In this video Eric does a bone head move and snaps off a bolt in the lower control arm that hold on the rear strut. The worst part is he is at work alone with all three kids and this is his only ride. No worries though, it's not his first rodeo. -Enjoy!
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--Eric O.
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South Main Auto Repair
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Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not South Main Auto Repair
If an SMA Video has helped you out please consider giving using "Patreon" to help support us. The videos take real time to create and pull us away from real work that pays our bills. CLICK HERE: https://www.patreon.com/southmainauto
THANKS A MILLION!!
--Eric O.
If you don't like Patreon feel free to use the "PayPal Me" link: https://www.paypal.me/SouthMainAuto
The South Main Auto Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/southmainautorepairavoca
AES Wave Automotive Diagnostic Tools: https://www.aeswave.com/cart.php?m=affiliate_go&affiliateID=2525b91fc8e906e8215984074c9d9e8f&go=
WANT AN "SMA" STICKER OF YOUR OWN!?!
Simply send and E-mail to SMAstickers @outlook.com including: your shipping address and e-mail address in the text, I in turn will send you a Paypal invoice for $5 each USA or $6 each international. Let me know how many you want and as soon as the Paypal invoice is paid I will ship them out ASAP! Thanks for your support of our channel!!
--Eric & Vanessa O.
Feel like sending some swag to SMA because you love the videos but don't know where to send it?
Just ship it here:
South Main Auto Repair
47 S. Main St
PO Box 471
Avoca, NY 14809
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not South Main Auto Repair
Has any DIYer tried spraying penetrating fluid at suspected or known seized bolts and places frequently a week before the job, like daily?
Weakest point on the Civic Coupe. Lousy.
I have been that life line in many cases but it’s always nice when it’s paid back. Like always love the videos… the wife asks:how do you watch someone do a job you’ve been doing for the past 25 years. Me: I have 3 answers… he’s been though same issues so I can relate. Second he deals with issues Mechanic B/me doesn’t have to see because we live in south Texas and third he’s showing me to be a better husband and dad to y’all.
My wife: make sure to subscribe and keep the videos coming cause you have been a little sweeter. LOL again thanks Eric
100x times harder on NY cars!!!
I slathered the bolt shanks with never-seize when I put in the new struts. Two years out, those bolts still move pretty easily. I also used lady slipper and a hammer to push the bolts out of the holes.
lol this guy has no idea what he's doing… All you had to do was punch the bolt through, or worst case cut the bolt on other side too… WTF.
Man this is a great video. Good to know these options for the inevitable time when…. the S.H.T.F !!!
Torch.
"Smells like burning tires. Reminds me of my youth." LOL
Child labor??😉
Why couldnt you use the torch to heat up the bolt and also spray some thread loosener and try to use a standard socket wrench on it?
We usually use angle grinder to fight with seized bolts in Russia. The torch is too dangerous I think. Even just to have it in workshop(because of oxygen). But in that case we cut the nut from the arm either. Then we use simple nut(not welded to the arm) and new bolt.
We don't break bolts where I live. My Bush's never seized up. Got a 27 year old car just change struts piece of cake. You could always move to Phoenix
Obviously I’m playing catch up here. Woulda tried Big Nasty with the blunt attachment alternating between the bolt head and a pointed attachment into the bushing to break the rust bond. That and the juice. Or if you’re not in a pickle like that, I’ve had good success with the spray it and try on the morrow method. 🙂
Good work Eric O sometimes things go Wrong nice repair @SouthMainAutoRepairLLC
I just watched this vid for the first time. Been there with broken bolts. I was curious if you have seen the newer inductive (bold busters) I have seen videos of them removing some seriously rusted bolts. Just an idea. Keep up the great videos.
Cut more than a few shock/struts off with the trusty sawzall.
My son is 4 right now, I cant wait until he’s a bit older to help me out in my garage/shop. Hes getting his first tool set for Xmas this year. Great stuff and god bless.
saw all cut both side?????
Torch is the way to go. If you live in the rust belt and own rusty junk get a torch. That's all there is to it.
How about a Sawzall to slice down both sides, cut thru sleeve and bolt
A sawalls works wonders too!!
Gotta swap the rears out of my rusty '09 CRV. Think it would be easier just to buy new bolts and cut everything out of the bottom mount?
Just keep going who cares , you will find the way
we all have our really dumb moments!!!
Pretty surgical with the hot wrench, there Eric…
Good work. Even did it without jumping up and down and swearing and throwing wrenches, like many others would do….
I know it's an older video, but I'm just now viewing it. Had to do the rear lateral arms on my impreza and the bolts were seized in the bushings. Luckily they don't use captive nuts and I was able to get enough space to get a cut off wheel up in between the bracket and bushing to slice the blot off on both sides of the bushing. The nut came off, the bolt sizes in the bushing, and the bolt head all in separate pieces. Unfortunately, I had to purchase new cam bolts, but I'm only a small shade tree mechanic without a torch. Love the videos and am currently going through all of them.
You, sir, need to get a good cut off saw or air saw off the tool truck. Torches are a pain.
I've never heard of Fluid Film before watching your vids.
half the battle is a fastener sometimes
ive work on dodges and this happens all the time to the front lower control arms/struts what ive found to help is using the induction heater (in the last video i watched of yours) and work the bolt back and forth to break free of that sleeve with a large breaker bar. also found it to help if you have someone on the nut side with an air hammer to give it a good ole shock or two. i know this is a old video but all your videos i learn something new so just trying to pay back the favor!
I had this happen to me with a Northern 98 Golf GTI driver's side lower control arm. spun the bolt seized to the inner sleeve. As I turned the bolt it actually deformed the metal pocket it was in! So I had to cut the arm at the bushing like you did. Then a grinder to cut into bushing housing like you did. Gridded the rubber to expose the metal sleeve. Had to cut 2 areas of the sleeve to relieve the seized bolt. when I finally got her out the threads were partially striped. Had to use a new 10.9 bolt. All in all it took me about 3-4 hrs of geinding. lol. A touch would have been way faster. So know I know when dealing with Northern cars……be prepared!!! Keep up the great videos!!!!!
What a nice little car though
Life has its way to remind use when we act without thinking that you are being dumb.
Torqued down to factory specs.
Welcome back to the self made auto channel.
V
Great vid. Thanks.
Try drilling a hole through the bottom mount bushing and inner bushing and spray oil into the oil.
If your trying to save and reuse the old bolts, then what you did with the 2nd strut is the only way. Cut the strut collar out, burn the rubber off and heat the bushing and nut till they glow. Then you can just zip them bolts right out with an impact gun.
Why didn't you just tac a nut on the broken stud?
I'm an auto technician for 23 years and those can be a pain in the…. I have had luck sometimes heating the head of the bolt with medium heat to transfer the heat all the way thru the bolt and then work the impact gun back and forth to free it up. I would say it's less than 50% but when it works it saves alot of time.
I get why you torched the strut off but when you're down to the metal bushing just cut it off with a sawzall? Granted, not as much fun as torching it to the smitherins 😂
Possibly you should have kept the top nuts tight and do the bottom first. This would probably take some pressure off the bushing bolt.
Don't have to deal with rust too much in montana but I would definitely just drill out that bolt lol.
Arent you supposed to not use heat on gas struts? I was told thats basically an IED
"Burning it out takes 5 minutes" -> 35 minute video :p
Alan here, remember if you can do it so can we.
Just an FYI, had a customer come in today that was in desperate need of a car so I made him a great deal on the Lil Red Hondoo Civic. He was driving a very rotted out 1991 Accord. I just need to do a couple more small repairs on it so it is 100% then it is moving onto a new owner…