Yet another supension question!

Did an oil change today. While I was under there, I had a good look at the
fasteners I will be rquired to attack when I eventually do the suspension
bushings.

Everything appears straightforward, except for one item: The inboard-most
bolt on the lower control arm.

The nut for that bolt is surrounded by a sort of strut or bracket that is
welded to the crossmember. This bracket surrounds the nut too closely to be
able to get even a thinwall socket on.

Am I correct in assuming that this nut is solidly mounted and will not
rotate as I turn the bolt head? There are no spot welds on the nut.

Also looks like I'm going to have to hammer out the bolt that goes thru the
bottom of the shock fork. After 14 years, it's gotta be rusted solid to its
control arm bushing's inner sleeve.

 

All three nuts screwing onto the three bolts of each of the (rear) lower
control arms of my 1991 Civic are welded in place.

The inboard-most bolts (on both sides) are the only ones on the lower
control arms with which I didn't have major problems. Sprayed them down with
PB Blaster. They broke free fine.

I don't think I ever got that bolt free. I unfastened the inboard-most bolt
and chiseled, ground, hacksawed the outboard bolt out. I replaced the lower
control arm and strut/shock assembly as a unit.

Why are you replacing these bushings?

I did one side. It wasn't worth it.

 

Cause they're ancient, saggy, and cracked. Kinda like Mary Tyler Moore.

I must be a sucker for punishment: Not only am I gonna do it, but I'm gonna
photograph the whole mess, mistakes and all!

I pick up the PB Blaster tomorrow afternoon, just before I get my car
appraised.

 

the nut's captive - it won't move. just remove the bolt.

 

Reminds me of me. At least I imagine you have a better set of tools for this
job than I.

OTOH, based on what you said, I'm not touching my front trailing arm
bushings until I hear a "wonk" in the back, indicating total failure of one.

I trust you already own a torch, 'cause this was one time when PB Blaster
just wasn't enough. Also, I trust you've read the archives for the various
techniques for dealing with those lower control arms. Like snapping off the
welded nut...

Jim Beam knows all. ;-)

 

what's that supposed to mean???

 

'sa compliment. To be more precise: You have a lot of suggestions on this,
with the exception you're not completely acquainted IIRC with the effects of
northern winters on those control arm bolts.

We went through dealing with those ridiculous control arm
bolts-frozen-in-bushings (well, the middle and outboard one, anyway) this
past fall, with some other folks also contributing to the thread.

Buy the torch.

Otherwise, you'll forgive me for rolling the dice on my trailing arms. I'm
figuring four more years on my beloved 91 Civic, so it won't be worth it.
Though I must say she is running s-mooooth after my coolant change
yesterday. Temperature gage even seems to be indicating a wee bit cooler.
And shucks yes still over 40 mpg this fine spring.

What is it exactly that you do when driving your Honda that made you
comment, not long ago, that I was less likely to notice new trailing arm
bushings than you were? Simply boy-stuff like fast cornering?

Back to Tegger's project...

 

fair enough - won't labor the point about the californian idyll.

i guess. i've torn old cracked bushings in the middle of a turn - can
feel them go when the car suddenly becomes all sloppy & hard to control.

fast cornering? moi? it's never a point of honor to double up on an
exit ramp's speed limit. ever. especially not when the car behind you
is a rodded mustang. no sir.

 

Tegger: How much did your integra get appraised
for?

t

 

$2,750 Cdn. I get the full report later this week. It cost $165 Cdn.

This does not mean I'd be able to sell the car for $2,750, just that the
insurance company will pay me that much upon total loss, or will repair up
to 80% of that figure in case of less-than-total loss. This figure is good
for at least 3 years, with a re-appraisal advisable after 3 years, and
required after 5 years.

Apparently, the way the insurance companies do things here in Ontario, once
a car is older than ten years, it becomes rated as "basic transportation"
and is worth between $500 and $1,500 as a total loss. The actual
determinant of the value would be done by the damage appraiser after the
collision, and they tend to evaluate low...

The instant the appraiser looked at my car, he said "this is worth a lot
more than basic transportation". However, he said the main depressant on
the insurance value of my car is the mileage, almost 246,000 miles. If the
car had half the miles on it that it does, he could have set the value far
higher than he did.

I've never had a car appraised before, and it was a very interesting
experience.

The report will be posted when I get it.