Suspension Woes :(

[Farkel]

I've been working on the suspension yesterday and today, and things were going well until the big bolt on the tension rod... I noticed there's 2 nuts on both sides of the tension rod (17mm)

The splash guard is in the way and I can't fit a socket & rachet in there, so I tried using a wrench but there's not enough leverage. What are some tips on getting some stubborn bolts out? I soaked some previous nuts out with Liquid Wrench and a breaker bar, but that stripped part of the metal before I got it off

Should I just try and remove the entire bracket off the tension rod and then remove the 17mm nuts once it's off the car?

People with adjustable tension rods, did you just match up the length of the new adjustable ones with the length of the OEM ones and put them on? I can't find my tape measure anywhere because I just moved so I can't really measure a line from the bolts, but I want the adjustable ones to be as close as possible to spec so I won't have to align any time soon

[smokins14]

When I put my adjustable ones on, I matched them to the stock ones in length. Somehow, when I got it aligned, it turned out perfectly the same on both sides and we didn't even have to touch them.

For those two bolts on the end, I just put some WD-40 on it and let it sit for a few minutes and just gripped the hell out of the wrench and got them off. They were stubborn, but they came.

Maybe just try that. If you take off the entire bracket, you won't be able to get enough leverage on the bolts unless you have a vise. I would just get a breaker bar and pull on it really hard.

[300hp owen]

When I put my adjustable ones on, I matched them to the stock ones in length. Somehow, when I got it aligned, it turned out perfectly the same on both sides and we didn't even have to touch them..
lol, then why the eFF get adjustable ones??!?!
I know I know...

[EDacIouSX]

I used a breaker bar and mucho elbow grease. Leverage is key.

[Farkel]

Do you guys know how to take out rivets on the splash guard? I need to get that out of the way so a breaker bar will fit in there

Also, once you strip a bolt, the only way to get it out is to torch or cut it off?

[wonkuuzenki]

Yes, once you strip a bolt those are pretty much the only options, or drill it out.

[gotta240]

put a 16mm socket on there and pound the shit out of it till it fits, OR go to sears or home depot and buy a socket made JUST FOR STRIPPED BOLTS.

I removed like 20 lug nuts in 10 minutes using the easy out socket thing.

[jspaeth]

what i did, until it was time for my next alignment, was to put a long bolt through the old arm with the new arm next to it to match the length.

[kandyflip445]

Do you guys know how to take out rivets on the splash guard? I need to get that out of the way so a breaker bar will fit in there

Also, once you strip a bolt, the only way to get it out is to torch or cut it off?

Since when are the splash guards riveted on? :confused:

It should have normal fasteners with washers. IIRC they were a bunch of 10mm bolts.