Thread: Radius arm removal. Help!

Originally Posted by Dougal

Remove the axle with the radius arms attached, they are no problem to remove once unloaded and off the vehicle.

The diff assembly is removed from the car and sat on a pallet. And believe me they are a problem to remove. No ammount of swearing at it has helped. Might have to try the G clamp or melting options next.

I see. Are they rusted in?

Originally Posted by Dougal

I see. Are they rusted in?

There doesnt seem to be excessive rust, the bolt will spin but is hard to turn (had to use the breaker bar on the shifter). Somewhere in the car's past it had poly bushes on some of the suspension, including these.

Originally Posted by Jitterbug

There doesnt seem to be excessive rust, the bolt will spin but is hard to turn (had to use the breaker bar on the shifter). Somewhere in the car's past it had poly bushes on some of the suspension, including these.

Ah, yes, bolt rusted into the steel bush inside the poly bush. I have met this before, the steel bushes in poly seem to be more prone to this than standard bushes. I suppose their machining tolerances aren't as good, or the plating they use is crap. Heat-n-beat may be the only way.

Now I am not sure of the exacy geometry of the bushes and arms, but can you cut the bolts & sleeves inside the diff brackets? Angle grinder or hacksaw?

Possibly get a sabre saw down between the arm and brackets to saw through the edge of the bushing and the bolts. You'll have to do this on both sides.

Originally Posted by Dougal

Possibly get a sabre saw down between the arm and brackets to saw through the edge of the bushing and the bolts. You'll have to do this on both sides.

I will have one more go with the brute force method then go this route I think! Thanks for all the suggestions!

how do you go? ive gotta replace these bushes on both control arms over the next week or so for a roadworthy

Originally Posted by Vanderz

how do you go? ive gotta replace these bushes on both control arms over the next week or so for a roadworthy

A combination of lots of wd40 and the biggest hammer i had got one side out but not the other.

Ended up taking the grinder to it, there was enough room between the arm and the bracket to get the cutting disc in without doing anything more than pollishing sides. Now i need to track down a new bolt and get the old bushes pressed out and new ones put in!