help on allen bolt in diagonal arm

Hi All

I'm still strugling with the bushings of the springplate of my 72 IRS SB. At the moment I'm trying to unbolt the allen bolt that holds the diagonal arm to the body of the car, and all I could achieve is two busted knuckles. Here is a picture of the bolt:

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dirty, uh?

Anybody has any idea on what to do? it is clear to me that arm power is not enough here (at least my arm power), and there is not much space to play.

Unbolting this arm is the only way to release the springplate and change the bushings? Thanks a lot Ant

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Reply to
Ant
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Wow if its as bad as it looks in the picture that would even scare me.

I would try soaking it with PB blaster again and again for about a weeks time.

If the body is still on the chassis I'm not sure if you could use a tourch to heat up the frame horn safely or not. but I think thats going to be your best bet.

I have a 17mm allen wrench (L shaped) that I put a small cheater bar on when remove them you might yry to find one.

if that fails swear alot

sorry I couldn't be more help

Mario

Reply to
Kafertoys

Kafertoys wrote in this friggin' newsgroup:

PB blaster? what's that?

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Reply to
Ant

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Reply to
Shaggie

A super-version of Liquid Wrench. The way to use is important in this case - apply to the area where it can seep in. Let it sit for several minutes. Tap with a hammer. Apply again. Tap. Then do it again hours later. Do this repeatedly for a couple days. The stuff 'creeps' (capillary action) into the threads, loosening up the crud.

Reply to
jjs

...you DO NOT need to remove the trailing arm to adjust your spring plates and/or replace the bushings. I would let that bolt live undisturbed it looks like it would certainely put up a fighjt. What you do need to do is seperate the plates from the trailing arm by removing the three bolts. You will want to carfully mark the arm by scribing a linbe so you can put it back the same and not affect the geometry. The bolt holes are elongated to adjust the rear suspension. You *will* want to support the arm once you unbolt it from the spring plates...so plan a methoid for that. You *do* have a couple longer bolts to start the torsion covers back on....as well as either a torsion adjusting tool or a length of chain to put the spring plates back in place right? Its hell when ya get things apart and discover you don't have what ya need Oh...BTW....REPLACE your rubber brake lines soon....

hth

...Gareth

Reply to
Gary Tateosian

there is no need to remove the diagonal arm pivot to remove the springplate bushings...the springplate bushings are changed by unbolting the springplate

*from* the diagonal arm just forward of the rear wheel....there are three(?) bolts that connect the springplate to the diagonal arm... it is all covered in any good manual...you will need to take the tension off the torsion bar in order to do this job...this *can* be very dangerous if done incorrectly...search this group on google for lowering or raising rear suspension...the dismantling is the same..

------------------- Chris Perdue

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!"

Remove "PANTS" to e-mail

Reply to
Chris Perdue

...just another point. If you *do* decide to remove that bolt for whatever reason....DO NOT USE A TORCH as was suggested by another poster....unless you wish to replace the bushings in the control arm as well. The torch will smoke the rubber bushing and it will definitely be a necessity at that point.

again.. HTH,

..Gareth

Reply to
Gary Tateosian

springplate

..............Thankfully there are enough people around here like you and Gary, Speedy Jim, Jim Adney, John Connolly, etc., etc. to counteract the bad advice that gets posted here occassionally. I was just about to post a warning to not use heat near that torsion tube when Gary beat me to it. Even if Mario was actually running an honest business, his 'expertise' seems a little questionable sometimes.............sheesh!

Reply to
Tim Rogers

Thanks for the replies guys, but I already removed those three bolts that hold the springplate to the diagonal arm. What now? it didn't make any difference! Here is a pic of the current state:

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After removing the three bolts nothing changed, I don't need to support the breakdrum because it doesn't move anywhere, and it's not stuck to the springplate. I cannot move the springplate because it is held there by the diagonal arm. There is some play in the diagonal arm of about 1 inch up and down, but clearly not enough. That's all.

Did I miss something?

Not the lower end of the shock absorber, I did unbolt it too.

