Damper Fork Removal - Rubber Bushing / Bolt ; Seized , Rusted , Frozen , Stuck

[lilgreenhonda]

last week i started to do my coilovers. i got one on wit h no problem, but as i worked my was yaround the car, i found everything being all rusted. as i started on the right front, i found that the lower wishbone bolt is stuck in the lower C.A. bushing. WHAT DO I DO??? and i nteh rear i ripped the head off the bolt that holds the strut to teh rear C.A. I NEED TO KNOW ANY AND ALL SECRETS. thanks guys

[ACCORD EX]

WD40 , breaker bars , impact wrenches , air guns !:D


MIKE

[88 Accord DX]

some people arnt that rich, Mike. people like me.

anyway i would use a cutting torch or maybe a really big saw.j/k go around town and see if anyone will loosen them for free. you might find someone that will but everyone will want you to pay because they are greedy bastards.

[dj99]

On my first damper fork bolt, I was able to get the nut off without too much trouble. I then pounded on the threaded end with a 4 lb hammer without success. Then I got the bright idea to actually turn the bolt using the head to break it free in the bushing, which worked great. It then pounded free very easily. The other side came out easily too. Those bolts have ribs that rust a bit to the inside of the bushing.

Hope this helps somebody!

[markmdz89hatch]

I had the same trouble. I was able to get the nut off without any trouble, but could not even budge the bolt. I couldn't even spin it. This may sound kinda bad, but grab a big ass breaker bar, put it on that bolt head and try and spin it. If you get the bolt to spin, then cool, just pound it out like dj said. If not, then keep trying, something's gonna give, either the bolt will spin, or you'll snap the head off the bolt completely. Either way, it's progress. If you do end up snapping the head off the bolt, go and find a shit load of washers that will fit over the end of the bolt where the nut came off. Blast the shit out of the whole assembly with some lubricant/pennetrant. Not put a few washers on the end of the bolt, put the nut on it, make sure you get at least 90% of the nut threaded, if you can't, take off a washer, and put the nut back on. now just tighten the nut with the breaker bar. Tighten it until you have about the length of thread showing (past the nut) as width of all the washers you put on. Now take the nut off, add more washers, and continue to walk the bolt out. Now stop down at the Honda dealership, hand them $20 and get yourself 2 new bolts and nuts. When you put everything back together, make sure you use never/anti-seize (the silver stuff) on the fluted part of the bolt. This way that won't happen again.

Good luck.

[markmdz89hatch]

OK, hehehe, here's my little MS Paint handywork that I just whipped up.....

...just incase someone did not really get what I was trying to say when I described walking the bolt out, here you go.

1. What it looks like fully assembled
2. The nut was removed, and washers added.
3. Same as 2, but now the nut has been tightened to expose some thread at the other end of the nut. (notice the bolt is beginning to be pulled through the bushing)
4. Nut removed, more washers added, and nut tightened to further "walk" that bolt out.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pae88d3fb369e1717cdb7588c948f159d/fc553df5.jpg

*Hint: If you run out of washers, grab a big socket and slip that over the bolt to act as a huge friggin washer (once you have enough thread to grab)

**Walking this bolt out will not be any picnic either. You will most likely have to use the breaker bar in the beginning. As you walk more and more of this bolt out, you'll probably be able to use a regular 3/8 wrench. Also, you cannot just tighten the nut with the few spacers on and expect it to keep coming. If you try that, you're just making more work for yourself. That bolt only has a certain amount of thread on it. If you bring the nut right to the end of the threaded part, you may risk damaging the threads on the nut.

Good luck!

