Identifying/loosening alignment fixing nuts and bolts

[Leck3000]

Innotec also do a freeze type solution which when I had my car aligned the guy doing it used over heating just due to time constraints/nothing else moves due to heat. Possibly worth getting that too to help shock any rust off along with plusgas/whatever else.

Im just waiting on a quote for the Deblock XS (which i think has superseded the original Deblock) & also the Deblock Ice. As i mentioned before, im going to go in all guns blazing on this as i get this impression it could otherwise be an absolute pain and I do not want to play that game currently but also desperate to get the mono's on soon and setup by Fergus.

[Ollie]

Yeah the best plan is to go full hard on trying to loosen it all up. I didnt before my alignment and very very luckily all but two of my bolts were able to be unseized. One being a caster bolt that was stuck hard the other being a camber bolt that wouldn't adjust beyond a certain point. Thankfully the opposite camber bolt would adjust to a point past that one so we just set it to the same as the other side. Wasn't massively outside of Mazda's sport suspension guidelines but it 100% improved my handling regardless compared to the stance bro camber before. Once I change my suspension probably sometime next year now Ill free up all my bolts before I take it to Fergus as I'll be south enough for that!

[ChrisHolmes]

I'd suggest Innotec Deblock as well. It's more expensive but I've had better results with it. You can use it and PlusGas together.

Thanks, I think we deal with Innotec so i will see if I can get it from them direct in a small quantity. May as well crack this walnut with a massive f*****g hammer.

This is the exact reason I hate working on road cars. Race cars are so much easier.

Who is “we” I have wondered for a while now who you work for as you have offered to supply parts at good prices in some posts, just idle curiosity?

[auditt235]

where in the midlands are you john?

Thanks Chris - Yes I am just outside Worcester. Going for the bottom ball joint tomorrow - would have done it today, but could I find my ball joint splitters...no! Would the joint split wit a few 'gentle' taps from two hammers - no!

So borrowed a couple of wedges from a mate ready for tomorrow...

John

[ChrisHolmes]

Have you tried leaving the nut on and taking the weight of the car on a Jack placed on the nut then hit the hub HARD.

[auditt235]

Well maybe I have been too gentle with it, but yes I tried that one..have left it overnight with plus gas down the top. I will try the big hammer again first tomorrow. Thanks for all the ideas it is what a good forum should be about. It will come off tomorrow!

[Leck3000]

I'd suggest Innotec Deblock as well. It's more expensive but I've had better results with it. You can use it and PlusGas together.

Thanks, I think we deal with Innotec so i will see if I can get it from them direct in a small quantity. May as well crack this walnut with a massive f*****g hammer.

This is the exact reason I hate working on road cars. Race cars are so much easier.

Who is “we” I have wondered for a while now who you work for as you have offered to supply parts at good prices in some posts, just idle curiosity?

I work for/run a company dealing in motorsport parts and equipment along with performance car parts. A bit like demon tweeks but more industry focussed.

[Ainmhidh]

or use a conventional wedge / lever ball joint splitter if you're posh!

if you're really posh

[auditt235]

Well maybe I have been too gentle with it, but yes I tried that one..have left it overnight with plus gas down the top. I will try the big hammer again first tomorrow. Thanks for all the ideas it is what a good forum should be about. It will come off tomorrow!

No it didn't!! I tried just about everything...so I resorted to becoming 'posh'. I bought a pair of ball joint crackers off Amazon - one small. and one bigger. The bigger one was set up wrongly, but when I assembled it the right way round...first attempt loud crack, but failure...second time screwing it up with a bit more finesse, I got to a point when I was wondering if the casting was going to break, so sat back and BANG - ball joint cracked. Took about 15 mins rather than several days...recommended...now just got to get the two adjusting bolts out, and the lower link will be off!

John

[ChrisHolmes]

Just is a huge understatement you will find!

