Thought today i'd replace my knocking drop links - after all, a pretty straightforward job right? This was not the case!!

After using a whole can of WD40 and snapping an allen key in half i came to the conclusion that the nuts were well and truly seized!

Any hints on how to get the bloody things off? Guessing i'm gonna have to resort to an angle grinder, but thought i'd see if you experienced Briskodians have any helpful hints or tips before I risk it! :S

Cheers

Try using a buzz gun, or get a set of thin nosed vice grips on the rear and clamp them up and then a breaker bar on the nuts

Try using a buzz gun, or get a set of thin nosed vice grips on the rear and clamp them up and then a breaker bar on the nuts

already tried the grips and breaker bar! no budge at all buzz guns a good shout though

grind the feckers off. Had to do that numerous times. On reassembly cover it all with copper grease and it wont happen again

I take it you sprayed them with PlusGas (or some other dismantling fluid) before trying the breaker bar.

Yes, grinder for me too, I have done it several times.

DB.

Agreed - grind the buggers off. You'll usually have to resort to it for a couple of the nuts anyway, so save yourself the time and trouble by doing them all from the outset!

Blowtorch!

off to b&q tommorow to purchase some man tools

grind it off and then when its off blowtorch it to death..........no reason other than fun

I have to say... Ive changed hundreds of these on many different cars with very little trouble, having the right tools could be the key mind.

Pair if mole grips with curved jaws on the side with the rubber boot and a 18v snap-on impact gun on the other. No spray or anything! Somtimes if anything goes wrong a pry bar to pull the link from the balljoint and then mole grips on the balljoint. Simples.

A couple of tips (if it's not too late): get a 4" grinder if you can, as they are much easier to use in a confined area; use a cutting disc to remove the excess bolt length protruding from the nut, then cut straight through the nut, in the direction of the bolt, until you are just into the flange at the back - at this point you can usually twist a small screwdriver in the cut on one side of the nut, and the nut will split in half and fall off, avoiding any possibility of damage to the anti roll bar or strut bracket. Quick and easy (after you've done the first one or two).

hutchysrs50 - I have to agree with you on the method, having used it myself, but - as you say - you need the right tools, and most occasional mechanics will buy a grinder before an impact gun (especially if they already have a socket set). I actually changed the droplinks on my Fabia using mole grips and a ring spanner, but it was hard work, whereas mole grips would not fit on the tiny versions on my MX-5, and the nuts had to be cut off. I know which was the easier method, by far - horses for courses, as they say .

grind it off and then when its off blowtorch it to death..........no reason other than fun

Sadist!!

Resorted to a cheap B&Q grinder. A small fire later...drop link changed

Plusgas would have probably done it for you

Plusgas would have probably done it for you

I agree, as a few people have hinted at, WD40 is not a alterative to things like Plusgas - one is a release fluid the other is a light basic lubricant and water chaser.

Plusgas would have released the nut initially, but it still takes a long time to unscrew those OEM locknuts off a badly rusted bolt by hand, even after you've got them moving. A grinder is more often the quickest and easiest solution in my experience, as you could have had them all off in the time spent waiting for the Plusgas to penetrate the joints.

lots of heat