[ACCORD EX]

Originally posted by 88 Accord DX
some people arnt that rich, Mike. people like me.



who said i had these stuff ! :D :flip:

i only have WD40 and a piece of pipe ( i use it as a breaker bar ! )

:D

MIKE

[dj99]

I already had a compressor, so when I did a bunch of suspension work recently, I sprung $20 for a 1/2" impact wrench at our local Harbor Freight. I can't believe that I haven't had one of these babies all this time! :tongue:

[Grant2k]

i broke the head off the bolt doing my springs too. i ended up tearing the rubber of the bushing apart with a drill and then sawing a slit in the outer metal of the bushing and then chiseling it out. it took a long time and was very annoying and the new bolt cost me $12. good luck.

[anchovies]

If you need those bushings, I'm selling those for cheap
http://3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13979

Good luck...you'll need it :D

[maxoutracer]

i would use shit load od wd-40 and my impact gun, i never had any problem with my impact gun, hehe....

[lilgreenhonda]

ok so i tried to turn the bolt...and it turns...but teh bushing just streches around so i cant even break the head off. and even if i did i phucked up the threads so i cant get a nut on there. so... and the rear...i broke the head off the lower strut bolt...??? i need to get it done in one day..is it possible to fix?
thanks you all

[anchovies]

Grinder time.
For the rear, it's easier to just get another knuckle from the yard. 10 bucks problem solved there. That's what I did.
Now get those bushings off my hands, I mean it. You really need it :D

[YK86]

If you are totally stuck, this is what I did. I took a grinder and cut right in between the fork and bushing on both sides. The bushing is screwed anyways so it doesn't matter if you cut it all up. Get a new bushing, using a grinder, make 6 cuts on the outer sleeve. This will make the outer metal fall right off and the rubber will be in perfect shape. You should now have just the rubber and the center collar. Pound that into the arm. Do the same for the rear. All you need to buy using this method is bushings and bolts saving you a lot of $. Make sure you use alot of anti-seizing stuff to make future work easier.

[YK86]

Here's a crappy pic of the cuts I was talking about that you need to make on the new bushing. Keep in mind a shop can press it in for you (the proper way) but that will cost about $15 a bushing and it's going to be a real b**ch getting the rear knuckle off to get a shop to press in a new bushing which is why I did it the above method.

[maxoutracer]

i love the grinder, hehe... help alot when it come rusty bolts on my exahust system, hehe....

[Grant2k]

haha my house might not even have a grinder in it yet if i hadn't fucked up doing my suspension.

[88accordlxi]

Originally posted by lilgreenhonda
last week i started to do my coilovers. i got one on wit h no problem, but as i worked my was yaround the car, i found everything being all rusted. as i started on the right front, i found that the lower wishbone bolt is stuck in the lower C.A. bushing. WHAT DO I DO??? and i nteh rear i ripped the head off the bolt that holds the strut to teh rear C.A. I NEED TO KNOW ANY AND ALL SECRETS. thanks guys

that is so crazy, that is the same exact thing im going through right now, i just ordered my new struts to go with my sprint springs. when i first attempted to lower my car with the stock struts, i only got the front right corner on no problem, and everything else wouldn't even budge, even using air tools. and of course just like what happened to you , one of my back bolt head tore right off, so since then i've been driving around with one corner lowered, driveable but theres defenitly some stuff that needs to be fixed.

[Whitehonda]

Hey guys,

I was taking off my front right strut when I broke the damper fork bolt off in the bushing, I pounded until I couldn't pound anymore and it would not budge, so I finally cut the S.O.B. off, but now I am stuck with the bushing and broken off bolt in my lower arm!!

Any suggestions on how to get it out? or does anyone know if it is possible to change that bushing in my garage, or if it has to be pressed into the arm with a machiene?

Pictured below is the bushing with the broken bolt in it.

http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/343000-343999/343720_28_full.jpg

Cameron

[mzabeefy]

I had the same problem, I had to replace my whole lower arm. I got one from the junkyard(if that helps any).

[BITESIZE]

Try using a drill.

[anchovies]

Drill it out and then buy my brand new bushings.
http://3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13979

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by anchovies
Drill it out and then buy my brand new bushings.
http://3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13979

THANK YOU! for stepping in with the link, I remembered that SOMEONE had this problem and resolved it in detail.