[Ainmhidh]

It's my least favourite word at work - "Can you just..." meaning another three week task nobody had considered or allowed any time for is coming my way.

[geofftl1000r]

I had this sign above my desk for years..

"A lack of planning on your part doesn't constitue an emergency on mine"

...until a new boss told me to take it down, even though he agreed with the sentiment, but it wasn't "PC" anymore

Sent from my SM-G800F using Tapatalk

[auditt235]

Just is a huge understatement you will find!

Thanks Chris,

I did have my tongue in cheek with that one...I'm hoping to saw the front one off and hopefully drill and saw the back one...

Cheers

John

[auditt235]

To think I thought I had got to the point of JUST fitting the disks back on and adjust the suspension....then finished.... well a bit longer yet...

[auditt235]

sure you can, from experience all that will do is jack the car up

Had the car like this for a week. Would lower it twice a day and get an air hammer on the bolt for 15 minutes. After a week I bought one of the Milwaukee saws and cut the thing off. Took maybe 10-15 minutes.
Luckily I was not in a hurry

Brilliant idea...borrowed a Mate's reciprocating hacksaw....the arm is off! Time for another 'Just' got to get the old bushes out now!! Think I will be resorting to sawing through the rubber and then a hand saw for the metal bits...hey ho keeps you busy. Got some used and a bit rusty camber and castor bolts - going to clean them up and then have a go at zinc plating them DIY style....then lots of copaslip and put it all back together...then there's the nearside

[ChrisHolmes]

How you remove the bushes depends on whether you new bushes include a new steel centre pin. Assuming they don’t then follow the procedure below to remove the old bushes. If they do include pins then just skip the first stage

Clamp the arm in a vice with the bush vertical
Stage 1:
Apply blow lamp heat down inside the central bush, not the arm outside and not around the end. Flaming rubber is a sign to back off for a few seconds and let the heat soak through. The rubber surrounding the bush will eventually bubble signifying it has melted, apply slight downward pressure and bush will fall out.

Stage 2:
Now apply the heat to the outside of the arm and when the rubber bubbles the remains of the rubber bush can be easily pushed out.
Once cooled if your bush kit does not utilise the outer bush OE steel sleeve then this can be slotted very carefully so as not to cut into the aluminium housing and drifted out, it will not come out without a fight!

[auditt235]

Thanks Chris, sounds like a plan!

[ChrisHolmes]

Forgot to say wear heavy gloves, long sleeves and eye protection, melted and burning rubber is not good for skin comfort.

[b7owa]

Similar problem to posted here my camber bolts are siezed (My entire PZ is 99% rust)
Does anyone know where I can get a set of completely new bolts so that once they're off I can replace them.

[Delanor]

It really needs someone with a set of OE bolts/nuts to measure and list the sizes so aftermarket replacements can possibly be sourced instead of having to rely on Mazda prices although camber bolts may be difficult to replace.

Any offers?

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Del.

[ChrisHolmes]

The camber bolts are a special design with grooves to locate the graduated washers so it’s Mazda only as far as I know. By the time badly seized bolts are cut down enough to remove the arms the bush is likely to be damaged aside from which the remains of the bolt will be seized into the centre sleeve of the bush. The lower front arm rear bush sleeve has an oval hole therefore there is more chance of removing the remains of that.

[79398]

It really needs someone with a set of OE bolts/nuts to measure and list the sizes so aftermarket replacements can possibly be sourced instead of having to rely on Mazda prices although camber bolts may be difficult to replace.

Any offers?

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Del.

£35.88 plus vat from Mazda for full kit

[ChrisHolmes]

MX5 Parts do these Camber bolts for the MK3 MX5 now some parts are common to the RX-8 but part numbers will need to be checked to see if they are the same.

These are the MX5 Mk3 part numbers and if you search for RX-8 camber Bolts - "Mazdatrix" in the USA appear to show the same part numbers.


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Del.

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