Front shock absorber top bolt

[Orrp01]

Stripping front xmember completely and as is normal there’s always one bolt that won’t shift. Top shock bolt is seized in the shock and is only turning in the bush. Any advice other than drilling the bolt out?

[Mike Attew]

Are you replacing the bush and shock, if so you could burn the bush away to get to the tube. The heat may well help removing the bolt.

[droopsnoot]

I've had them stick there before now, unfortunately the two choices seem to be heat or drill. At least if you have the cross-member out of the car access isn't a problem.

That reminds me I must grease all the bolts in mine this winter, it's been a while since I checked them.

[Orrp01]

I’ll try a bit of heat but looking like I’ll have to grind both ends off and drill out. It’s out and on the bench so shouldn’t be too bad, final famous words lol

[chopper]

Pretty sure when I did this job 30 years ago that I cross drilled (at 90 deg.) the bolt/bush with a smallish drill both sides and then deliberately forced the bolt to shear, locked the bush with some gripper device somehow and then sheared the other side, eventually prising all the bits out-but it was a long time ago!

[1972nail]

When I was building my car I soaked all my bolts for weeks in various oils and potions and still had to use a blow lamp on the top shock and top wishbone bushes. Propane was useless so MAP gas was used..... that and a BIG hammer certainly made short work of them!

Be careful using heat around the shock. I know that they are probably not gas filled unless they have been replaced but there is still a bit of pressure in an oil shock which won't like a lot of heat. The top bush isn't so bad as the oil filled bit is at the other end in a Viva suspension.

[Orrp01]

Cut both ends off with the grinder and then drilled in far enough to let the shock drop out, wasn’t too bad after all.was more worried about the top wishbone bolts but they came out nicely, ty for replies

[Fred Dukes]

Lucky you with the top wishbone bolts