Lower Strut bolts stuck, out of ideas

Tore down my rear struts today, and of course hit a dead end. These things won't come out! Used PB blaster, tried prying but there's really nowhere to push on. Tried hammer and punch, but there's not enough room. Tried an air hammer, but the tip is too small and just jumps off. Even tried putting the nut back on, putting a socket on the nut, and hammering it. Not one of the four moved. How can I push these out? I'd rather not have to put it back together and have a shop bail me out again.

When all else fails add heat but hit the knuckle not the strut

Tore down my rear struts today, and of course hit a dead end. These things won't come out! Used PB blaster, tried prying but there's really nowhere to push on. Tried hammer and punch, but there's not enough room. Tried an air hammer, but the tip is too small and just jumps off. Even tried putting the nut back on, putting a socket on the nut, and hammering it. Not one of the four moved. How can I push these out? I'd rather not have to put it back together and have a shop bail me out again.

with a propane torch heat the studs until they get nice and hot then hit the threaded end with a hammer ....see if you can place a socket on the threaded end so it fits loose around the stud [no nut] with an extension in the socket ... a 5lb hammer should do it...short handle !

Wait so do I heat the knuckle or the bolts?

Wait so do I heat the knuckle or the bolts?

the procedure to remove studs , that are rusted in place , is to heat the studs..get them hot enough so they are smoking pretty good then place your tools on the stud and hammer out the stud...

place the flame on the long threaded end , as that has the most exposed area to conduct the heat ...

AS THE STUD COOLS IT WILL START TO MOVE AS IT IS SHRINKING...

No heating required. Turns out I just needed a bigger hammer. 3 lb was the biggest the hardware store had and it got the job done. Those bolts are press fit, wasn't expecting that. Struts are in and she's riding much better! Thanks folks

No heating required. Turns out I just needed a bigger hammer. 3 lb was the biggest the hardware store had and it got the job done. Those bolts are press fit, wasn't expecting that. Struts are in and she's riding much better! Thanks folks

the bolts must set there tightly or the wheel alignment will not hold...

I have many hammers in my tool shack 1/2lb to 12lb..

my 5lb is used the most on vehicles short handle..

You can save a lot of beating with a hammer and the risk of putting too much of a ridge on the bolt ends (even through there are no threads there) by making a press out of a heavy duty 6" C clamp. Take a large socket (1 1/16" or better) and put it over the bolt head end (the bolt head and flange need to slide thru), then place the stationary end of the clamp on the end of the bolt, and the screw end on the socket. Begin turning (it will be a good deal of pressure) and press out the bolt head into the socket cavity. Once started, a regular 16oz hammer can be used to tap the bolt the rest of the way out.

this the idea i've been looking for. i'm going crazy trying to remove the bolts on an Accent. i was trying to think of something a guy could make to press these things out. this might work. thanks

The grade of bolt used by Hyundai was poor, depending on year. I had a 2000 Elantra where the rear lower shock bolt was essentially welded by rust, and everything I tried didn't make it budge. In a case like that, cutting it out may be the only way (I ended up selling the car).

after numerous attempts at trying to fab something that would work i came up with this. i borrowed a ball joint press from a guy and put the socket over the bolt head and the little wrench over the hole in the press to act as a stop for the threaded end of the bolt. i still had to use a big pipe on the wrench that i turned the press with but it FINALLY came. i can't believe they don't make a tool like this like a "c" clamp that you can put a wrench on. the c clamp that i tried 1st, the little turnie thing on the handle just bent clear around. you can kinda see in the pic that the wrench even bent. for it to bend across that little 2 inch hole? i don't know how much pressure that would take.

The grade of bolt used by Hyundai was poor, depending on year. I had a 2000 Elantra where the rear lower shock bolt was essentially welded by rust, and everything I tried didn't make it budge. In a case like that, cutting it out may be the only way (I ended up selling the car).
this is what i did. above post

Every mechanic should have a 5# hammer in their box.....

i have a 5lb hammer. and a torch. i spent hours heating and beating these things. i don't think the hulk get heave gotten them out. plus, you only have so much room to swing. if i had more room, id'a used a sledge hammer. still, if there was a squeezy tool like i had, but better designed, it would make quick work out of strut bolts.

Hmmm...I never had one that a air hammer didn't knock out.

i have a 5lb hammer. and a torch. i spent hours heating and beating these things. i don't think the hulk get heave gotten them out. plus, you only have so much room to swing. if i had more room, id'a used a sledge hammer. still, if there was a squeezy tool like i had, but better designed, it would make quick work out of strut bolts.
I was working on a '98 Malibu that had a broken spring in the rear strut. Seems like an easy job right? Well I could not get those bolts out on it either. Did not try the C-clamp. That's a good idea. I even undid other links to drop it down lower to really get a good swing on it with a sledge. Nope. Anyways, I ended up changing the spring while it was still on the vehicle. I used spring compressors and everything. It was like the most challenging puzzle I've ever worked on. Really fun.

I recently spent hours working on drivers side and for most of the work listed above. By the time I got to passenger side it was sorted out...I got the passenger strut bolt out in about 15 minutes...

Grind both head and tip of mount bolt down to the closest point possible... 5 min carefully grinding.
Drill into the bolt about 1/8" with a good bit that is just shy of bolt size (my bolts were 12m). 2 min drilling on each side.
Place slide hammer on strut mount and hammer it out of channel. By far this was the least amount of time spent removing these rusted in struts.

Good luck and use sharp bit...