Stubborn Arb Problem

[Atari Boy 11]

I am struggling removing an arb from a trailing arm, the other one came out okay but this one seems firmly stuck.

 

I have soaked it in Plusgas and cleaned out of much of the crud that I can get to but no luck.

 

Does anyone have any tips or should I see if I can get it pressed out at a machine shop?

 

Thanks

 

Jonny

[welshpug 1,657]

do you mean torsion bar?

[Atari Boy 11]

Err yes, sorry, torsion bar .

[welshpug 1,657]

HIT IT! BFH approach

 

I guess you are just trying to remove the torsion bar from both the tube and trailing arm at once?

 

If so and its just not shifting it'll probably be easier to knock hit trailing arm and get one end of the torsion bar free rather than trying to free both ends at the same time.

 

Is the beam still on the car? I found that the weight of the trailing arm resting on the torsion bar doesn't help, once supported so that there's no tension on the splines they come out a bit easier.

[Atari Boy 11]

The beam is off the car and bar the trailing arm shaft the trailing arm is completely stripped.

I have used a decent club hammer and metal tube but the pipe just distorts at each end.

[welshpug 1,657]

ok, support the trailing arm with the torsion bar pointing upwards (block of wood or brick under where the shaft is)

 

place a bolt in the end to protect the splines and hit the end, spray some lube/penetrating stuff on the torsion bar then try and knock it out the other way, spray more stuff on and work it the other way.

 

I found that a lump hammer wasn't very effective, so I used a light sledge...

[Atari Boy 11]

I hadn't thought of doing it that way, I will give it a go, thanks.

[XLR8 0]

If they have not been out for a long time then they are very stubborn!

I found using a home made slide hammer whilst also having a freind hit the other side too.... But since the beam is off the car you will probably find that the trailing arms will come off when it gives way..

[Atari Boy 11]

ok, support the trailing arm with the torsion bar pointing upwards (block of wood or brick under where the shaft is)

 

place a bolt in the end to protect the splines and hit the end, spray some lube/penetrating stuff on the torsion bar then try and knock it out the other way, spray more stuff on and work it the other way.

 

I found that a lump hammer wasn't very effective, so I used a light sledge...

 

This is how it looks currently.

 

 

Okay so I should flip if upside down from how it is now and hit the torsion bar, when it has move a little, clean up the splines and then push it back the other way.

Is this right?

[welshpug 1,657]

yup spot on matey, cant quite tell there but have you removed the offset washer?

Edited March 25, 2008 by welshpug

[Atari Boy 11]

yup spot on matey, cant quite tell there but have you removed the offset washer?

 

 

Thanks for this, yes I have.

[nick 3]

When mine was stuck I clamped the torsion bar in a vice so that the arm was at the bottom, put a blown torch on where the bar meets the arm and belted it with a big f*** off hammer!! five or six whacks and it was off!

 

Nick

[Anthony 1,003]

A hydraulic press is your friend

 

Be very careful smacking it with a hammer, as if you hit the area around where the offset washer goes you'll distort it and the washer won't go back in. Putting an old ARB endplate in and hitting that is a much better option, as then the arm doesn't get damaged at all.

 

And yes, often a sledgehammer is required if you don't have access to a press. They can be VERY stubborn to remove.

[nick 3]

Not if you hit it on the inside of the arm like I did...!

 

Nick

[Atari Boy 11]

I used a hydraulic press in the end, takes 2 minutes compared to the hours I had already spent soaking, re-soaking, and hammering to no avail.

I did try the upside down route too but I felt I might break something so went the press route.

 

Thanks for all your help.