spring. That ed wedge thing is in there for good :shakehead
This is the worst project I've ever had to do :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead
on the front springs? is it the tool with the 2 small hooks and big fork looking thing?
Exactly. My thought is to remove the strut bolts and lower the control arm until I can get the fork thing out. Unless I am basically effed - what do you know about this tool?
Well, it looks like I may have a shot using this compressor with the idea I had last night. It had cleared up from the overnight rain so I was getting out working. I was just compressing the spring when it started POURING rain. Things that make you go GRRRRR!!! :(
I don't suppose anyone knows where I can get a set of springs on a Saturday? Yep, the opposite side is missing one full turn :(
At least it will be easy to get back in!!
:D
Woohoo! It's done!
First side - 20 hours.
Second side - 4 1/2 hours - including spring cutting, rack re-mounting & A-arm bolt tightening and a backyard alignment!!
I couldn't even drive the car it was so bad - 2" tow in!!! I got it down to about 1/8 - 1/4" using a good sturdy tape measure - heh!
The car is lopsided with one spring missing one coil - I will post pics in another post for others to vote on ;) Should be interesting. Whew! What a job - it was so nice to be able to drive it now. The only thing not new or modified in the front end are the nuts for the wheel bearings, the struts and the steering shaft - lol.
Shoulda just cut the other coil the same amount the first one was broken.
Would have given the car a slight drop in the front end but hey, that's what i'm doing to mine when i convert to sn95.
Heh, well it was buttoned up nicely when I discovered the other side was broken & I am too tired to cut the other one today - so I'm gonna do a poll to see if people like the lowered look or the original look (I could get new springs). I already know the answer after taking pictures, but it should be interesting nonetheless!!
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/Domeskull/DSCF1192.jpg)
More pictures of the install details for those who like pics.
Spring tucked just before raising the arm after compressing it with Autozone rental. This spring compressor can be used for a Ford, but you must jack the arm up and support it with a jackstand and remove the bolt through the hole in the a-arm (an air-wrench helps tremendously here). Then you must lower the a-arm enough to be able to get the wedge and thickness of the claw-hook block through the coils. It can be done - I'm living proof of it :D This was on the full uncut spring which we all know is quite long:
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/Domeskull/DSCF1185.jpg)
On jackstand waiting for me to remove the spring compressor bolt (you can see the head near inside the bottom coil there:
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/Domeskull/DSCF1186.jpg)
Back on the jack being lowered until the claw can be removed (you can see the claw at the bottom inside the spring):
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/Domeskull/DSCF1188.jpg)
TADA!
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/Domeskull/DSCF1190.jpg)
My GF is massaging me as I type this - man am I sore!!
looks good!!
The 11" brake upgrade is amazing. I did my 88 and was dumbfounded by the increase in braking power.
Do you not run a front sway bar??
Not sure why you did it this way? I did my front end on my 88 a bit different. I didn’t use a spring compressor.
Instead attached the spindle and strut first with the strut disconnected at the top, (was changing to Mustang KYB gas struts)
then inserted the spring by hand (there was no pressure at this point) and
proceeded to jack the lower control arm up with a scissor jack guiding the top of the strut into place as I raised it.
It required very little spring pressure (was just barely loading) to get the upper end of the strut into place and attach the bolt.
Now with it all locked down (read safe)
Let the weight of the car down (this pushed the strut the rest of the way in and compressed the spring) bolted it all down tight.
I did it with stock T-bird springs and Mustang Struts. Was real easy.
Look at your second picture..
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/Domeskull/DSCF1186.jpg)
at that point of your process assume the strut is attached to the spindle and not the shock tower, assume the jack stand is a jack, shove it right in. simple!
Edit:
Sorry this info is to late for you, yours is done. But if anybody else does it...
Trust me - I read hundreds of posts on doing this with such a long spring. I read all about the MFE method on the corral and researched it here as well. Even with the a-arm hanging straight down the spring would not go into it. I tried jacking the arm up the way you describe with the strut mounted but it was a nightmare amount of spring pressure before the arms went into their slots, then I could not budge them to align them to save my life. I don't see how what you are doing would work with such long springs - please explain... did you guide the a-arm mounts into their mounting slots after bolting the strut up??? I tried every technique and decided this was the least likely to have the arm driven through my chest. Installing and removing the spring compressor with an air-wrench was relatively easy - easier than pry-barring the a-arm mounts in without the risk of the jack sliding out at me. The rental is free so there is no cost.
I was dumbfounded too - it feels like I can easily lock the front rotors now - something that was just a wet dream when the 10" rotors were hot. These are drive your passengers head through the windshield brakes now!
I removed the sway bar for drag racing and haven't wanted to put it back on since.
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What year is your car? Mine is an 88 5.0 and the stock springs, stock A-arm, the spring fit just like this uncompressed. I may have had to shove a bit but it was just by hand.[/COLOR]
This is what I’m thinking is the difference; Arms were already mounted. The only diff was my strut was sitting on the floor beside me, yours is shown hanging here. Mounted the A-Arm with the spring sitting behind me on the floor.. zero amount of pressure while aligning.
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1) A-arm already attached to the cross member
2) Strut attached to the Spindle
3) Spindle attached to the A-arm (now the spindle and strut pivioting on the ball joint)
4) Spring shoved by hand into the upper perch then back edge of the lower perch
5) Push the top of the strut up into the tower (Strut pin wouldn’t reach the bolt hole in the tower…yet)
6) Scissor jack (stock one from out of the trunk) under the tip of the A-arm until the pin on the top of the strut went through the hole in the tower (had to guide it through as I jacked)
7) Attached the bolt to the top of the strut (made sure the whole bolt was on.. not just a thread or two)
8) Put a jack stand under the tip of the A-arm and lowered the weight of the car down to compress the spring the remainder of the way and tightened the top strut bolt down the rest of the way
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My chest was nowhere near the already mounted A-arm.The last bolt I attached was the top strut bolt (yours is already attached, looks as if you never took it off)The only real pressure build up was lowering the car down on the jack stand to fully compress the spring and get the top bolt of the strut tightened down the rest of the way. Since my Mustang struts are shorter than your t-bird struts I would think yours would have been even easier. And yes… the thing stops on a dime… I have the disk all the way around,, Lincoln vented on the rear. I love to get into them the last 2 feet of a stop at a light at about 2-3 mph…its Instant stop, I think the new wife is going to slap the out of me if I don’t stop “showing her my new brakes!”
OK, I see. The real difference is the spring on the opposite side with one coil cut off would just barely tuck into the pocket and I didn't need the spring compressor. On the original length side, there was no chance at all of getting the spring in without removing the a-arm bolts or compressing the spring quite a bit. Maybe the XR7 package that the 20th has makes for a longer spring?
beter you than me. i would have trusted nothing more than a trusted floor jack and at least some kind of restraint on that spring. as a just in case. most people dont relize that SOB can seriously hurt or kill you. that is a big spring and will come out at you so fast you wont see it