Any trick to removing the lower strut bolt?

[n2x4]

I bought all new GR2's for my legacy and I went to install them myself tonight. I've done 2 cars before this, but the subaru has been the most stubborn. To say the least, I didn't get very far.

I started on the passenger rear wheel. I got everything disconnected except for the bottom bolt that connects the strut to the hub. I got the nut off, but the bolt would not budge. I can push the hub up and down, but it's stuck on that lower bolt. I've hammered, I've air chiseled, I've used a breaker bar, but it won't come out. Is there something special about it? I tried for almost 2 hours, it wouldn't go. I ruined the nut in the process, so I just got a new nut and a lock washer, put it all back together and am gonna call for quotes to get a shop to do it.

I know I can do the work, but I just can't get it loose. Any ideas?

[vrg3]

If it were seized, I'd suggest bathing it in PB Blaster for a while, but if you can push the hub back and forth (rotating the hub about the bolt), then the bolt isn't really seized in place; it's just being held by the weight of the strut/spring assembly and the force of the spring.

I'm surprised that even once you put aside any worry about damaging the bolt it refused to come out with a hammer.

There's nothing special about the bolt. Maybe try putting the upper bolt back in to relieve some of the load? Or put a jack (with a piece of wood on the pad) under the hub?

[Richard]

I have a lot of luck with PB Blaster, a night to let it sit, and possibly a nut cracker if all else fails when working on trucks with 500k miles and more on them.

Have you tried heat? A good propane or mapp gas torch can sometimes do the trick. Try that before the lube if possible.

[n2x4]

Well, it seemed to be seized inside the knuckle, because I could see the head of the bolt making like a 1/3 turn against the strut mount. The only other thing I could think of trying that I chickened out of (I have to drive to work in the morning, can't break stuff yet) was torching the bolt and heating it up. I beat on it hard. I didn't know if maybe it was splined and it wouldn't turn, but even then, I couldn't beat it out.

I guess I'll see if I'm gonna try it again once I get some quotes.

[vrg3]

Oh. I wouldn't be afraid to use a torch. Just watch that you don't get the flame too close to the brake line or anything else sensitive. In my experience a propane or MAPP torch won't do too much, but if you have even an oxy-propane torch it should do the trick.

If you're not going to use the torch, though, soak the area in PB Blaster before going to bed. It'll creep in towards the seized part and might help break it loose.

[IronMonkeyL255]

+1 for soaking it with PB blaster.

[scottzg]

if you disconnect the topmount ( 3 nuts behind the seat) it will reduce the load on the bolt. I'm a big fan of 5lb hammers.

[n2x4]

Well, when I was trying to take it out at first, that lower bolt was the only thing holding the strut on the car, I had disconnected everything else.

I called a few garages, and nobody wanted to replace my struts (haters). Just means back to the garage myself.

For starters, I guess I'll PB the bolts for a while and try, and if that fails torch and hammer the bejezus out of them.

Since I need to at least replace the one bolt and nut, can I just go to a hardware store and pick up some grade 8 bolts, or do I need to get the subaru bolts?

I tried calling napa and advanced auto, but they don't have any of the bolts. I called the subaru dealer and their parts department said that the top was an adjuster bolt, and the bottom wasnt. They also weren't in stock and needed to be ordered for 5 bucks a piece. Are there bolts from any other Subaru that would work? Or should I lay down the cash for some genuine ones (don't know how many I need at this point, only tried the one strut and have one bolt stuck).

I guess I'll get the bolts out one way or another, but I need some new ones to go in their place.

[vrg3]

On the rear, neither bolt is an adjuster bolt. They're both regular bolts.

You might get away with using a 9/16" grade 8 bolt or an M14 class 10.9 bolt, but I can't really say I recommend it. It'd probably be hard to getting the right threaded and unthreaded length, the right coating, the right heat treatment, and the flange head.

(Interestingly enough, I say this even though on one of my cars I'm using aftermarket camber bolts for the upper bolts on the rear struts. I had to use them to get reasonable camber settings.)

The corresponding bolts from pretty much any modern Subaru should be the same, so if you have access to a junkyard you should be able to get some. Just don't get the upper front ones because those are the adjustment bolts the parts dude was talking about, and of course the new Legacies don't have struts in the back at all.