Gary Tateosian wrote in this friggin' newsgroup:

Reply to
Ant

...................Find a long pipe or even a 2x4 and use it as a lever to move that axle & diagonal arm either up or down until it's out of your way. Maybe even a floor jack would move it up so long as it doesn't lift the car off the jack stand. The bushing at the front of the diagonal arm might be stiff enough to be making it difficult to move.

Reply to
Tim Rogers

...take the shock free..

..Gareth

Reply to
Gary Tateosian

On Mon, 6 Sep 2004 18:57:39 +0200, Ant wrote: ...ok a quick search on the web came up with this page outlining the procedure... If you still have problems after getting the shock free I'll look around and see if I can find a site with pictures.

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..Gareth

Reply to
Gary Tateosian

If that bolt has never been out... and it looks as though it hasn't, and the looks of the rust and crud.... its going to be tougher to get it out. But like other replies DO NOT use the torch to heat it up. Most likely you will heat it up to a point to where the bushing will catch on fire and it will definitely will have to be replaced with no significant value to release the rusted threads.

Now there are a couple other points to make also -

  1. The bolt is like a big shoulder bolt sort of... meaning it only has threads on about 1/3 of the length and those threads are on the very inside by the frame horn

  1. The head is "peened" which make it very difficult to get out... I know it might be hard to see here
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    I used a big 17mm L shaped allen wrench and mine was hard to get out , but I had the body off and it was easier to get to but I still had to use a hammer and a cheater pipe.

But to echo the other replies... The spring plate is under tremendous tension!!! when you try to remove it - be careful!!! once it comes off the stop it will slam down and I'm sure that it would smash any body part in the way to a pulp. Hate to be dramatic about it, but it can be dangerous.

in this pic of yours...this is a no no: (if the cover is off and the spring plate is still on the stop) IMHO

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Sorry to be long winded. The best way to get the trailing arm out of the way that I have done is to - take the outer cv joint off, remove the shock (at least the lower bolt). remove the 3 bolts that hold the rear hub to the spring plate off. Now it should move out of the way enough (up or down...I dont remember) to get the spring plate off. But definitely put a chain or heavy strap under the jack and over the shock tower and slightly jack the spring plate up( and I did have the cover on, but loose enough to allow it to slip by the stop). I think I used my biggest screw driver or an angled tire iron from the TOP to pry the spring plate away from the shock tower and let it down SLOWLY with the jack.

Hope that makes sense.... but be careful.

**************************************************************** dragenwagen 1966 Type I - Daily Driver
Reply to
dragenwagen

Indeed Tim, I tried to jack the drum up and I end up lifting the car! Ok, at least now I know that it should move up or down without much trouble, so I'll try using some localized brute force. thanks Ant

Tim Rogers wrote in this friggin' newsgroup:

Reply to
Ant

...umm...nope. And thats likely why they rounded...they are 12 point

6mm bolts....you need a 12 point bit to take them out woithout damage. If they are too stripped you can try hammering in a slightly larger 6 point bit with the edge filedd to bite in and replace the bolts before re-assembel...you can also use vise grips if necessary...

...Gareth

Reply to
Gary Tateosian

dragenwagen wrote in this friggin' newsgroup:

I already tried that, but some of the 6 allen bolts that hold the CV joints have been "rounded" inside, if you know what I mean, so I have absolutely no clue on how to get those out. (by the way, those are 6mm allen bolts, right?)

Ok, I'll put the cover asap just in case.

thanks Ant

Reply to
Ant

Bloody torx bolts! thanks Gareth

Gary Tateosian wrote in this friggin' newsgroup:

Reply to
Ant

..nope torx are 6 point...these are 12 point

...Gareth

Reply to
Gary Tateosian

yes 12 point. Make sure to clean all the crud out of the insides of the splines with a scribe... it prevents the bit from seating all the way - thats how they get rounded out. also helps to tap with a hammer to fully seat the tool into the splines.

and if all fails... you can get them out with vise grips. but you might want to replace the bolts on re-assembly

Reply to
dragenwagen

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