Pinch bolt on front left ball joint stuck tight

arseatea · Jan 25, 2018

1993 4 cyl, rwd. I need to replace the upper and lower ball joints on the left wheel.
I cannot get the pinch bolt in the I-beam to break loose. For a week, I've been soaking with wd-40, liquid wrench, pb blaster, re-soaking, even made a concoction of tranny fluid and ascetone, tried heating but afraid to do too much, tried breaker bar, rented a pneumatic impact tool and even tried a cold chisel. Nothing will break the rust that is holding this bolt tight. Now, the corners of the bolt are being rounded off and I am about to pull what little hair I have left out. I am thinking about either trying to drill the bolt out or welding a larger nut on the bolt head and trying that, except I don't have a wielder. I am presuming that the inward area where the pinch bolt goes through first is without threads and only the outward area is threaded. Is this right? The bolt is hard, and I am not sure if I can drill it with a hand-held. The other thing is the tie-rod. I have banged on the side with a hammer, and even got a smaller bolt to act as a drift to drive it out, but it is tight also. I have a pickle, but the tie rod is still in good shape and I don't want to ruin the rubber. Sorry this is so long, but I need all the help you can give me. Thanks..Ron

adsm08 · Jan 26, 2018

For the tie rod: Get a bigger hammer, don't be gentle. Put the nut on the tie rod and turn it in about flush with the end. Then alternate between wailing on the knuckle and giving the end of the stud some light taps upward.

For the pinch bolt: You are correct in your assumption about the threads. The side by the head is unthreaded.

How much heat do you have? Butane, propane, acetylene? Please say acetylene.

At this point I would get a set of round-off sockets, a can of silver anti-seize, and at least a butane soldering torch (not one of those stupid pocket ones), something with a directed blue flame.

Goop up the opening at the end of the bolt and the slit that pinches down with anti-seize. Then heat the area where the threads are. As the metal heats it will melt the anti-seize and draw it into the threads. Once that is done use the round off socket and the biggest bar you can get on it, it should break loose.

Andy D · Jan 26, 2018

split the nut with a sharp cold chisel or a Dremel.

85_Ranger4x4 · Jan 28, 2018

Andy D said:
split the nut with a sharp cold chisel or a Dremel.

The pinch bolt is a bolt that clamps the upper balljoint into the axle beam. Do not split anything that has anything to do with that.

Dunno what to tell you about the pinch bolt, I soaked mine with penetrating oil when I thought if for several months and then threw the impact at it and didn't have a problem.

If you don't have any way to get a hold of it you could grind new flats in what you have left, welding a nut on it and applying heat to the far side (yes, there are only threads in the side far from the bolt head) and trying to remove it while it is hot is probably your best bet.

If for the TRE it sounds like the nut is off, if that is the case I agree with adsm, get a good sized hammer and give the knuckle where the TRE is no quarter.

Adderall · Oct 20, 2019

My life right now.

ericbphoto · Oct 20, 2019

Patience and persistence.

Adderall · Oct 20, 2019

That’s no joke. When I first started it looked like it was recovered from the Titanic. Now you can see the cam spindle, and pinch. Several hours of Kroil, wire wheels, heat, and refrigerant.

ericbphoto said:
Patience and persistence.

ericbphoto · Oct 20, 2019

Kroil is good stuff. That and PB Blaster are my favorites.

Adderall · Oct 20, 2019

ericbphoto said:
Kroil is good stuff. That and PB Blaster are my favorites.

I haven’t had much luck with PB Blaster, but great luck with Kroil. I was planning on adding Gibbs or Mouse Milk to the rotation. The cleaning and oiling process has been ongoing since spring. If nothing else works, I’ll just cut the pinch bolt then drill it out, and make new threads. The truck was a 20 year daily driver in IL, including winters, and spent 5 years as an errand truck for a farmer after that.

Any recommendation on which brand cam bolt people prefer on here? There’s a few different makers on RockAuto.

Adderall · Nov 21, 2019

Finally got them loose. That was fun. They’re supposed to be 15mm but they were so corroded that when I stripped the rust off, I was able to hammer a 9/16 socket on and use that instead.

Adderall · Nov 21, 2019

30" SK breaker bar made life easier. Before I used the breaker though, I put a huge Wilton C clamp on the beam, using a 30mm socket over the bolt head, I pinched the thing even tighter, which helped pop the rusted bolt loose from the smooth side.

Adderall · Nov 26, 2019

Alignment guy called and asked if my I-beams were backwards because the pinch bolts are supposed to thread in from the front.

ericbphoto · Nov 27, 2019

Adderall said:
Alignment guy called and asked if my I-beams were backwards because the pinch bolts are supposed to thread in from the front.

Might need a new alignment guy.

Adderall · Nov 29, 2019

ericbphoto said:
Might need a new alignment guy.

He sees about 30 rangers owned by local farmers so I didn’t think anything of it. The design is horrible if that’s the case - tons of room from the front to access the bolts. On a side note, the AC Delco replacement pinch bolts that I bought, which are supposed to fit, are too large for the holes. That’s frustrating haha.

Pinch bolt on front left ball joint stuck tight

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