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[aaronjb]

Before I go out and buy something that ultimately won't work and will just frustrate me more

I need to get the lower wishbone off the Jag and the pivot bolt will not give up it's rusty hold on the chassis. On the drivers side we were able to split the wishbone to take the forward half off and then pound the bolt back just enough to get the grinder in and take the rearward bolt head off et viola, the wishbone was off.

Passenger side is having none of that and to make matters worse the two halves of the wishbone have rusted themselves together - ultimately meaning I can't get the grinder in there (maybe a 9" but I don't have one of those.. not to mention I'd risk easily slicing the wishbone!)


I think I can get something with a reciprocating blade in there, though.. so the question is - if you had to cut through a 1/2" hardened pivot bolt would you use:

1) Something like this: http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=432920 (not necessarily the cheapest nastiest one, but this kind of thing)
or
2) http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.asp?gotonode=ViewProduct&method=mViewProduct&productid=11725&productdescription=&productcode=&category=12&catgroup=307&catmicrogroup=&analysiscode=&requiredresults=16


I worry about access with option 1 and with option 2 most of the manuals say 'max cutting capacity = 2mm' so I wonder if I'd be on a hiding to nothing!


P.S. Custard pie in the face to the first person who says "Use a hacksaw you big girl!"

[henryd]

If you have a compressor why not pick up a cheap air saw,with a decent hacksaw blade fitted it should do what you want,its not quick but should be ok

[aaronjb]

That's what I thought - option 2 is just a more expensive version with longer stroke.. but on reading the manuals for the cheaper air saws they say 'Max cutting thickness 2mm' - a bolt is considerably thicker..

But logically I did think "Well it's just an air powered hacksaw" and I've used a hacksaw to cut through bolts plenty of times

[henryd]

That's what I thought - option 2 is just a more expensive version with longer stroke.. but on reading the manuals for the cheaper air saws they say 'Max cutting thickness 2mm' - a bolt is considerably thicker..

But logically I did think "Well it's just an air powered hacksaw" and I've used a hacksaw to cut through bolts plenty of times

It'll cut any thickness bolt you want,just takes longer.

[aaronjb]

Air saw it is, then!

I do love buying new tools 

[Kevin Wood]

What about one of the small air powered disk cutters? I think you'll be there all day with either option, but it might bet into the area easier?

I have both one of those and an el-cheapo reciprocating saw if you'd rather not splurge on a tool for a single use?

Argh! What am I saying? Any excuse to buy toys.

[feeutfo]

Can't get a jig saw on it, just to see if the blade will make any inroads on a hardened bolt...?

I wonder do the air saws take much to stall the blade? Guessing not.

[aaronjb]

Unfortunately not - there's too much chassis around the bolt to get anything with a short blade on it in there; which is also the problem with the grinder - you can get part way through the bolt, though, so I could always start with that and finish the slow way with the air saw...

The air saw that I just ordered, that is 

[Dishevelled Den]

Air saw it is, then!

I do love buying new tools 

Use a hacksaw ya big girl ya.

[aaronjb]

Use a hacksaw ya big girl ya.

We have a winner! How would you like your pie delivered, Den?

[Kevin Wood]

Use a hacksaw ya big girl ya.

We have a winner! How would you like your pie delivered, Den?

At speed, sloppy side first, in the general direction of his face?

[feeutfo]

Sideways on, mouth wide open.

[markrnorton]

I had a similar issue removing a bolt from the front suspension last week. I got a blowtorch on it for about 5 mins, heated it up.
It was enough to break the rust and get a splitter on the joint.

Try a bit of heat ?

[Dishevelled Den]

  Splendid.

[feeutfo]

Yes was thinking heat earlier. Didn't mention it

[aaronjb]

I had a similar issue removing a bolt from the front suspension last week. I got a blowtorch on it for about 5 mins, heated it up.
It was enough to break the rust and get a splitter on the joint.

Try a bit of heat ?

Is a valid idea I set it on fire yesterday though to no avail Well, not the wishbone itself, obviously Got it as hot as I could with a blowtorch though and the rubber shock bush caught fire (my does that ever pong in a garage!).. not really as hot as an oxy torch would have got it though - I recon it might have shifted with that..

But, since oxy torches scare the bejezus out of me (and I don't like the idea of storing two big tanks of flammable gasses by the house ) - saw it is!

[henryd]

I had a similar issue removing a bolt from the front suspension last week. I got a blowtorch on it for about 5 mins, heated it up.
It was enough to break the rust and get a splitter on the joint.

Try a bit of heat ?

Is a valid idea I set it on fire yesterday though to no avail Well, not the wishbone itself, obviously Got it as hot as I could with a blowtorch though and the rubber shock bush caught fire (my does that ever pong in a garage!).. not really as hot as an oxy torch would have got it though - I recon it might have shifted with that..

But, since oxy torches scare the bejezus out of me (and I don't like the idea of storing two big tanks of flammable gasses by the house ) - saw it is!

