Trailing Arm Bolts

[Mike Noc]

Both rear upper arms need replacing for the MOT, along with a few other bits and bobs, so had a go at getting them out today.

The hub top bolts to the outer lower arms on both sides are seized solid in the upper link balls. :getmecoat:

Had the same on one of the donor arms when I was getting it off so cut through both ends of the bolt. Tried to hammer what was left of the bolt but it wasn't having any of it, so looks like a new pair of upper link balls.

Have left them soaking overnight in Plus Gas, so will have another go tomorrow, and if they don't budge I'll be getting the grinder out. :}

[mininuts]

Had one side do the same on mine. I was replacing the joints anyway so cut joint away with a grinder then warmed the area and drifted what was left of the bolt out.
Went ok...no issues ;)

[macafee2]

Had one of mine do the same. I kept hitting it and eventually hammered the bolt along with the middle of the bush out leaving the outer ring of the bush in place.

good luck

macafee2

[T16]

Both rear upper arms need replacing for the MOT, along with a few other bits and bobs, so had a go at getting them out today.

The hub top bolts to the outer lower arms on both sides are seized solid in the upper link balls. :getmecoat:

Had the same on one of the donor arms when I was getting it off so cut through both ends of the bolt. Tried to hammer what was left of the bolt but it wasn't having any of it, so looks like a new pair of upper link balls.

Have left them soaking overnight in Plus Gas, so will have another go tomorrow, and if they don't budge I'll be getting the grinder out. :}

How did the upper arm to subframe bolts go?

[macafee2]

Mike, do you want a hand? I owe you one

macafee2?

[marinabrian]

Mike, my experience of these is fairly common one, and how I approach it is a follows.

1 tear off the rubber boots from the rose joint bush.
2 with a stout drift and lump hammer, belt around the periphery of the tube forming the centre of the bush rotating frequently to ensure the rust formation is pulverised.
3 grind a pair of flats on the exposed tube, to enable a spanner to be fitted to prevent the tube turning with the bolt.
4 Apply heat with a blowlamp, then go for it.

You will need two new bushes, but they are not dear......LINK (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/QUINTON-HAZELL-EMS8133-CONTROL-ARM-TRAILING-ARM-BUSH-RC512809P-OE-QUALITY/222730529386?epid=1434017634&hash=item33dbc62a6a:g:8I8AAOSw~QRaFwGF) and I'm sure with our array of bush pullers you have will contain the required 45mm mandrel to pull the new bush in.

It took me four hours of concerted effort to do the first one of these, in an attempt to save the bush, but in reality the bushes on your car will more than likely be worn, and replacement transforms the sloppy back end feel that creeps up on these cars ;)

Have fun

Brian :D

[T16]

Am I the only one that drilled them out?! :p

[marinabrian]

Am I the only one that drilled them out?! :p

Probably Ross ;)

What i'd like to know is how you managed to drill accurately through the centre of an M12x100 10.9 tensile strength bolt, while fitted to the car without damaging the surrounding bush?

This is a rhetorical question, the answer is it simply is not possible :getmecoat:

Brian :D

[Mike Noc]

How did the upper arm to subframe bolts go?

Slowly! :D Plenty of Plus Gas and effort and they eventually freed off.

Mike, do you want a hand? I owe you one

macafee2?

Many thanks for the kind offer Ian, but I'll have them out in the morning, one way or the other. :}

Mike, my experience of these is fairly common one, and how I approach it is a follows.

1 tear off the rubber boots from the rose joint bush.
2 with a stout drift and lump hammer, belt around the periphery of the tube forming the centre of the bush rotating frequently to ensure the rust formation is pulverised.
3 grind a pair of flats on the exposed tube, to enable a spanner to be fitted to prevent the tube turning with the bolt.
4 Apply heat with a blowlamp, then go for it.

You will need two new bushes, but they are not dear......LINK (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/QUINTON-HAZELL-EMS8133-CONTROL-ARM-TRAILING-ARM-BUSH-RC512809P-OE-QUALITY/222730529386?epid=1434017634&hash=item33dbc62a6a:g:8I8AAOSw~QRaFwGF) and I'm sure with our array of bush pullers you have will contain the required 45mm mandrel to pull the new bush in.

It took me four hours of concerted effort to do the first one of these, in an attempt to save the bush, but in reality the bushes on your car will more than likely be worn, and replacement transforms the sloppy back end feel that creeps up on these cars ;)

Have fun

Brian :D

Thanks Bri - one of the rose joints has seized anyway, so both will get replaced.

Luckily I bought a comprehensive puller kit some time ago so no problem with the correct sized mandrel. :}

[T16]

Probably Ross ;)

What i'd like to know is how you managed to drill accurately through the centre of an M12x100 10.9 tensile strength bolt, while fitted to the car without damaging the surrounding bush?

This is a rhetorical question, the answer is it simply is not possible :getmecoat:

Brian :D

Tungsten carbide burr.... plus small bit to start with. Surrounding shell of the bolt could eventually could be knocked out with a round punch, no damage to bush, well nothing visible.

