Close one...

came across these pics today. This is a OEM strut bolt for a 02 WRX. insanely hard to get out. required the breaking of several tools, but luckily no limbs....


the secret for next time.... Anti seize

 

um... yeah... little too much of that anti seize... ha ha

 

With the head that rounded off, I wouldn't even want to try to torque that bolt back on.

 

I like to get thread pitch etc and go buy stainless. good bolts dont do that.

 

Yeah its a pretty special bolt.

The impact wrench did not take it off, and it was pretty rounded from that by the time it was brought to me. Lets just say that 19mm wrench and a floor jack are a good combo ;-)

Seriously though I have broken more tools on a 02 WRX than on my 95 impreza and 84 brat rust bucket combined.

 

see i have had more headaches working on my 98 than on my buddies 03 wrx

 

Hey Martin I have tools to get those out without the use of a floor jack. If you head up here tomorrow I will show you.

 

wow, I had no issues removing mine from my 99 Outback with 170K miles on it with the original struts in there....I actually used my wheel brace as my wrench for removing them.

 

19mm socket on 1/2" rachet and torque bar....gets the job done all the time.

 

ive never had an issue even on my bros 92...martin i think you are just weak

 

I think you need more anitsieze

 

After my 3rd Strut/Spring combo I went out and bought a 24in 1/2" drive breaker bar and a set of 1/2" drive metric 6pt sockets (I've got up to 26mm). 1/2 an hour before I'm serious about cracking bolts I bring out the PB blaster and soak them good.

Air tools (except some of the MONSTER tools that don't happen to fit in the wheel well) have nothing on good old muscle and torque.

No issues since I bought my "bolt breaking kit".

 

I just end up twisting the heads off bolts. Not fun.

 

:+1:

I'm a silverback. I try to limit myself to nothing more than a normal length ratchet. If I can't budge it with that, I know I'll snap the bolt if I use a breaker bar, and it's time for the impact wrenches to come out. It's not that the impact can apply more torque than I can, it's the way in which it applies the torque that makes all the difference.

 

and when all else fails.........HEAT!!! works wonders....

 

Heat and candle wax helps a lot.

 

I broke my 1/2" ratchet and 2 19mm sockets on that bolt. you HAVE to use a 19mm wrench on it, and go from the nut side. The ratchet wont fit back there between the hub and axle.

+1

 

Yeah, for bolts like that that go through a long section that they may have corroded to, you should always work to turn the nut, not the bolt (generally true, but even more in those cases). Once the nut is loose you can tap the bolt with a hammer of appropriate size (depending on how seized the bolt is) to break it loose.