Alright so me and my neighbor are trying to get the suspension off his 02 WRX.
He is in the process of installing some agx's and we're am having dificulty removing the upper lower front strut bolt on the drivers side. It looks like it has a washer where as the lower bolt did not. I've tried putting a jack under the control arm and lifting it up, but that isn't helping at all. I've broken a ratchet trying to get this bugger off.

Is there a trick to getting this thing off? We pulled the arm off a 3ton floor jack to use as a breaker bar, but ended up ruining the ratchet. It looked like the bolt just may be siezed on the washer. The bottom bolt didn't have a washer, came off easily. Soaked it down the WD40 more than once, it just won't budge. Even used a 275ftlb air gun, and it didn't budge.

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Already posted up on Nasioc, no help yet. Anyone on here have any sound advice?

-Nick

If you are convinced that the nut is just stuck, clean up the threads, get yourself a propane torch, and heat the nut up real good. When you get it good and hot, hit it with the WD40. A fair amount of smoke will result as it sucks the oil into the threads. Do that cycle a few times and then put your ratchet with cheater bar back on there while it is warm. I have had this work quite a few times. I have also seen my Dad catch a can of WD40 on fire so use a little caution.

Well, I'm not so sure about that way, but hey if it works. A generous dose of heat may be in order for this one. Try a Mapp Gas torch (can be had for under $20 at Advance) and try to heat it up. If all else fails I can lend Phil the impact I've got out at the storage unit. It's 900ftlbs in reverse and 750ftlbs in forward.

Be sure to keep the heat away from the strut though. It'll explode if it gets too hot.

In my experience, PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench work better at unseizing bolts than WD40. You might just try soaking it with one of those.

First, I'd try PB blaster, that stuff does things that WD40 can't quite get accomplished. Then I'd just use a hacksaw and cut the nut portion off and then cold chisel at the remaining portion that you couldn't hack off with a small sledge. It's likely a crash bolt that has seized up on the cast knuckle.

Also consider using a normal breaker bar instead of the ratchet to break torque. I've done it a thousand times myself, but you really don't want to use a ratchet to break torque on a tought customer like this.

275ftlbs ain't shit when it comes to a big bolt like that. Sounds similar to the gun I've got and it will barely break lug nuts loose at times. Get a good 18" 1/2" drive breaker bar and put the piece of pipe back on there. Ratchets aren't designed to take that kind of abuse.

Oh, and PB Blaster is the $hit!!

I have used the torch and PB Blaster at times. Which ever is closest. That stuff is bad ass so with a little heat it has to be better

got it off today.

what ended up being the fix????

elbow grease, overnight soaking with PB Blaster, and a huge cheater bar.

Is that Subie uber slammed now? I need to come over and see Philthy's car "ridin dirty".