Tie rods and stripped bolts | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Tie rods and stripped bolts

chefduane

Texas Elite Explorer
Joined
January 22, 2013
Messages
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Location
TEXAS!
City, State
Plano, TX.
Year, Model & Trim Level
None: SOLD 9/16
I did my inner tie rods and tie rod ends (both sides) today. Really not a big job except getting the zip tie on at the rack end of the boot. There was a little slop on both sides but nothing too bad. They were original @ 195k miles so this was as much preventative maintenance as it was actually addressing an issue.
But, I have a real problem now. I was also going to do my front hub/bearings
but the drivers side lower caliper bracket bolt is not budging. No way, no how, nope, never, is it gonna' come loose. So... it is now stripped round. I've soaked with PB Blaster, heated it, banged it with a BFH, and not even a bolt extractor kit I bought will move the thing. Same with the upper though not as badly stripped. The pass sides are also on there like they're welded. Any suggestions as to how to get these to move? I thought maybe I'd just grind them off but then the stud still would be stuck in the knuckle.
Am I relegated to cutting them off and replacing the knuckle and caliper bracket?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
 



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Duane, were you using a SIX POINT 18mm socket? Penetrant, heat, and a short cheater pipe will usually break them free. Impact?
 






6 point 15mm to be exact. Yep, tried all those. Even my breaker bar won't budge them. I do have an impact tool but there is no way there is enough room back there to use it. Any other suggestions?:(
 






If you haven't, turn the wheel to steering lock for added clearance. Start the engine first to avoid P/S fluid aeration. Need that impact.
 






it's a bit of extra work, but you can remove the steering knuckle from the truck. then you'll have plenty of room to use an impact, or heat it up with a real torch. if the bolt head is so stripped that nothing will grab it, you can always weld a nut to it. you might even be able to cut the head off with a saws-all or grind it off. sometimes you just have to go medieval of stuff. unless I'm wrong, the bolt passes through the knuckle and threads into the hub bearing. I've even drilled through bolt heads and chiseled them off.

Edit: I just realized your talking about a brake caliper bracket bolt. so some of my thoughts aren't valid.
 






Yeah, the head is stripped round. The caliper bracket bolt does bolt through into the knuckle. And... I am not a welder and have no welding eqpt. I do have a sawzall but even if I cut the head off, or was able to get between the bracket and the knuckle, there would still be a stud in the knuckle. If all else fails, I'm thinking about just going to the local yard and pulling a knuckle off a junker (assuming I can get THOSE bolts loose) and then swapping them out. A steering knuckle is just a machined hunk of metal and if I cleaned it up it would probably be OK. But I would REALLY like to figure out how to get this bolt out.

Koda: Did you get the endlinks yet?
 






Cut the heads of the bolts off using whatever method you choose, I'd use a cold chisel, then drill the bolt shafts and use an easy out.
 






Yeah, the head is stripped round. The caliper bracket bolt does bolt through into the knuckle. And... I am not a welder and have no welding eqpt. I do have a sawzall but even if I cut the head off, or was able to get between the bracket and the knuckle, there would still be a stud in the knuckle. If all else fails, I'm thinking about just going to the local yard and pulling a knuckle off a junker (assuming I can get THOSE bolts loose) and then swapping them out. A steering knuckle is just a machined hunk of metal and if I cleaned it up it would probably be OK. But I would REALLY like to figure out how to get this bolt out.

Koda: Did you get the endlinks yet?

Not yet probably tomorrow (no mail today).

If you do get a knuckle from the yard, take the whole thing home and use an impact wrench. The bolts should come out, but they will be tight and probably a bit rusty. Ford puts red Loctite on those bolts, so they respond well to heat.
 






nut

Remember,its righty tighty, lefty loosey.

Ok, sorry about that. I have a serious character flaw that come out every now and then

But I do have one suggestion, they make a special socket to grasp rounded off bolts. Got mine at Sears. They do grip.

Good luck on it/
.
 






Remember,its righty tighty, lefty loosey.

Ok, sorry about that. I have a serious character flaw that come out every now and then

But I do have one suggestion, they make a special socket to grasp rounded off bolts. Got mine at Sears. They do grip.

Good luck on it/
.

I think the OP already tried this.
 






Cut the bolt head off and go to the auto parts store and get a new "reman" caliper braket. Then buy new bolts (The new bracket might have them) and put it back together
 






Cut the bolt head off and go to the auto parts store and get a new "reman" caliper braket. Then buy new bolts (The new bracket might have them) and put it back together

So then how do I get the bolt stud out of the back of the knuckle?
 












Maybe I am missing something here. Doesn't the bolt go through the hole in the caliper bracket and then screw into the back of the steering knuckle? Even if I cut the bolt head off and got the bracket off wouldn't the bolt stud STILL be stuck in the knuckle?
 






No it mounts to the outside of the spindle. Only the bracket has threads also, not the spindle. The bolt is probably just stuck from rust/Loctite.

Once you cut the head off you can pull the bracket toward you and it will come off with the brake rotor.
 






Boomin', that's good news. I'll check it out tomorrow. If I can just grind the head off and get the bracket off, I'll be a happy camper! I'll run by the local NAPA and get a new caliper bracket. And I already brought new bolts under the assumption that I could get the bolt out with an extractor. Whew. I am feeling a bit better about this now.
 






Why not try grinding flat edges on the bolt head to use the bolt grip kit you already have

When I replaced my caliper bracket my bolts on driver side lower was a bear. Come to find out my socket had slightly cracked cause the slop and almost a rounded head. For me I was able to use heat and new socket/breaker bar. I didn't just heat the bolt head but that part the bolt passes threw (knuckle?) I had to keep it there for a few minutes. I had an electric impact that was to big to get in as well.

This helped me on ideas http://addto.it/Remove-Broken-Stripped-Rounded-or-Damaged-Bolt-Heads-and-Nuts I also read a review that the best rust penetration was 50/50 atf and acetone
 






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