Wishbone Pivot Bolts

[farley381]

Anyone got any top tips for getting them undone? Already thought of trying to get loads of freeing-fluid towards the back of the bush (next to the chassis).
Read a few horror stories of the captive nut coming off in the chassis.
The car has fought me every step of the way so far (seized rear shock bottom bolts, sheared front camber bolt) - so I'm expecting the worst !

Can see me having to cut off the nuts from the (outer) roll bar brackets too, looking really coroded.

Cheers,

Andy

[mark1gls]

Have you tried to undo them yet?

Mine came out easily enough on my Mk1 after being on the car for 30 odd years.
When you undo them turn them to undo a little then tighten them back up, loosen them a bit more then do it back up a bit etc. etc etc.

I also put some copper grease on the bolt where it sits inside the bush when I did mine back up just don't put the grease on the thread at the end.

Good luck.

[farley381]

With the nights drawing in, I am more of less restricted to week-end pottering now; so no, not tried yet.
I started building up the new wishbones last night with my son though, pressing in the new bushes.
Thinking I will Smoothrite them & inject them with waxoyl before attempting to fit.

Opening yourself up to a whole topic there with your 'don't grease the threads' comment !
Personally I copperslip everything, in the hope it will all come apart easier if I ever have to do it again in the future.
If you Google it, there's a whole shed load of stuff detailing the pro's & con's of thread greasing.

Thanks for the tips anyway. I'll let you know how I get on.

Andy

[farley381]

As an afterthought; one of my friends swears by coating the threads with Waxoyl, in the hope that it will keep out the water & hence stop it siezing.

[wasted]

Don't use grease (or waxoyl or anything similar) on the threads - it's a bad idea for two reasons:

1. Difficult to achieve the correct torque on the bolts if the threads are greased, on a critical suspension component
2. Could result in the bolts loosening off over time, which could be very dangerous indeed!

Grease the shafts of the bolts by all means, but the threads do need to stay dry and clean. It's not needed anyway, since the threads shouldn't be exposed.

[Nate]

When you undo them turn them to undo a little then tighten them back up, loosen them a bit more then do it back up a bit etc. etc etc.

as aove, but start with nipping them slightly tighter. or take it to your local truck workshop and get them to blast them of with the inch drive windy gun. we need a cowboy smiley

[farley381]

Getting closer; new wishbones have new ball joints fitted, front bush pressed in & all painted up in black smoothrite.
Next job is to (temporarily) tape up the holes & swill some Waxoyl round in them.

Ball joint pinch bolt? Again, any top tips?

Lastly (stirring things up again) I will be fitting an OMP lower strut brace.
The Haynes manual states that the pivot bolts should be tightened up with the car off the ground.
However, I've seen quite a few of you recommending that they are tightened with the car on the ground.

Why's that then? Is it so that the car settles & the brace is sitting correctly?

Cheers chaps.

[Nate]

good practice, and not that difficult either