Bolts out but lower control arm won't come out

Pictures?

Pixel XL ?

 

Check out this thread;

Lower Control arm replacement. Trouble removing them. | Page 2 | PriusChat

 

Have you unbolted from the "knuckle" that's just behind the wheel?

I've never done anything like this; just grasping at straws.

 

It must be pinching some corner or other, and a tap in the right direction will set it loose, has to. Easier said than done I know...

I had the front raised, wheels and undercover off on ours yesterday, rust-proofing a bit. Those components are fresh in my mind.

You've removed these bolts:



And these:



I'm curious, for the two main bolts (second picture): what did you use, a breaker bar, or impact wrench, air or electric?

 

Boiled linseed oil. Recommended here by @tvpierce .

I'd applied it about 2 years back, and thought I'd revisit, both to see how it was holding up, and catch anything I might have missed. It was in really good shape still. I apply now with a foam brush (get big pack at craft store, cheap).

The boiled linseed oil is available in parts department of any hardware store. Up here around $10 for a liter (you only need a cup or two, each application). Likely a lot cheaper in the states.

They apply a lot of salt on the roads here, and our winters are mostly wet, lousy mix...

It's excellent for application on bolts btw, the coatings they use on bolts these days do not seem to hold up at all!

See the last two pictures in this post, bottom bolt on the rear shock, before rust proofing (around 2013?), and recently, about a year after linseed oil application.:

Do you need underbody rust protection on new Prime? | Page 3 | PriusChat

 

I was just thinking about that lol. Have you noticed the other current thread on lower control arm. The guy's mechanic is having no luck (so far) breaking loose the 2 big bolts (22 mm socket size).

There is a product called Never-Seize (has regular and "nuclear" grades...). I have a book titled Pocket Ref (by Thomas J. Glover): it recommends a 0.45 torque reduction factor if you use Never-Seize. So instead of clean/dry threads and 172 ft/lb:



Maybe coat with Never-Seize and use around 80 ft/lb??

@Georgina Rudkus will maybe comment?

 

In the text I previously mentioned, silver and copper anti-seize torque reduction recommendation is 0.90 and 0.80 respectively.

I'd highly recommend to get one, maybe a 1/2" drive, one that gets at least to 200 foot/pounds, what with the 22 mm bolts being 172 ft/lb (dry threads).

Again, if you use something like Never-Seize, maybe you can cut the torque value: 172*0.45=77??

Maybe I'm missing something, but do you need to separate the ball joint? If you take off the 3 bolts here, haven't you freed it:

 

Some info on Never-Seez Regular Grade:



(See pdf attached)

My scenario for example:

I currently have a torque wrench that only goes to 150 foot/pounds. Worth noting too: torque wrenches get increasingly inaccurate near their range limits. If the 172 foot/pound bolts have regular Never-Seez applied to the thread, maybe sufficient torque is 172*0.7=120 foot pounds.

And a side benefit: if you ever need to remove those bolts again, should be easier.

Again, maybe @Georgina Rudkus will comment?

 

For a counterpoint, with Permatex Silver Grade Anti-Seize (this is what I have, commonly available), they recommend to use usual torque value:



(See PDF attached)

(Similar data sheet for Copper Grade also says to use normal torque values.)

 

I have both a 3/4 drive torque wrench and a Snap-On dial torque wrench from my aerospace engineer days. The dial torque wrench is the most accurate throughout its entire range. It reads to 175 ft. lbs. and would do the job. The 3/4 drive torque wrench will be about 2/3 of it's range at 172 ft. lbs. Either one would suffice for tightening the bolts.

I'd recommend using a cheap 1/2 drive Harbor Freight $10+ (with coupon) torque wrench, tighten it to the upper limit of the wrench, and then, using a long arm breaker bar, another 45 to 60, or even 90 degrees. This will get you into the "ball park" of the correct torque.

Hot Rod Magazine tested the cheap Harbor Freight torque wrench and found it nearly as accurate as the Snap-On.

Click type torque wrenches lose their accuracy, because careless technicians do not relieve the pressure on the spring after each session of use. That "weakens" the spring and leads to lower torque readings in their future use. With the pressure released after each use, the wrench can remain accurate for many uses and years.

 

Yeah I've read to always release them. Also that it's good to leave them at their min setting, not completely slacked off??

I have a cheap-as-dirt 1/2" drive, micrometer style torque wrench, purchased God it must be at least 35 years back. Also more recently purchased 3/8" and 1/4" drive torque wrenches, the latter good for things like throttle body hold-down bolts/nuts.

My 1/2" has a 150 pound ceiling, got me looking at this, and I don't even have a suspension issue, lol:

GearWrench (85066) 1/2" Torque Wrench

(30-250 foot/pound range), about $150 CDN.

 

Additionally, I would "bite the bullet" and use all new bolts, as the old one might have been overstressed with rough removal techniques.

A good example of catastrophic failure could be learned in the crash of Jimmy Leeward's Galloping Ghost at the 2011 Reno Air Races.

2011 Reno Air Races crash - Wikipedia