rear transverse link removal - need a little help

[Guest brad]

How do you guys go about removing the pivot bolt out of the rear transverse link?

 

I'm replacing the struts in the back, and the repair manual says to "slide pivot bolt out" after removing the two end nuts and the locking draw key bolt. I don't know if mine is just rusty or what, but I beat the pin hard enough with a hammer that I'm wondering if I'll be able to reuse it - it still won't budge.

 

Advice?

 

vcebrad@yahoo.com

[Guest Anonymous]

Chances are you won't be able to reuse it. I havn't done it but every one I've talked to about it says they are a PITA to get out. Rust tends to lock them in there pretty good. You might do a search on the site of 'rear control arms' or something to that effect and see what comes up, its been a topic of discussion quite a few times. In the meantime, you may want to get some on order and get them moving towards your house, because usually it involves a WAY big hammer and sometimes rust desolving chemicals to get them out.

 

Good luck,

 

Lone

[Guest brad]

I searched on rear control arm this time instead of rear transverse link and that made a big difference! Wow, sounds like everybody has had trouble with this.

 

I just looked up the price of a new pin in Vict. Brit. and they're $30 ea. (ouch)

[Guest Thurem]

Yup, pneumatic (air) hammer + 2 pound sledge, about 2 hours each side. Only one minor injury, the walls though, were blushing from the foul language . Threads where severely mushroomed, but I ground them down and rethreaded them.

Make sure you grease them when reassembling.

 

Thure

[Guest Anonymous]

One of them projects where you make up new cuss words eh?

 

 

Lone

[Guest Anonymous]

Heh...we smacked mine yesterday with a 5 pound sledge...moved em, but couldn't figure out what to do next, since the sledge won't fit into the hole and what-not. One method is to heat the area around the pin, so it expands, and try to draw the pin out when it's hot. Supposed to work, the guys on the Z-therapy suspension video did it. Anyways, I just took mine to the machine shop today, they'll do it for me...I hope...

[Guest Anonymous]

Where in tempe, AZ? have you heard of the Desert Z Association? I live in chandler... i dont konw anyone with a Z out here, 480.802.9504

[BLKMGK]

I used anold socket extension to drive mine out. One had one out I used it as a ram for the other side. Yup, had to replace both pins!

 

Hint - before putting the new ones in use a wire bottle brush inside the arms. Remove all the old rust in there, maybe do a little sanding. Get it nice an clean and shiny. Get it so the new pins slide in with little resistance. Then lube the livin' daylights out of the new pin! I used anti sieze and some nice synthetic grease on mine. wen I was done there was NO big deal sliding the pin in an I hope that my next "encounter" with those pins isn't as difficult as a result. Hrm, had to buy the locking pins too and I went ahead and bought to nuts for the ends as well. In for a penny, in for a pound

[Guest Anonymous]

Yes, Havok, I've heard of the Desert Z Association, just haven't had any time to contact them. Folks at work are complaining about the heat, I have to take up the slack. I live at the corner of McClintock & Guadalupe, but I'm warning ya, I'm an 18 year-old know-it-all punk...well not really. As for cleaning up the inside of the pin-holes, I used a sanding drum-type mandrel on the good 'ole dremel, faster than hand sanding, and more fun too!

[Oddmanout84]

Search google or Ebay for a spindle pin tool. If that doesn't work, get a hacksaw/sawzall and cut the mother out from inbetween the joints to separate the transverse link from the strut/brake/wheel bearing assy. The end pieces (threaded ends) will most likely easily be removed from the transverse link with a deft tap from a hammer. The center portion is more fun. Soak the things in PB Blaster for as long as you can, then get a nice big bolt just the right size to use as a drift. Prop up the assy nicely or put it in a vice because it likes to get squirrely while you hammer away at the pins. Hopefully, you'll make at least some progress. Hammer from the other end to help break up the rust, use more blaster on it. After several hours of hammering, cursing, and bashing your own fingers, you're done!

 

Hopefully through my innate powers of time travel this message will reach you in the past... BTW the future sucks.