Radius Arm Bolts ARGH!
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Delisle/Vanscoy, Sk.
Radius Arm Bolts ARGH!
For the last 4 days I have sprayed Monkey **** on the nuts and bolts of the radius arm on my parts truck. They just will not budge. Even when I put on cheater wrenches, or push on the wrench with both feet. It will not break free. I put more penetrating oils on today again. Have been letting them sit over night and they still will not bust loose. The arm on my truck was not that hard. I want to check the arm on the parts truck because my arm has a worn spot on it and it still clunks even with the new bushings. The wear area is the cause of the thunking. So I need to change this. What do I have to do. Load up my torches and haul them into the feild and heat the nuts up. Risk burning the truck and the field?
So far all I got is a blister on my left hand where it got pinched between the wrench and the metal plate of the convertor.
I read where one of you guys said you just go into the wreckers and remove these things in a half hour. Man you must have tree trunk arms, with hydralic impacts.
So far all I got is a blister on my left hand where it got pinched between the wrench and the metal plate of the convertor.
I read where one of you guys said you just go into the wreckers and remove these things in a half hour. Man you must have tree trunk arms, with hydralic impacts.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,682
Likes: 12
From: Saskatoon SK Canada
Do you have the springs removed? There is another nut under the lower spring mount. You might have to take the axle off the truck. A 3/4" ratchet will help a bit. I didn't have to much trouble when I rebuilt the front end of my '78 frame.
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Delisle/Vanscoy, Sk.
No I have not been able to break any of the nuts free yet. I'm aware of the second nut under the spring. I have a 3/4 drive strong arm, problem is no 1 1/8 inch socket to go with it. Got the other sizes. Have wrench but it just won't break free those nuts.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Malvern, Ohio
Go and look for Idustrial degreasers like Castrols SUPER CLEAN or something, and mix it 50/50 with water in a spray bottle and then try to break the bolts loose. It sounds weird, but its most likely stronger at dissolving the rust than the oil based penetrants.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Atlanta GA
> 1 1/8 inch socket to go with it.
Single impact socket is $20 from NAPA or a complete 3/4 set from Harbor or Northern is $50-$60. I bought the $60 3/4" set from Northern (in metric) to fit the larger sized nuts. If you have a West Marine or trailer place near by you can buy a socket from them too because it is a standard size for the hitch ball nut on the 3/4 shanks. The double ended boxed wrenches from Northern will fit too (I have one) and at $14 are fairly cheap and you can use 3" black pipe for a cheater bar.
Hate to state the obvious, but, if you are talking the nut at the back of the bracket/end of the arm, did you remove the cotter pin from the castle nut? Just figured that might be a detail you forgot while being in a junk yard.
> Have wrench
If you are talking crescent wrench, it will not work. If you have a real plumbers wrench (monkey), it might, if you jacked the truck up high enough and put a six foot cheater bar on it.
Single impact socket is $20 from NAPA or a complete 3/4 set from Harbor or Northern is $50-$60. I bought the $60 3/4" set from Northern (in metric) to fit the larger sized nuts. If you have a West Marine or trailer place near by you can buy a socket from them too because it is a standard size for the hitch ball nut on the 3/4 shanks. The double ended boxed wrenches from Northern will fit too (I have one) and at $14 are fairly cheap and you can use 3" black pipe for a cheater bar.
Hate to state the obvious, but, if you are talking the nut at the back of the bracket/end of the arm, did you remove the cotter pin from the castle nut? Just figured that might be a detail you forgot while being in a junk yard.
> Have wrench
If you are talking crescent wrench, it will not work. If you have a real plumbers wrench (monkey), it might, if you jacked the truck up high enough and put a six foot cheater bar on it.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 526
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From: Spokane, WA
Hey I know where you are coming from! Those bolts are torqued over 300 ft/lbs from the factory (I think spec is 325). I had to use heat (a propane torch worked, but slowly), 2 impact sockets welded together (to get it deep enough to get the lower nut), a breaker bar and a 4 foot cheater bar. When they broke loose they were still tight from the rust, but I was able to use a huge ratchet to get them the rest of the way apart (about a 2 foot arm ratchet). You have to use a 3/4 dirve socket for the lower socket (the bolt is longer than the socket, thus it goes through the 3/4 drive hole of the lower socket) and for the top socket you can use either 1/2 or 3/4 (use impact sockets, no chrome, easier to weld).
Good luck! Remember the anti-seize when you reassemble.
Kenny
Good luck! Remember the anti-seize when you reassemble.
Kenny
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Collierville
Put some good penitrating oil on a rag and put it over the bolt/nut. I have user large rubber bands to keep it in place and held tight on the problem area. Really soak the rag to the piont that it is dripping. Leave it on all week and on Saturday morning you will be amazed at how much easier it seams to remove. By easier I only mean in compairson to how hard it is now. I even stop by every afternoon to give it a little more spray as I pass the truck. Cost me a whole can of liquid wrench but it came off fine after that.
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From: Collierville
I just remembered how I got mine off. I used a large breaker bar with a socket and then used my floor jack to jack up the truck on the end of the bar. When the truck started to go up in the air I got in and bounced in the cab. The nut came loose and then it came off without a problem.
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Originally Posted by 66gpw
What do I have to do. Load up my torches and haul them into the feild and heat the nuts up. Risk burning the truck and the field?
So far all I got is a blister on my left hand where it got pinched between the wrench and the metal plate of the convertor.
So far all I got is a blister on my left hand where it got pinched between the wrench and the metal plate of the convertor.
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Delisle/Vanscoy, Sk.
I do not want to damage the threads if the arm is good. I'm trying take it off tomake sure I can use this arm since the one on my truck has a wore spot that causes it to thunk around. So if the arm on the parts truck is good I will put it on my truck.
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Joined: Jul 2006
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Originally Posted by 66gpw
I do not want to damage the threads if the arm is good. I'm trying take it off tomake sure I can use this arm since the one on my truck has a wore spot that causes it to thunk around. So if the arm on the parts truck is good I will put it on my truck.
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Delisle/Vanscoy, Sk.
FINALLY !!!
I got the bolts to finally bust loose. It took loading the welder on the truck. Paying for that tonite with my back. Small grass fire under the truck, That nut once broke free still fought his way off. Wrench in position use foot to move. put wrench in position, use foot all the way off. It would not budge for arm muscles.
The one on top of the Ibeam broke free and was able wrench those ones off with my arms, they too squacked all the way off. Good thing is this radius arm looks good no wear spot. It still on the truck. Have to go hammer the bolt out yet. Ran out of time. Had to get to an appointment. will get it off later this week.
Good thing is my truck I can drive into the shop and use the impacts to remove. First will invest into deepsocket impact. I will also be installing new springs while I'm at it. Why do that agin later. They ar4e sagged and need replacing.
I got the bolts to finally bust loose. It took loading the welder on the truck. Paying for that tonite with my back. Small grass fire under the truck, That nut once broke free still fought his way off. Wrench in position use foot to move. put wrench in position, use foot all the way off. It would not budge for arm muscles.
The one on top of the Ibeam broke free and was able wrench those ones off with my arms, they too squacked all the way off. Good thing is this radius arm looks good no wear spot. It still on the truck. Have to go hammer the bolt out yet. Ran out of time. Had to get to an appointment. will get it off later this week.
Good thing is my truck I can drive into the shop and use the impacts to remove. First will invest into deepsocket impact. I will also be installing new springs while I'm at it. Why do that agin later. They ar4e sagged and need replacing.