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95 Escort Wagon Rear Lateral Link trouble


jiveabillion
06-13-2009, 03:08 PM
The passenger-side rear lateral link rusted and broke off of my escort wagon.
I found replacements here http://cpwstore.carpartswholesale.com/catalog/?Ntt=lateral+link&N=0&VN=4294967261+4294966839&Nr=AND(universal:0)&sv=0 (http://cpwstore.carpartswholesale.com/catalog/?Ntt=lateral+link&N=0&VN=4294967261+4294966839&Nr=AND%28universal:0%29&sv=0)
I took off the bolt that attaches the inner part of the link [it took me 2 hours to get it off], but I can't get the bolt that attaches it to the knuckle to budge.

I managed to get the nut off the bolt, but I've tried about everything I have to get the bolt to come out, but it wont budge a bit.

The car runs great, but I can't drive it until I get this fixed.
How can I get this off? And if I destroy it, where can I get replacement bolts other than a junk yard?

mightymoose_22
06-13-2009, 04:03 PM
You can always try heating the area around the bolt... sometimes that will frre things up a bit.
You can also cut off the ends to make it as small as possible and then drill through it.

Davescort97
06-13-2009, 10:34 PM
I'd try soaking it overnight with penetrating oil, then I'd use a drift (punch) the right size to drive the bolt out.

jiveabillion
07-29-2009, 08:20 PM
I've tried both of the things mentioned above, but the bolt still won't budge. I even took a sledge hammer to it. Where can I get a replacement bolt if I have to cut this one off?

mightymoose_22
07-29-2009, 09:45 PM
If you drill through it then there shouldn't be much of a bolt left... you can use a small bit and then try an easy-out.

You can also bore a hole into the bolt and then try to thread a new bolt into the hole so that tightening the new bolt will be in the same direction to loosen the initial bolt...

I'm just thinkin off the top of my head here... it's just a bolt... if it is stuck that bad then a drill should be your best friend... just don't damage the threads.

12Ounce
07-30-2009, 09:00 AM
Are you trying to turn that bolt? ... I believe it is splined and will have to be driven out.

zzyzzx2
07-31-2009, 11:28 AM
I really need pics. If this is just a bolt, can't you just knock it out and take it to a hardware store and get the appropriate grade replacement (get the right hardness rating) bolt. If it's that badly rusted, I would not want to reuse it. I'm thinking that some sort of puller might work.

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