I doubt that the bolt is hardened anyway,it'd be too brittle to absorb shock,probably just toughened which the airsaw will cut,I normally use normal hack saw blades cut down to a suitable length.

[markrnorton]

I had a similar issue removing a bolt from the front suspension last week. I got a blowtorch on it for about 5 mins, heated it up.
It was enough to break the rust and get a splitter on the joint.

Try a bit of heat ?

Is a valid idea I set it on fire yesterday though to no avail Well, not the wishbone itself, obviously Got it as hot as I could with a blowtorch though and the rubber shock bush caught fire (my does that ever pong in a garage!).. not really as hot as an oxy torch would have got it though - I recon it might have shifted with that..

But, since oxy torches scare the bejezus out of me (and I don't like the idea of storing two big tanks of flammable gasses by the house ) - saw it is!

Sometimes it does take a few heat cycles to break the joint, but it sounds like you're down to a bit of elbow grease with a saw.
However, if you dont like the idea of ox/da what about a plasma cutter 

[aaronjb]

I doubt that the bolt is hardened anyway,it'd be too brittle to absorb shock,probably just toughened which the airsaw will cut,I normally use normal hack saw blades cut down to a suitable length.

Didn't think of cutting hacksaw blades down - could have saved myself the cost of a set of air saw blades.. still, I'll remember that for the future!

Sometimes it does take a few heat cycles to break the joint, but it sounds like you're down to a bit of elbow grease with a saw.
However, if you dont like the idea of ox/da what about a plasma cutter 

Ooh a plasma cutter I'd have cut the whole car into little bits by now if I had one of those.. 

[markrnorton]

I doubt that the bolt is hardened anyway,it'd be too brittle to absorb shock,probably just toughened which the airsaw will cut,I normally use normal hack saw blades cut down to a suitable length.

Didn't think of cutting hacksaw blades down - could have saved myself the cost of a set of air saw blades.. still, I'll remember that for the future!

Sometimes it does take a few heat cycles to break the joint, but it sounds like you're down to a bit of elbow grease with a saw.
However, if you dont like the idea of ox/da what about a plasma cutter 

Ooh a plasma cutter I'd have cut the whole car into little bits by now if I had one of those.. 

Thats what i need eventually to get rid of the v6's bodyshell !! make things a whole lot easier

[Nick W]

Ooh a plasma cutter I'd have cut the whole car into little bits by now if I had one of those.. 

Thats what i need eventually to get rid of the v6's bodyshell !! make things a whole lot easier

Actually, it's a pain to use a plasma cutter to cut up an entire bodyshell; they're not good on double skinned panels, and box sections take a fair bit of effort.

Best thing is a 9" angle grinder! You'll have a bare shell in four pieces in about 5 minutes even if you're using a £50 grinder from B&Q. Plus, they're not bothered by the odd bit of trim/wiring/bolt that you forgot to remove.

[aaronjb]

I can safely say that it was a long, tedious job to get through one side of the pivot bolt with the air saw! Used about five blades doing it, too..

And after all that, I still can't split the two halves of the damned wishbone. T'other side came off so easily, too! Grrr.

Now formulating a plan to get the other half of the pivot bolt off .. maybe I'll invest in a 9" grinder next

[mantahatch]

I got a 12 petrol disc cutter and steel cutting blades here if you like. Not to many years ago I cut up a Opel Manta, reduced the whole thing down to bits big enough to fit in 5x4 trailer. Good fun. Found the hardes bit was the gearbox tunnel as awkward to get the grinder in properly.

[ngrainqey]

is the bolt like the pinch bolt on the omega-wishbone to strut balljoint? if so then i hit a masonry chisel into the gap to try and free it off a bit, got a bit warm but that and a balljoint splitter got it off and regarding the pinch bolt its self, take the brake caliper and carrier off, turn the steering then get a suitable bar and a big hammer in it

[aaronjb]

Nah it's one reaaaly long (12" or so) bolt that runs through the pivot axis of both rear bushings, like an axle.. which, unfortunately, you can't actually get out without removing the steering rack (because the rack is in the way of the bolt sliding out backward) - and on the V12, also the exhaust system (because the CATs are in the way)..

So on the other side we freed off the front half of the wishbone (it's in two pieces) and got that off, then pounded the bolt back just far enough to get the grinder in and free the rear half.

Sadly on this side the pivot bolt just isn't budging despite the pounding, and although I've ground through the front half of the pivot bolt so the front wishbone half is free, I can't get the two halves unstuck from one another and can't get the grinder in to free the back half because the bolt won't pound back any...


Bigger grinder will probably do it as the disc will go in without the body of the grinder hitting the wishbone.

[aaronjb]

Success!

[Van Helsing]

Glad you got it sorted, but that workshop / garage looks far to new and clean compared to mine.....

[aaronjb]

  That's because it is! Only had it built last year