[carotman]

I don't want to bring you bad news but you're in deep trouble.

I doubt that the bolt will ever come off while it's on the car. Your best bet would be to put it on a table vise and pound that bolt out with a sledgehammer.... been there, done that.

The only big problem is, that in order to do this, you need to take the lower arm out of the car. The inner bushing (the one that holds the arm to the frame) will be seized in there too...

When I replaced both of my lower arns, the inner bolt head snapped out..... so I couldn't get that bitch out.

I litteraly had to CUT the lower arm with a big cutting wheel to get it out. When only the bolt and sleeve fas left, I cut that one in half too to be able to get it out with vise grips

You'll have to get new bolts from honda..... and use alot of penetrating oil.


Here's what the lower arm looks like after Ishowed it who's the boss :smokin:

http://pages.infinit.net/omus/lowerarm.jpg

[Vinny]

looks like it in your best interest to head to the salvage yard and look for a new one and let them pull one for ya so your not going through this mess again

[markmdz89hatch]

wait wait wait, before you go to such drastic measures....

This is not the end of the world just yet. I had the same problem with one of my coupes, and ended up with an idea that actually worked, and only required me to buy new bolts from Honda at about $5-7 each. Not bad when you consider the alternatives.

Here's a link to a thread where I explained the process.

http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16728

Good luck and let us know what you come up with.

*edit: PS> How come you took off the top bolt from your sway bar, and one of your radius rod bolts?

[Whitehonda]

Thanks for the ideas guys, but I do have another question,

I have a new bolt and a new nut, but my problem is getting the old broken bolt out of the bushing.

If I do end up getting it out, do you think that bushing will still be any good?

I have a new bushing comming tomarrow, but how hard is that to put in? Can I do it on the car, or does it have to go to a shop and be pressed in?

Also how hard is it to remove the lower arm, I know it has to be disconnected from the frame and the lower ball joint, but has anyone done this and can give steps or pointers??

markmdz89hatch: I took off my top nut on the sway bar and radius rod bolt in order to try and get some more room to remove the strut (by lowering the whole setup)

Thanks,
Cameron

[Whitehonda]

Update!!

The bushing is trashed, we tried to use an 8 ton bottle jack (sideways) and push the sucker out (we had a 3/8" S.S. plate on the other end with clamps and a hole for the broken bolt so we had something to push against, and then put the bottle jack against the frame and let it rip!!!

And NOTHING, if anything I just put my wheel out of alignment (sp?) It is amazing that that little bastard bolt took all that pressure.

Any suggestions or problems removing that lower arm?? The bolt that holds it to the frame is a bitch to brake loose? or any other common difficulties? I am in the process of getting a air ratchet to loosen the lower arm bolt.

Cameron

[88LXi68]

The bolt that holds the arm to the frame MAY NOT be seized. My bolts that hold the fork to the lower arms were seized, but the bolts that held it to the frame were not. So, I pulled the arm off and took it to a dealer and had them press out the old bushing and press in new ones.

[anchovies]

Originally posted by Whitehonda

I have a new bushing comming tomarrow, but how hard is that to put in? Can I do it on the car, or does it have to go to a shop and be pressed in?


Why? WHY? Why not buy my bushings :crying:

Yeah, it needs to be pressed in.

[Whitehonda]

Originally posted by anchovies
Why? WHY? Why not buy my bushings :crying:

Yeah, it needs to be pressed in.

The reason I didn't get it from you is that I need it now...I am currently driving around my parents 6th gen accord V6 coupe :smokin: but the reality is that I need to get my car back working asap and don't have time to screw with shipping and all that.

