Upper A arm removal

sinny · Post by **sinny** » Wed Jun 17, 09 9:35 pm

I'm having some serious trouble removing the K member & suspension all because of 2 bleedin' bolts! The rear bolt holding the upper A arm on both sides wont come out! I've got the nuts off but the bolts themselves wont budge! The front ones have come out with a couple of taps of the hammer.
Am I missing something stupid or is it likely they have bent. The only thing I can think of is to cut the A arm in half, which I don't want to do.

Any ideas?

<a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Jo ... elarch.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Jo ... elarch.jpg" border="0" alt="Front drivers side upper a arm"></a>

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Jun 17, 09 9:55 pm

Steu and Gareth just went through this and had to cut the bolts (not the "A" Arm).

The bolts should "just" push out, as mine did when I dismantled the Dart.

It may be worth searching their thread.

Guy · Post by **Guy** » Wed Jun 17, 09 9:57 pm

Sounds like the bolt has siezed in the metal tube that sits inside the bush, a complete and utter bitch to get out.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Wed Jun 17, 09 10:15 pm

Guy wrote:Sounds like the bolt has siezed in the metal tube that sits inside the bush, a complete and utter bitch to get out.

Absolutely spot on Guy

Like Pete said, me and Stu recently had this problem on our Barracuda. Details are in this thread...............

http://www.moparuk.com/forums/viewtopic ... 150#311150

There is no easy way around this and lord knows we tried long and hard to find one

In the end we had to resort to a seriously heavy duty reciprocating saw and some top quality blades, and even then it wasn't easy to cut through those bolts.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings Sinny, but hard graft and power tools will see you through.

sinny · Post by **sinny** » Thu Jun 18, 09 9:23 am

Thanks guy's. Atleast I know I'm not the only one that's had this issue!

I'll go ape with the power tools this weekend & one way or another I'll get the bolt out!

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Fri Jun 19, 09 11:46 am

Bring your big arms and keep the kettle close by, you'll be there for a while.

If you end up using a recip saw, you'll be amazed at how well these things destroy metal cutting blades. Even the Lenox Gold blades that we were using didn't stand the pace. Through trial and error, we found that diamond grit and carbide grit blades lasted the best and cut the quickest, gradually grinding their way through the bolts. Kept cutting the blades shorter as they wore down, to get the extra life. It's a Bananarama! when it catches or pings the arch, too. Mind your fingers and count 'em when you've finished!

An absolute nosebleed of a job, you have my sympathy.

Do you have replacement bolts? The have an eccentric washer welded to the heads, so they are specific.

sinny · Post by **sinny** » Fri Jun 19, 09 2:26 pm

Thanks Stu, I'll let you know how I get on!

No I don't have replacment bolts but I've noticed the waher welded to the heads so will make sure I get the right ones when it comes to putting it all back together.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Fri Jun 19, 09 2:57 pm

They are "special" cam bolts, used to set the front end geometry - you need the correct replacement items

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Tue Jul 21, 09 12:37 pm

sinny wrote:I'll go ape with the power tools this weekend & one way or another I'll get the bolt out!

So how did it go then ? Success ?

sinny · Post by **sinny** » Tue Jul 21, 09 12:47 pm

I haven't managed to get in the garage yet!

But I've got a weeks holiday in a couple of weeks so I'll get in there then & one way or another I'll get it off!

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Tue Jul 21, 09 12:53 pm

Let us know how you get on.

Bryan S · Post by **Bryan S** » Tue Jul 21, 09 3:09 pm

2009 seams to be a bad year for UCA bushes on Barracuda's