For some reason it was nowhere near as bad as the front shock pinch bolt. These burrs cut through Rover bolts like butter.

I can't locate my fathers bush pressing kit since he died, I will replace the bushes when I do my rear, any heads up on one that has the right mandrel for the Rover rear bushes?

[marinabrian]

Tungsten carbide burr.... plus small bit to start with. Surrounding shell of the bolt could eventually could be knocked out with a round punch, no damage to bush, well nothing visible.

For some reason it was nowhere near as bad as the front shock pinch bolt. These burrs cut through Rover bolts like butter.

I can't locate my fathers bush pressing kit since he died, I will replace the bushes when I do my rear, any heads up on one that has the right mandrel for the Rover rear bushes?

A cross cut ballnose burr?, I'm curious, did you use a die grinder and how did you keep the cut perpendicular to the bolt head?

You need a 45mm diameter mandrel to press the new bushes into place, a cheapie like THIS (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-E36-E46-REAR-CONTROL-TRAILING-ARM-BUSH-BALL-JOINT-REMOVAL-TOOL-33326775551/222593931275?fits=Car+Make%3ABMW&hash=item33d3a1d80b:g:MpgAAOSwzaJX-tMg) will more than likely suffice ;)

[Mike Noc]

Well rain has stopped play, so I had a practise session on one of the scrapper arms.

As what was left of the bolt (it had already been cut through on both sides to get the arm off) wasn't having any of it I got thr Dremel out and ground a small cut in the metal end cover and then prised that out and the complete ball fell out.

No problem at all getting the outer ring out with the puller set.

The trailing arm front bush was a little more work though. Couldn't get it to shift so pulled the middle out, made a cut through the rubber and then hacksawed the outer ring from inside just enough to split it. Puller then made short work of it.

So all good to go as soon as the weather picks up. :}

[Mike Noc]

And they are off. :D

As both the upper links and the arms are scrap, I cut the rubber gaiters off the upper links and cut through each side of the bolts with the grinder.

Just need to grind a cut in one side of the link end cover, pop the joints out,remove the outer rings with a puller and then I'm ready for a bit of rebuilding.

Happy Days. :}

[sworks]

When I did mine one side bolt was seized and one not. I ended up grinding through the bolt and drifting the bush out after applying a little heat. Brian loaned me his remover/installer kit, two new bushes and a new bolt. With the tool and new bushes both sides were done quite quickly although I did have the car on a lift. I have now purchased a tool in case the ‘classic’ needs the arms changed too. Best bit of advice is that you will need new rose jointed bushes in most occasions.

[T16]

Brian, I cant find the thread, but you put up a link to an ebay listing for an E36 bush removal kit.

(for the rose joint on the 75 rear trailing arm)

Question is... would this one work too?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252517659150

[Mike Noc]

On both of mine the bolts were fully seized in the rose joints. Once the rubber boots were pulled off a small cut across the end and the metal cover pulled out;

https://i.imgur.com/65tVnQk.jpg?1



https://i.imgur.com/2K5IauI.jpg?1

Then the complete inner can be removed;

https://i.imgur.com/m1WV20o.jpg?1

And the sleeve pulled out;

https://i.imgur.com/1H66xHi.jpg?1

Took about 10 minutes on each side. :D

[marinabrian]

Brian, I cant find the thread, but you put up a link to an ebay listing for an E36 bush removal kit.

(for the rose joint on the 75 rear trailing arm)

Question is... would this one work too?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252517659150

LINK (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-E36-E46-Rear-Axle-Ball-Joint-Rose-Bush-Removal-Installer-Puller-tool-Kit/322616523644?fits=Car+Make%3ABMW&hash=item4b1d717b7c:g:MpgAAOSwzaJX-tMg)

[Mike Noc]

Brian, I cant find the thread, but you put up a link to an ebay listing for an E36 bush removal kit.

(for the rose joint on the 75 rear trailing arm)

Question is... would this one work too?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252517659150

If you do other stuff as well might be worth investing in a universal kit. I bought this a few years ago and it has been great on all the bushes I've worked on since;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/27pcs-Pull-and-Press-Sleeve-Tool-Kit-Set-Seal-Bearing-Cars-LGV-HGV-Removal-Bush-/182605962065?hash=item2a8429db51

There are more bits than shown as they are stacked Russian doll style one or two inside the others.

You will need another washer for the trailing arm rose joints though due to the restricted access if the back plates are left on.


Bit cheaper than this one, which looks about the same;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Bearing-Bush-Removal-Installation-Kit-27pc-Pullers-Tools-DIY/392003700661?




.

[Jakg]

If your a bodger, you can normally get away with using a socket instead of a sleeve.

[marinabrian]

If your a bodger, you can normally get away with using a socket instead of a sleeve.

Especially if you want to wreck the dust cover :getmecoat: