Serious struggle with drop link bolt stuck in wheel carrier

Hey Everyone, I'm replacing my front struts. When trying to get my drop link bolt out of the wheel carrier, it won't budge-it's locked like nothing I've ever experienced!!! I pounded on it with a heavy hammer, I heated the metal, I sprayed penetrating oil on it, nothing is working. I have the same problem on the other side as well. Does anyone have suggestions?

Cut the link side off so u can put an inpact on the nut end. If u can get it to spin it will break free. If u have a welder u can weld a nut on the threaded side. The last guy with this issue removed the upright and had a shop press it out

I had exactly this problem. I don't have an impact driver or a press. I had to take the strut off the car. I tried pounding it with hammers and all I did was peen over the end of the bolt. I was only successful when I ground the remains of the bolt flat and centre punched, then drilled out the majority of the bolt. Once most of the bolt was gone in this way I was able to put a drift in the hole and use a hammer to pound out the remains. Along with in-situe AOS replacement, this is pretty much the worst job to have to do on our cars.

Wow am I lucky. I just finished this project in a salted roads winter state and can now verify all the stories are true that my cab came from salt-free states until it was used summer only here. All of my suspension parts including my drop links came out cleanly and easily with all the factory green anti-seize material clearly in place. That's on a 2002 with 109,000 miles and original suspension.

Thanks everyone, I had to pull the knuckle, and I took it to a machine shop and they got the bolt out.

It took me almost a week (several hours per night) of hammering heating, turning etc. to get one of these bolts out. Even once I got it to turn, it took what felt like an eternity to get it out. I just found the photo of it yesterday� see below. You can�t even see the threads, as they�re packed with the oxide that had �welded� the bolt to the carrier�

Props to you for your persistence. Can't believe the condition of that bolt. No wonder it was a nightmare!

I'm facing the exact same struggles right now during my suspension refresh project. I have both assemlies off the car now. I'm thinking of cutting off the drop link and using an impact on the remaining nut. Is that still the best course of action? Should I apply some heat to the area first?

Yes and yes

Same position here - I've tried everything, it looks like I'll have to pull the unit off the car tomorrow and try to drill it out.

Drilling is going to be problematic as it�s at least a grade 8 (if not higher) bolt and it in the aluminum carrier. Unless you�ve got some kind of drill guide, chances are you�ll damage the carrier. If you�ve got an impact hammer/drill with a pointed bit that might get it to move. I got mine to turn early on in my struggle, but I still couldn�t get it out of the carrier. I didn�t have a hammer drill at the time but in hindsight I think it would have worked.

I think I would try heating the aluminum with a torch first. It's going to be very difficult to drill out that bolt. An air chisel with a pointed tip might get it moving when the aluminum is hot. Aluminum has 3x the thermal coeficient of expansion compared to steel.

In the end I took a length of flat bar and drilled a hole in the end to sit around the rounded head with a small gap to fill with weld. I then used some sturdy C-channel to make a fixture I could mount in the vice what bolted to the caliper mounting surface. This was the only way I could hold it firm whilst applying a torque even Archimedes would have approved of. This, with a load of heat on the housing eventually got it to crack a little. It was then a case of going back and forth with a 4 foot long bar for leverage, more heat in what felt like an endless cycle getting an extra couple of degrees movement each time. After about an hour of this I could get a full 180 degree swing from it which then made drifting it out from the other side possible. Copper grease is out friend. My next task it to try and remove the spring seat which looks like it is just a slide on fit, indexed with the little 10mm bolt. At first look, it appears to be stuck fast, but I'll try some heat to see if I can get them apart and maybe apply some gentle spread pressure between the lugs for the 10mm bolt to help break any bond. Anyone head difficulty removing the spring seat? Any techniques?