Cameron

[Whitehonda]

What do I do if I break off that bolt that hold the lower arm onto the frame??? Has anyone done that, I can just imagine thats a bitch to deal with. (I didn't do it...yet, just want to know what my options are. Thanks

Cameron

[carotman]

Well, you saw the picture I posted... that's what you have to do if you break that bolt.... not fun but sometimes life's a bitch... :p

[Whitehonda]

Well I talked to my buddy who used to work at the Honda dealer as a wrench for about 15 years (so he knows his stuff) He was like OMG!! We never take that bushing apart!!!!, we usually just


Unbolt the top 3 strut nuts and the damper fork pinch bolt then take a pry bar and push the strut up out of the for and remove. Fix whatever needs to be replaced and then pivot it back into place and bolt it all back up.

^
(there should be a how to about this!!!)


He said 99.9999999999999% of the time that the bolt breaks and that there is no chance in hell to get it out of the bushing once it does, same goes for the one on the other end of the arm. Plus it is a real bitch getting the old bushing out and then a new one in.

Thanks for all the help and replys!!!

Cameron

[carotman]

I told you that you would have fun.

the only way to get the inner bold out is to cut the arm like I did.... you might be lucky and the bolt will just come off..... but If the damper fork was seized, that other one is seized too, I'm 100% sure on that one.

Your friend was right about the fact that they never get that one out... it's always seized and breaks..... that's how I did my suspension... but I wanted that thing to come off... it obsessed me... and haunted my dreams.... so I got the grinder and got that bitch out........

[Whitehonda]

Well just to let you know, one impact wrench later the bolt that held the arm on came right off!!! No problems at all, and I got my new spring on the strut!! I now m just gona get an arm off one at the junkyard that has good bushings (I think I found one) and clean it up and stick it in place with new bolts.

Lower arm with trashed Bushing
http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/343000-343999/343720_30_full.jpg

Undershot
http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/343000-343999/343720_31_full.jpg

Check out the broken spring, broke on both ends!! The replacement cost me only $4.99
http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/343000-343999/343720_32_full.jpg

Cameron

[carotman]

You're one lucky son of a gun :) that bolt usually snaps without any warning... I guess it was your lucky day :)

[jb2wheels]

When you put it all back together, use a little anti-seize compound (like the stuff you should use on your plugs and lug nuts) on the bolts to prevent future problems

[modu03]

uhh... I had no problem removing those bolts on my car:lol

well... maybe not "no problem", but a breaker bar was all I needed... I've seen alot of people on this board complaining about rust and seized parts... what'd you guys all get yours from a junkyard:D ... actually, I did get mine from a junkyard:super:

well... i was just here to gloat:flip: ... bye

[86AccordLxi]

you also live in california....better weather=less rust. I didn't have any rust either :D

Alex

[Whitehonda]

I actually bought my new lower arm from the Junk Yead and the bolts both came right out!! No Problems, and now the old White honda is back togather and running smoothly once again. Thanks again for the help and ideas.

Cameron

[rdn]

hi guys

i was attempting to change the driveshaft on the driver side, and tryed unsuccesfully for ..like 3 hrs to remove the damper fork bolt (according to haynes instructions)...it looks like the bolt will brake if i try any further...

is there any way to remove the driveshaft without removing the damper fork? ..any´suggestions please?...i'm really stucked!


cheers!

[ACCORD EX]

i used a 1 meter pipe to get this bolt out ! and luckily it didn't broke ! just notice that it's a bolt with a nut so you have to hole the nut ? ( this for the lower bolt )

Mike

[joebeets]

It's seized and will never come out. You can have the dealer cut and replace the bolt/bushing for $100, or u can disassemble the driveshaft at the inner joint and not deal with it at all.

[zero.counter]

Originally posted by joebeets
It's seized and will never come out. You can have the dealer cut and replace the bolt/bushing for $100, or u can disassemble the driveshaft at the inner joint and not deal with it at all.
Watchalo!!!:eek:

When I first removed the fork, I used the cheater pipe method as Accord EX mentioned, but ended up breaking the bolt. I had to extract and purchase another bolt. The freaking car sat overnight with liquid wrench and still was a pain to remove.

