Wanted: Outer lateral link hardware

[vrg3]

I'm getting ready to swap out my lateral links and I feel certain that after driving through three Cleveland winters I'm going to have to destroy the nuts and bolts that go through the hub (and through both links) to do it.

Anybody have spares they'd sell me? I'm looking for two bolts and two nuts; the washers would be nice but I can probably salvage those.

[gijonas]

By the time you find someone willing to box them up,send them to you and charge you for them you could have bought new ones from subaru.I just got a couple,they are like $20 each.Also the new ones slide in way easier than old ones.

[vrg3]

The bolts list for $21.63 each and the nuts for $6.13 each. That's more than 50 bucks -- I don't have that kind of money! Thanks for the idea though.

For anybody that's wondering, though, the bolt is part number 20540AA001 and the nut is part number 20550AA010.

[fishbone79]

Hey Vikash - I believe I have them here, but they are in a box with a ton of other subie rear-end stuff... So I don't know specifically which ones they may be. You are looking for the long ones, correct? Do you have a pic of which ones they are?

[vrg3]

Yes, the long ones. From a quick glance they look like they might be a good six or seven inches long.

19mm heads on the bolts and on the nuts, and flanges on the heads to seat against the washers that seat against the bushings.

I don't have a picture of a bolt by itself but the relevant part is circled in red in the picture DvSkD4 posted on this page:

http://www.rs25.com/forums/f106/t95168- ... ost1534342

And williaty posted this closeup:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2143/183 ... a162_o.jpg

Thanks, Morgan!

[fishbone79]

No problem, those are the ones I thought you wanted. I believe I have a set or two, I'll check when I get home tonight.

[vrg3]

Thanks a lot!

[fishbone79]

I've got a set, in decent shape, but not the prettiest. One is still in the hub, so I'll need to remove it. I've also got all the other hardware and probably any other subie rear-end tidbit you might desire.

[vrg3]

If you can get it out of the hub intact I'd love to buy the set from you. I don't anticipate needing anything else, but then again I've never done this job before. Do I have to worry about the inner lateral link bolts?

[n2x4]

Vikash, what tools do you have available to you? The BAB (big ass bolt) is not an easy job! Heat will make things 100 times easier since most of the bolt is exposed in the hub and rusts like crazy. Getting the nut off will be easy, but the odds are that the bushings are rusted solid to the bolt. I've destroyed bushings in an attempt to get the bolt out. In fact I have a spare bolt with the bushing still stuck to it..

Can I ask why you're swapping links?

The inner bolts are shorter, and a bit more sheltered from the elements. They'll be much easier to take out.

Let me know if you need other parts or tools. I've got a metric tap set and all the rear hardware except for the BAB's.

[fishbone79]

Got it out intact, no problems. You'll probably want to use your nut, I tapped on this one with a hammer (not much though, heated the snot out of the knuckle first). There's nothing wrong with it, and if you touch the end up with a tap or a file, it will be as good as new. I'll do that if I can find my blasted tap set.

The bolts look great; not much rust, considering.

Your inner bolts are probably fine, PM me.

[vrg3]

I don't have any special tools... To get stuff out, just breaker bars, hammers, punches, a Dremel, and a MAPP torch. For cleaning things up, wire brushes, taps and dies, a thread file...

Maybe I should try to borrow an oxy-MAPP setup or something? Get a cheap angle grinder? I'd be okay with destroying the bushings and even the lateral links.

I've been soaking the bolts in PB Blaster and Aero-Kroil (alternating) every couple of days for 2 weeks.

The car's seen 3 Northeast Ohio winters. Before I moved to Cleveland 3 years ago, it was rust-free.

My right rear lateral link is very bent, so I have to replace that one at least. I got my hands on a set of lateral links with bushings in 'em from a bugeye WRX. Right now I have the struts and springs from a JDM bugeye STi and I have to use aftermarket camber bolts to keep negative camber; I figure if I swap this whole set of links in I can go back to stock bolts too. It should only be a little more than twice as much work as swapping one link, and this way all the bushings will be newer.

Thank you both for your help and advice. I'll PM you, Morgan.

[AWD_addict]

An angle grinder with a cut-off wheel was needed to free my lateral link bolt. Also bring patience and muscle when dealing with that huge bitch.

[gijonas]

For some cars it an easy job.On other cars it is literally the hardest thing that can be done on these vehicles.The only ones i have seen seize worse are the datsun 280z spindle bolts .Up here in maine there just is no other option but destruction and replacement

[evolutionmovement]

The trick, and it's too late at this point, is repeated maintenance. Having lost two loved GLs to cancer, I decided to be vigilant with the wagon. I bought it in '98 and I hit the worn spots on the underside with undercoating every year and hit chassis and engine compartment bolts and brackets with lubricant/preservative every few months. I got the idea from the old cars that had grease points, some just for corrosion prevention, that had to be hit periodically and it's worked better than I thought. I was originally only going to get the wagon going again, figuring rust had rendered the long-term viability of the shell impractical, but after taking off the front end and some of the rear end, I've found the hidden rust to be negligible and most bolts aren't giving much trouble. Most. Strangely, the worst ones are the ones holding the rear bumper beam, which are rusted on the inside of the car, but mint underneath (they can be seen after the rubber inspection caps are popped off).

[Legacy Rally Guy]

The trick, and it's too late at this point, is repeated maintenance. Having lost two loved GLs to cancer, I decided to be vigilant with the wagon. I bought it in '98 and I hit the worn spots on the underside with undercoating every year and hit chassis and engine compartment bolts and brackets with lubricant/preservative every few months. I got the idea from the old cars that had grease points, some just for corrosion prevention, that had to be hit periodically and it's worked better than I thought. I was originally only going to get the wagon going again, figuring rust had rendered the long-term viability of the shell impractical, but after taking off the front end and some of the rear end, I've found the hidden rust to be negligible and most bolts aren't giving much trouble. Most. Strangely, the worst ones are the ones holding the rear bumper beam, which are rusted on the inside of the car, but mint underneath (they can be seen after the rubber inspection caps are popped off).

I agree, what I did to keep things nice and pretty much rust free was bead blast, then prime, then paint all suspension components, and on top of that, I spray used engine oil on bits here and there, you'd be amazed how well a thin layer of gunky engine oil protects stuff...

Oh and to free up that Satan bolt *lateral link bolt* I used one tablespoon less than a shit-load of PB Blaster, soaking the bolt once a day for a week after it didn't come loose the first attack by my impact wrench... I must shop where you guys shop, my dealership charged me $28.00 EACH bolt... but that may be because I bought the nut too.

Anywho, if you still need a bolt, I've got one lying around *had two, but realized one was bent and tossed it.. *

I also have a prepped and primed Driver's side rear nuckle if you're looking for such a thing for rear end parts, I'd be nice and let em go cheap.

On the rear suspension, the biggest secret to success... PATIENCE! AND after torquing everything down, use a yellow paint pen to mark the bolt heads and nuts.. *makes for a quick check later to ensure things are staying where they need to be*