Help with rear alignment please!

Hi all. Had my wagon in to Schwab's today for an alignment. 50k on the odo and it was a NJ car till a year ago. They said the rear toe adjustment was frozen and the links need to be replaced. He didn't have a part name or number yet and is calling the dealer for parts quotes. If I'm going to replace these I want to know what they are and what I can upgrade to. Can I do this myself? I have done umpteen suspensions, exhausts and the like. What is the name of the parts for rear left and right that adjust the toe?

 

Thanks!

 

Cliff notes for the ADD impaired like me:

 

What is the part name on rear suspension that adjust the rear toe.

There is an eccentric bolt on either side of the differential:

 

http://jimsgarage.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/specb_swaybars-3.jpg

 

 

If that bolt is frozen, it needs to be cut off. If it can be unbolted, then it isn't frozen.

So any tips on breaking them free? Buttload of liquid wrench, let it sit overnight, and a breaker bar?

Aero Kroil. Order some from Amazon, spray the nut down and use a breaker bar. Should come loose.

 

Buy a set of replacement bolts and nuts, and replace them once you get the old ones out.

Aero Kroil. Order some from Amazon, spray the nut down and use a breaker bar. Should come loose.

 

Buy a set of replacement bolts and nuts, and replace them once you get the old ones out.

 

 

OK, thanks! The odd thing is it was aligned 3 months ago after swapping suspension. They came free then for adjustment but won't now. Hmmm.....

They might not be seized, then.

 

They might be trying to turn the bolt head, and that won't work.

I'd try another shop. I'm a tech for a fleet up here in Bellingham. We have been having nothing but problems with Schwab up here. The fact that you just recently had it aligned and they didn't report and problems then, makes me a little suspicious. I was told that most of the privately owned Schwab's have been bought back by corporate and thats why their service has gone so down hill. With a little elbow grease and some basic hand tools, you could probably make the repairs to the car yourself. There are upgraded end links available for the car too.

 

Good luck

I ordered some Aero Kroil. I'll try loosening them in a few days. It does seem strange to me that they are seized a couple months after they were adjusted. I looked at the last alignment and they were definately adjusted the last alignment.

I took my outback to 3 different shops and none of them could take my rear toe bolts off so I had to get under there with an angle grinder and get them off. I think its around 20 bucks for the new bolts and nuts. But they wouldnt come loose because of 6 years of rust.

same here. got my stuff from fredbeans. used a sawzall to get my bolts out. check out your outside upper control arm bushings (well all the bushings) while you are at it. mine were pratically gone!

Wake up from the dead

The cam bolts are seized in the bushing. The nuts can be unbolted. How can I get the bolts out?

How you use a sawzall, without damage the sub frame. There is not too much space.

 

Thanks

before you go cutting anything try a good penetrating oil ast stated above and try a breaker bar.

Wake up from the dead

The cam bolts seized in the bushing. The nuts can be unbolted. How can I get the bolts out?

How you use a sawzall, with damage the sub frame. There is not too much space.

Thanks

 

Air hammer. You'll want to have new bolts already.

Sawzall works too. you may need new bushings or even new arms if they are really bad. this happened to me a few years bakc.

I will try PB blaster for a week , I hope it works. if not I will try the air hammer,. BAC what kind of end bit you use with the air hammer?. I read about the sawzall but I was checking the arm , and I do not see how to cut the bolt without damage the frame or the arm.

Well if the bolt is stuck enough to where you can't get it out with an air hammer. Then you will need to replace the arm anyway, once it's cut. Also with new bolts I'd recommend coating them with antisieze. Do it once dont have to do it again.

After 8 days of spray PB blaster, heat, hammer and ...#$*& .. The bolts did not come out. I used a sawsall. It was tricky to use. The link arm has to be off from the trailing arm and turn down in order to make space for the sawsall.

 

I did a mistake; I put too much speed and burn two blades. The cut took forever. After 1 1/2 hours I realized about the burn on the blade. The trick is to use the swasall a very low speed to cut fast. (This for hard metal) It is paradox but work very well after the first fails.

Here some pictures of the rusted bushing. Also when I try to install the new busing, it went twisted, and ruined the new bushing