Pleeeease help. CANNOT get LCA-radius rod nut undone!!!

[javt99]

I'm trying to crack the (30mm) nut, which holds the lower control arm and the radius rod together. I cannot for the life of me get it undone!

First I totally wrecked a good adjustable wrench because I was forcing it so hard it couldn't help but keep slipping. Now I'm using using a 30mm socket, and I'm using a carjack to push the handle up, so as you can imagine there is a LOT of force behind the socket handle. It gets to the point where the handle keeps moving, but the socket doesn't - I'm scared the handle will break!

I've tried heaps of WD40, as well as Loctite Freeze & Release.

If I take it to a mechanic, they'll no doubt get it done, but how???

Please help me guys.


Oh yeah, I've got a 1999 VT Calais, if that makes any difference...

[south21]

I think you are going the wrong way, to undo you have to go anti clockwise that means push the handle down.

regards

keith

[accentstencil]

.......... push the handle down.

regards

keith

If you are undoing the nut from the left of the nut you would push the handle down, but if you were undoing the nut from the right you would pull the handle up.

[javt99]

Yeah thanks guys... "lefty loosey, righty tighty". I do know how to undo a nut. Any other tips would be appreciated though.

There aren't any pins or anything that go through somehow that physically stop it from turning are there? I'm stumped. I'm about 10 seconds away from getting Falcon...

[accentstencil]

When I did mine I bought a long handle socket drive and it wasn't easy but it did the job without breaking.

[javt99]

Yeah, I'm using a 15" socket handle. When I was doing the carjack trick, the outer end of the handle would move up (anti-clockwise) 6 or 7 inches and nothing at all would happen (except for me cringing and turning away like I was defusing a nail bomb).

Maybe it needs that same amount of force to be applied quickly to crack it, rather than slowly with the car jack. That would be hard though, as the nut has a pretty shallow profile, plus I can't get much leverage when lying on my back under the car.

[UNKNOWN]

I had the same problem, I just took the whole radius rod out with the control arm and took it to pedders.

[knowledge_is_power]

Sometimes you can use a length of pipe to extend the bar. When I did mine I had the Sub fame out on the ground and had to use all of my body weight to crack it.

Jezz

[SSbeast]

Rattle gun mate and a big one at that problary a 3/4in drive. Or if u have one an impact breaker bar there pretty good for cracking rusted nuts and bolts.

[andyman]

if i was at home id use a length of pipe on the breaker bar, the longer the pipe, the more torque on the nut

if i was at work i would use the 3/4 h/d rattle gun that has enough torque to tilt earth of axis lol

[UNKNOWN]

Rattle gun mate and a big one at that problary a 3/4in drive. Or if u have one an impact breaker bar there pretty good for cracking rusted nuts and bolts.

I tried a rattle gun on mine, didn't budge!!!

[javt99]

If I attach a length of pipe to my 15" extension handle (which has a moving socket connector on the end (but no ratchet)), is it possible that either the handle or socket connector might break before the nut moves?

It's decent quality (about $150 for the socket set).