james2747
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2011
- Messages
- 117
- Reaction score
- 39
- Location
- Newent, Gloucestershire
- Your Mercedes
- E270 CDI 2003
I am trying to remove the steel swing arm to shot blast and repaint to prevent any further corrosion. It would not normally be a difficult job BUT!!
The bolt that secures the arm to the rear (inboard) bush (see photo) has apparently corroded to the central metal spacer that is moulded through the centre of the rubber bush. So after removing the nut and trying to turn the bolt (splined socket head) I can detect it simply trying to turn the rubber bush ... as the bolt and central metal tube of the rubber bush are now 'as one' due to corrosion, so I can't even get much torque on the bolt as I fear it will just break the bond between the central metal spacer and the rubber bush.
I am sure if I put a breaker bar on the bolt, it would turn 360 degrees but the result would be the central spacer tube would just tear away from the actual rubber bush, damaging the bush and still leaving me no nearer to getting the bolt out ... and the arm off! Heat is not possible, it would just destroy the rubber. Weeks of frequent application of spray penetrating fluid has made no difference. I don't want to butcher anything as I am sure replacing the bush in the subframe wont be too easy but I'm at a loss to any further ideas on how I can break the corroded bond between bolt and central metal bit of the bush, to allow me to extract the bolt. Any ideas most welcomed.
The bolt that secures the arm to the rear (inboard) bush (see photo) has apparently corroded to the central metal spacer that is moulded through the centre of the rubber bush. So after removing the nut and trying to turn the bolt (splined socket head) I can detect it simply trying to turn the rubber bush ... as the bolt and central metal tube of the rubber bush are now 'as one' due to corrosion, so I can't even get much torque on the bolt as I fear it will just break the bond between the central metal spacer and the rubber bush.
I am sure if I put a breaker bar on the bolt, it would turn 360 degrees but the result would be the central spacer tube would just tear away from the actual rubber bush, damaging the bush and still leaving me no nearer to getting the bolt out ... and the arm off! Heat is not possible, it would just destroy the rubber. Weeks of frequent application of spray penetrating fluid has made no difference. I don't want to butcher anything as I am sure replacing the bush in the subframe wont be too easy but I'm at a loss to any further ideas on how I can break the corroded bond between bolt and central metal bit of the bush, to allow me to extract the bolt. Any ideas most welcomed.