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Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: billabong on 11 April 2015, 18:25

Title: Front wishbone bolt frozen inside sleeve of bush...
Post by: billabong on 11 April 2015, 18:25
Evening all,
Ive spent the day pulling my hair out whilst trying to change my front wishbones.
The bolt on one of the front bushes is seized inside the bush sleeve. I've tried heat (to the point that there is only the sleeve left - no rubber!) but no joy. I've sprayed loads of lube on and still no joy.
I cant quite get a pair of grips in to grip the sleeve...
Any ideas on how to tackle this one? It is definitely not the captive nut...

Thanks in advance!

Will
Title: Re: Front wishbone bolt frozen inside sleeve of bush...
Post by: itavaltalainen on 11 April 2015, 19:01
What are you using to undo it?
Use a 1m breaker bar and decent socket, managed to get mine undone that way.
Title: Re: Front wishbone bolt frozen inside sleeve of bush...
Post by: billabong on 11 April 2015, 19:14
Unfortunately that part isnt an issue - I'm using a breaker bar - however its just spinning round and round because the bush sleeve is seized onto it.
Its definitely not the the captive nut because ive checked it and it is intact and still stuck.
Title: Re: Front wishbone bolt frozen inside sleeve of bush...
Post by: gazareth on 12 April 2015, 00:26
what you need is more heat(a fire extinguisher on standby is also advisable) on the sleeve and someone inside the car with a parallel punch to whack away at the bolt to free it. not to much whacking though incase it mushroom the end. failing that you could hacksaw the head of the bolt and splay the subframe out a bit to get wishbone out :wink:
Title: Re: Front wishbone bolt frozen inside sleeve of bush...
Post by: gasketface on 12 April 2015, 01:00
If it's going round and round and the captive nut is still "stuck" then surely it should be undoing ???.

What am i missing here ?.Are you talking about the front bush nearest to the front of the car or the rear one which has a captive nut inside the car under the footwell carpet,under a tacked on plate ?.
Title: Re: Front wishbone bolt frozen inside sleeve of bush...
Post by: madmanmart on 12 April 2015, 10:38
I know this problem, I've seen it before. Even when I did remove the wishbone which involved cutting the subframe I couldn't separate them on the bench.

Mine also ended up stripping the thread on the captive nut.

New subframe time.......

Title: Re: Front wishbone bolt frozen inside sleeve of bush...
Post by: WeekendMechanic on 17 April 2015, 18:24
I had a problem like this once weld a piece of steel to the bolt with a hole in it then attach a slide hammer to the hole and wack it out
Title: Re: Front wishbone bolt frozen inside sleeve of bush...
Post by: Bellend on 20 April 2015, 01:42
Drill it.