seized bolts...

cadieux_j

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Ok so went to install my new suspension set up, and like the title states, my bolts are all seized up...I went to go take the bolts off the front, and they wont budge, so I dont even want to know what the rear will be like...I went to a performance shop today to see if I could let them do it, and get this, they want to charge me $250 for the labour on the suspension, and they tell me I WILL need new lower control arms, so $220 for that plus labour for the LCA's and bolts...so my cheap porject is looking like its going to be a huge expense...I tried soaking the bolts with WD-40 overnight but they still wont budge...what should I do?? suck it up and pay the $500 +???
 

ShinsenTuner

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Oh boy, the story with suspension swaps are always the same. I say right now, you put the suspension install on hault and save up for new LCA's (which isn't that much money, you can get some for like 100 bucks now) and go buy OEM bolts from HONDA. Look up a Hanes manual or something online and find out the part number for them. Afterwards, when you have all of your things, invest in a breaker bar. The front bolts are a little hard at first but they will eventually break loose. The rears on the other hand, if they ARE seized you will have to cut them, and either replace the whole LCA or replace just the bushings. Good luck and god speed. Btw, invest in PB Blaster, and some beer.
 


JDM melbatoast

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cut the bolts and drill em out the time you spend stripping the bolts your self you could have spent with a cut off wheel and a nice drill bit. good luck
 

Raabe

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does it look a little something like this? lol

New LCAs are on the way, and im driving with it broken. the other 3 corners are done..it kinda worries me


i just junkyard bolts off the same car, saved money
 


greenlx777

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the reason your bolts dont budge is because there seased to the bushing, what you can try is to get a torch and heat up the area around the bolt to see if it will loosen up, but you will need an impact wrench to remove them, if that doesnt work, then your definelty going to either replace the lca completely or replace only the bushings, either way your looking to spend some money
on all 3 cars ive owned this happened to all of them and for my current ride i replaced the lca with skunk2 lca with treated bushings so that it will never seize again, i suggest you purchase some quality lca's otherwise your going to run into the same problem again
 

JDM melbatoast

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does it look a little something like this? lol

New LCAs are on the way, and im driving with it broken. the other 3 corners are done..it kinda worries me


i just junkyard bolts off the same car, saved money
that is really safe you crazy bastard

lololol
 

cadieux_j

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I didnt even get a chance to look at the rear....I couldnt get the front bolts off so I just gave up and put the tires back on...If Im going to buy the LCA's Im going to let the shop do it since Im so frustrated right now I wish I didnt order my new suspension in the first place
 

JohnS.

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Seized LCA bolts are common on Hondars. I broke the shock / LCA and trailing arm / LCA one on my passenger side when I went to install my suspension after dousing it with almost a whole can of PB Blaster (Yeah..1 can just for 3 bolts). I didn't even bother trying with the driver side. I just put the breaker bar on, jumped on it and broke them without thinking twice. Luckily my buddy has an oxyacetylene torch and we went to town on them.

Just get a friend that has a torch and break that s**t. You're not gonna work them out. If you do, it'll be faster if you just broke them, busted them out, and installed your stuff.
 

cadieux_j

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so you guys think I can get all that crap out myself and put new LCA's in? I have a torch, and a big garage I can use...BUT its my work garage, meaning It'll have to be done over the weekend, and Im worried that I wont be able to get it done properly. Im going to replace the LAC's no matter what, but I still cant get the front to budge...oh ya and when I order the new LCA's will I need any extra bolts, or extra tool to install them?
 

greenlx777

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so you guys think I can get all that crap out myself and put new LCA's in? I have a torch, and a big garage I can use...BUT its my work garage, meaning It'll have to be done over the weekend, and Im worried that I wont be able to get it done properly. Im going to replace the LAC's no matter what, but I still cant get the front to budge...oh ya and when I order the new LCA's will I need any extra bolts, or extra tool to install them?
your going to need new bolts if they break, unless you have spares, and theyre not cheap at the dealer either, (im takin canadian dealer) cost me around $20 for 2 bolts, but al least the new ones they give you are treated, and dont cheap out on the lca's either go for the sk2's or something better, dont buy obx or noname brands
use a breaker bar to remove the fronts, if the bolts gonna go it will, but the fronts should come off without breaking ur only looking at breaking the rears
and the only thing you need to install the new lca's is a lot of grease and a rubber hammer
 

Jimmy2times

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your going to need new bolts if they break, unless you have spares, and theyre not cheap at the dealer either, (im takin canadian dealer) cost me around $20 for 2 bolts, but al least the new ones they give you are treated, and dont cheap out on the lca's either go for the sk2's or something better, dont buy obx or noname brands
use a breaker bar to remove the fronts, if the bolts gonna go it will, but the fronts should come off without breaking ur only looking at breaking the rears
and the only thing you need to install the new lca's is a lot of grease and a rubber hammer
new rear lca bolts are 6.40 ea. or something like that in pa.

i've solved this problem two ways.

a) sitting under a car in the burning sun torching out the bushings and causing a huge headache. Still had to get new bolts and lca bushings (but replaced them with stock rubber ones from acura).

or

b) paying a local shop 80 to get rid of the bolts, 125 for new S2 LCA's, and 30-some for new bolts.


u decide what works better for u.
 

Raabe

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Junkyard bolts ftw, and 3-1 Oil before installation..

i plan on just oiling my bushings every six months or so
 

Astheros

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omg....you guys are making this poor kids problem an expensive one. first off....wd40 is a lubricant not a penetrator so it wont do jack s**t for ure problem.

what u need is liquid wrench...works way better than pb blaster. soak all the bolts to be removed (make sure u spray all round. both sides of the bolt..the bushing area etc. in between the bolt if you can see) with it for about 3-4 hrs...be generous....its just a couple bucks a can. go to home depot and buy a hollow bar/tube/piping that will snuggly fit around your big socket wrench. the extra length will allow u to exert more pressure on the bolt with less strengh from your body.

slowly turn the bolt with the pipe on the wrench and ull be golden. this has worked for me everytime and so i expect it to work you as well. i would suggest a pair of gloves to protect your knuckles. ive changed suspension on 3 civic and always used this method after the first experience went something like yours is now. gluck.

u can use wd40 at the end to slightly lubricate the parts since the penetrator liquids will remove a lot of the lubrication and u dont want to be squeaking all over the place.
 

EK|B

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This is one of the worst problems for suspension, if the bolts are seized onto the busing, you either have to get new LCAs or new bushings pressed into your existing ones.
 

greenlx777

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This is one of the worst problems for suspension, if the bolts are seized onto the busing, you either have to get new LCAs or new bushings pressed into your existing ones.
and since hes from canada, that is most likely the case
 

Ian123

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Seized LCA bolts are common on Hondars. I broke the shock / LCA and trailing arm / LCA one on my passenger side when I went to install my suspension after dousing it with almost a whole can of PB Blaster (Yeah..1 can just for 3 bolts). I didn't even bother trying with the driver side. I just put the breaker bar on, jumped on it and broke them without thinking twice. Luckily my buddy has an oxyacetylene torch and we went to town on them.

Just get a friend that has a torch and break that s**t. You're not gonna work them out. If you do, it'll be faster if you just broke them, busted them out, and installed your stuff.
lol @ Hondars
 


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