Lower Control Arm Bolt replacement

[Saigais]

I am giving the front suspension of my 64 convertible a complete makeover. The suspension has some rust issues, so the lower control arm is not coming off easily. It seems the bushings have become rusted and conjoined with the bolt. After a can and a half of WD40, and not much progress, if I end up having to cut the bolt, does anyone know where I can find a replacement? I searched this forum for links, but couldn't find one. I checked the websites of Lincolnlandinc.com and Classiquecars.com but couldn't find that particular part. I have not yet tried calling either of the two. I was able to locate the reference number of the part (374543-S) in a diagram on Lincoln Land's site. Thought I might reach out here first and see if anyone has that bolt available, or has any advice on how to get that lower control arm off without cutting the bolt.

Thanks in advance for the advice and feedback, it's greatly appreciated!

lower control arm bolt

[action]

Just a suggestion - Assuming the bolt is a standard arrangement - Hex head, threaded on the end

Get a grade 8 bolt in the length and diameter that is the same as the one you are replacing.

Also instead of cutting the bolt (which may be an issue if it is hardened) burn out the rubber bushing. It will stink for some time but that may help.

If not the type of saw to cut that bolt may be gas operated.

Action

[Solid]

This is a pretty common problem. You’re not likely to find a random bolt that is the same since it is very long and very thick and has a large unthreaded section since it is the lower control arm pivot. I had the exact same problem years ago. I think I ended up getting a pair of good used ones from Baker’s but it might’ve been Lincolnland. They basically told me that they were getting a bit hard to supply since people were doing what you described (and what I had to do too) - sawing them off and then getting replacements from a donor. If they are truly unobtainable now, a machine shop can make new ones with a lathe.

If I were to try it again I might take a whack at using my Venom Mini-ductor to heat the bolt adjacent to the bushing, but I tried a ton of penetrant and lots of time with a blacksmith’s hammer and managed to shift the original bolt maybe 1/3 of the way or so, then just could not get any further on either side. I literally spent over an hour on the passenger side hammering it with a 3lb blacksmith’s hammer without it moving even a bit before I gave up.

Sawing it off is a pain in the ass. You can’t easily get a full thickness cut with a rotary tool, but because it is a hardened bolt, it eats metal reciprocating saw blades. I ended up cutting as deep as I could with my 5” angle grinder, turning the bolt to the extent I could to make more cuts, and then sacrificing a good number of metal cutting blades in my sawzall on the altar of freedom... and don’t forget that you need to cut twice on each side of the control arm. I had to spend more hammer time to create clearance for this by trying to shift the bolt back.

I used a lot of heavy molybdenum grease during reassembly to try to maximize my odds of having it all come apart again in some indefinitely future.

[Saigais]

We actually finally got it out on the passenger side (driver side tomorrow), but we notched the bolt, on opposite sides before we were able to get it loose enough to pull out. So, now I need to find replacement bolts for both sides. I appreciate the advice, I'll give Lincoln Land a call tomorrow as well. Fingers crossed they have these. I've never done business with a machine shop, so that will be interesting if I can't locate the bolts. Having some new bolts made sounds good in theory.... This could get exponentially more interesting if that's the route I have to take!

[papawayne]

For future reference, mix yourself up a quart of acetone and transmission fluid half and half. Best weasel pee going. Wayne

[LithiumCobalt]

Been there, done that. I also sawed my bolts off. Got replacements from Dan Lincoln Parts on Facebook.

[tomo]

Wd40 is not a penetrating oil. Use the mixture Wayne suggested, it is the best solution that I have used. Give it a couple of days to soak in.

[Solid]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dObEK7V-TFU

[action]

^^^ That was interesting!!!!

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[wallace42]

I had to cut mine out, lucky enough to be able to make my own new replacements.
I've only got a Lathe so Cutting the Hex took some imagination.

[Saigais]

Wow. That’s pretty freaking amazing being able to make your own! I unfortunately do not own a lathe, nor do I know anyone that does.

Did you by any chance make an extra set?! I don’t mind paying a reasonable price for them....

[Solid]

^^^ That was interesting!!!!

Action

Yeah in his earlier videos he compares a lot of homebrew solutions with these and they don’t even come close, so I thought it would be interesting in context of that having been proposed in this thread. I had not seen this video before, but I saw the original one where seafoam beat the other products and homebrew stuff handily. I had already been using deep creep. I’ve never seen the Gibbs product from this video before.

His video of trying different oil additives to clean up engine internals using seafoam and other products was pretty interesting too.

[action]

Thanks for posting.

Never heard of Gibbs either.
And learned something which is always neat.

Action

[wallace42]

I only made one to replace the one I cut, used the other good one as a sample for the sizes, I could make more but I'd need a sample bolt. Not sure what the shipping from Australia would be though.

[Saigais]

Oh wow, didn’t realize you were in the land down under!

Thanks anyways for the consideration.