I am trying right now to take out my upper control arm on the passenger side of my 68 barracuda. The bolts that hold it to the chassis are frozen to the bushings. Would heat help?? Also what is the best way to remove torsion bars? I am taking out my whole front suspension.

Billy

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I'm a 17 year old with a disease called Moparosis. Is there a cure?
1968 Plymouth Barracuda (225/auto)
1966 Dodge Coronet 500 (318/auto)
1974 Dodge W200 PowerWagon (360/auto)
1996 Dodge Neon ACR

If you get lucky, you may be able to soak it with PB Blaster and drive it out with an air hammer. We had to cut the ones out of my Duster with a torch. (Very carefully I might add)

If you are taking out the lower A-arms, just back off the adjusters for the TB's, take the nut off the LCA and whack the LCA mount with a plastic hammer. That will drive the LCA and the TB back and you will be able to slide them out by hand. (Make sure to pull the rear anchor clips off the TB's first.)

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

The cheapest tool I've found for removing torsion bars is a wire rope clip. Here's a picture of one:

<img src="http://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/109/gfx/large/8913tc1l.gif">

You may want to grind the "teeth" on the saddle off, but if it is made of soft metal (<i>don't</i> ever use a stainless steel one to pull torsion bars!) this will not be a problem. Some of the cast iron ones are soft enough that they cannot scratch a torsion bar any more than you can scratch a torsion bar with your finger. But you can't be too careful there.

The way you use one is simple: After removing the clip from the torsion bar anchor, you clamp the cable clamp to the torsion bar, then smack the clip with a hammer or push against it with a hydraulic bottle jack braced against the lower control arm. This'll pop the torsion bar right out.

As for the upper control arm problem, my first impulse would be to try lots of oil, give it time to soak in, then use a crowbar.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

A rusted-in upper A frame cam bolt is a nasty thing to deal with.
You have all the good tips listed above, first soak it with good solvent, then hit it...hard with a large rod and hammer. An air hammer is also a good way to do it. Plan on distroying the bolt, beat on it with that in mind.

Last resort is to cut-out the upper A frame, that is about as nasty as it gets. Like Dennis, "been there, done that, don't like it.
Drop me a note if you need some extra A frames or cam bolts!
DD
<img src="http://www.slantsix.org/parts/list/suspension-brakes-wheels/control-arm-set.jpg"width=400>