Broke a breaker bar on a rusted control arm bolt - then found a fix

I was doing lower control arms on a 2010 Subaru Outback last weekend in my home shop. Everything was going fine until I got to the rear bolt that connects to the subframe. That thing was welded on there with rust. I snapped my 1/2 inch breaker bar clean in half and the bolt still wouldn't budge. I tried heat from my propane torch, PB Blaster, even a cheater pipe on a new socket. Nothing. Then my buddy who used to work at a dealer stopped by and told me to try an impact driver with a hex socket and a BFH. I smacked it about 8 times and that bolt cracked loose like magic. Has anyone else used that trick on seized suspension bolts?

2 comments

2 Comments

emmaallen5h ago

Broke a breaker bar clean in half" - yep, been there. I snapped a Craftsman one on a Jeep control arm bolt a few years back. Felt like a real pro standing there with two pieces of metal and a bolt that still didn't care. That impact driver trick works way better than it has any right to. I laughed at my buddy when he suggested it, then felt stupid after it worked on the first try. The shock from the hammer hit breaks the rust bond way better than just twisting at it. I keep a cheap impact driver and a set of hex sockets in my toolbox now. It's one of those tools that sits around for months then saves your butt on one job.

grayc274h ago

Works way better than it has any right to" is what gets me, because I've had the exact opposite luck with that trick. In my experience, the shock load on an already stressed bolt can snap it off flush with the subframe, and then you're really in a bind. I'll stick with a long cheater bar and steady pressure, even if it takes an hour and a lot of swearing.