[AccordEpicenter]

yeah even if the bolt breaks or whatever you still run the chance of ruining the bushing. If i were you id just dissassemble the inner joint (takes 2 min) just take the band off and pull the axle out so it separates from the inner joint.

[rdn]

Originally posted by AccordEpicenter
yeah even if the bolt breaks or whatever you still run the chance of ruining the bushing. If i were you id just dissassemble the inner joint (takes 2 min) just take the band off and pull the axle out so it separates from the inner joint.

thank's man...that's exactly what i was thinking of!...i remember i did dis involuntarly on my 84 prelude once...the inner joint just went out when i pulled it...wasn't sure is the same on this one though

why do they do such a stupid construction???...what is the need for the bushing when you have the damper??? (never saw such an assembly before...)

cheers!

[anchovies]

Hey if you need the bushings, I've brand new ones for sale cheap. PM me if you need it asap.

[rdn]

Originally posted by anchovies
Hey if you need the bushings, I've brand new ones for sale cheap. PM me if you need it asap.

thank's man...i'll definelety consider that if i'll have to change them (which i hope i will not :)).

p.s.
do you deliver to sweden? :)

[oldsub86]

Anyone have a picture? What is a damper fork?

[anchovies]

Originally posted by rdn
do you deliver to sweden? :)

Might take some time, but i think the wind is blowing the right way these couple months. But these bushings might not float in the pacific ocean though :tongue:

[Whitehonda]

Look at what I ran into when working on that homo suspention...

http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23025

Cameron

[zero.counter]

There something to be learned here kids...
SEARCH is your friend. :)

[possum]

In recently fining myself in a similar situation, I think a portable means of pressing a bearing into the arm or knuckle (rear) is in order.

Perhaps a very small bottle jack with a 1 foot piece of bar steel welded to the bottom and a similar piece for the top. Drill holes and connect the bars with beefy 1/2 or 3/4 inch sections of threaded stock (or just long bolts).

The total contraption would only weigh 10-15 pounds and have 2 tons of force. support it on boards or bricks for the height and send that bearing right home.

No mess, no fuss. Instant bearing press.

[Justin86]

I just use the WD-40 and the impact gun. Air tools kick ass. Or use a breaker bar to get that shit. I had to a 6' breaker bar to get the hub axle nut off, not even the impact gun could get it. I had to apply 760 lbs/tq before it became loose.

[Grant2k]

i broke 2 breaker bars on one axle nut and ended up chiseling it off.

[danronian]

I find that a thick pipe works best as a breaker bar since it fits anything. I sometimes use the screwdriver through wrench method if i cant fit it though. My friend just bought me a 250lb. impact wrench and it works so well. For half the bolts on my chevelle I had to heat them with a soldering torch to get them to not snap. Just beware about using a torch and wd-40. (I just always keep the fire extinguisher close).

[Grant2k]

i put a jack handle over the end of the breaker bar. my dad has a real nice 2 ton jack with a handle about 4 feet long and it's very thick tubing and it usually breaks anything loose, even breaker bars.

[Not like a rock]

Searching for damper fork removal brought me here.

This is insane. The "How To" on struts, and all the manuals say that the damper fork should just slip off the bottom of the strut. But I don't have enough clearance between the damper fork and the axle; I can't get the axle down low enough to get the fork off the bottom of the strut.

Any advice? Do you just have to pry everything WAY down? Am I gonna break something by doing that?

[YK86]

I found it's usually like that on most of the Honda's. So I step on the hub/disk to push the whole thing down which gives me enough clearance to pop the fork off the strut. Good luck!

[ericg]

for a 1988 Honda Accord Hatchback do you have 1)damper fork bushing 2)bolt 3)nut
If so how much???

Eric Guille
Cell phone 202.593.1477