I was removing the rear uprights, hubs & brakes from my donor car and was struggling to get the bolt from the lower wishbone out. Spent a lot of time trying and then got frustrated and cut the upright free from the wishbone. I now have a section of the bolt in between the two lower upright fixing points which again I can't get out.

Looking at the fixing points it looks like there is the upright then a metal "disk" then the bolt all as a solid part. Again I can't remove. I guess this is the lower wishbone bush? How do I now remove it?

Cut the middle section out then drill out the bolt from the upright.

Go on give us a clue, what make and model is the doner car.

Sorry it's. A 99 mx5!

I had a feeling you were going to say MX5... I did exactly the same thing!

Never did get the bolt out of mine, luckily I had a spare pair of uprights with the bolts already removed

[Edited on 16/8/12 by skov]

Its easy to remove the stock rubber bush along with the rusted in bolt - just drill through with a hole saw minus the pilot drill , and replace with a poly bush .

The thing is it looks like the bolt is within a metal sheath and the thing just won't budge.

I have it in the electrolysis bath over night so will see if that eases thing. If not is drilling out ok or will it leave to problems latter on

"Metal sheath" is the spacer.
Likely as not it will be knackered if it's been rusted in.
As above ^^ best plan is to drill or cut all around the sheath to remove it then replace with a new rubber one or do the whole lot with poly bushes (Mx5Parts or Autolink are good suppliers if you haven't already used them).
HTH
Cheers, Pewe10

I will have a go at drilling it out tomorrow. If replacing with poly bushes (this was the plan even before I found out the thing was rusted in) does it matter if the hole cut out is not 100% spot on?

Does anyone know what diameter the original hole should have been? Will the spacer drop out if I drill out the center or is that in there for good.

How are the oily bushes then fitted? Do I squeeze the rubber in then knock the steel inner into it after?

Hopefully this won't double post.
What you are trying to do is remove all the old rubber by drilling though it.
You shouldn't be altering the diameter of the hole in the wishbone metal. The metal can be cleaned up by scraping the inside gently with a scraper or file
Poly bushes should be a push fit into the wishbone.
Using a small amount of washing-up liquid will help them slide in.
If they are very tight you can press them in by using a large spacer (big socket is ideal) a length of threaded bar/studding and suitably sized washers.
If you google "changing wishbone bushes " there are quite a few sites to look at.
What I would say is that if none of the above makes sense you should consult a trained technician.
Cheers, Pewe10


















hopefully this won't double post

I think there's some misunderstanding about what the problem is here.
It sounds to me like he's got the lower bolt (or what's left of it) stuck in the upright.
There are no rubber bushes in the upright for the lower bolt - the bushes are in the wishbone, and the bolt is an interferance fit in the upright.

I can't find a very good picture of it, but imagine there's a bolt stuck in the hole I've got the bit of tube poking out of in this pic.
And imagine that bolt has been cut flush to the upright at both ends:

Skov u couldn't have described it any better, that is exactly my issue. There is no rubber to drill out just the old bolt and spacer.

Before I balls the other side up in the same way what method is used to release an interference fit as you refer to it.

Sorry for the confusion guys and thanks for the continued help.

OK now I understand.
Put loads of penetrating oil on it - if you aren't in a hurry, over a matter of days - just keep dripping it in there. Vinegar has been known to work.
Before you drill it out it might be worth applying some heat (blow-torch or even hot-air paint stripper) - just watch out for surrounding components, maybe use a wet rag as heat-soak, them try drifting it out using a punch and hammer.
Alternatively take the upright off completely and put it in a vice with soft jaws - always easier to attack things when they are accessible.
If you are really stuck put up a post asking if someone local can help on here or MX5nutz.
BOL.
Cheers, Pewe10

There is no spacer, it's a through bolt supported by the legs of the upright. The issue is that the unprotected shank of the bolt rusts and the increase in diameter means it won't pass through the upright. Take a file and remove as much of the corrosion as possible from the bolt shank between the upright legs, then use a good flat faced punch to drift the bolt out.

This thing is going no where with brut force.

Will drill it out tomorrow. Is the sheath to be left untouched or should this come out aswell

bit of heat then drift it out with a punch

Get it in a vice soak in penetrating oil leave a while then run a bead of weld (arc welder) down the hub along where the bolt is then bray it with a hammer and drift thid is the method I use for getting bearing casings out of hubs the heat allow the hub to expand and loosen the rust off

Who would have thought this would prove to be the hardest part of my build start so far.

Heated it up and whilst the degreaser fluid I had applied previously started to bouble between the bolt and sheets no amount of force would move it at all.

How hard is this bolt? I got some brand new metal bits and went for the bolt with the drill after about 5mm the bits gives up!

May start looking for a used set of them with the bolt already removed as this is becoming somewhat of a joke (now wishing I hadn't cut off as the bolt heads would have given me far more leverage to release it.

Might be worth trying to press it out.
Do you know anyone with a hydraulic press (local garage perhaps)?

No joy. Have now tried everything and it won't budge. The other side seems the same which is even more annoying. Anyway I have to take my car to the garage next week to have some work done so will ask them if they can removed it for me. I am sure they will have more suitable equipment and be used to this sort of situation?

Out of interest what size/weight press do you think would do the job. Will probably end up investing in one of these to press out the fixing holes for the Ali panels latter on. Would this do the job?

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/1-ton-arbor-press

if you are going to get a press I think you'd need something like 6 Tonne Industrial Hydraulic Workshop Garage Shop Press | eBay
Shop Till You Drop - 6 Tonne Industrial Hydraulic Workshop Garage Shop Press

I think you just aren't hitting it hard enough. You need someone to hold it steady over a some open vice jaws on a good solid bench then you need a good size drift and a big hammer. I can't see that not working.

failing that a garage will be able to do it cos they will know how hard to hit it or have a suitable press