93SixtySpecial Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Ok here is the deal. I found the clunk in the front end of my Deville (at least I think) and I have narrowed it down to the stabilizer bar link. I can grab the stabilizer bar and lift up and it clunks on the top of the link. I started removing the link. The top I got out fine, with a little bit of hammer force. But the bottom is impossible!! First of all, it's facing in so you can't get a good swing at it. And secondly, nothing will break it loose! I tried pounding the living crap out of it and nothing. I tried using a vice to turn it to break it loose and nothing. I tried torching it and nothing. Actually the last one I did end up doing something. I fried a little piece of my inner CV boot. I am about to do...something! I'm so frustrated right now! I know people have this problem, but people have been saying that a torch works. What if it doesn't? Then what can I do? Money is extremely tight and I have limited tools. This should have been a simple job, but it has turned into a royal headache. Any ideas?? -Dusty- 2006 Cadillac DTS Glacier Gold Tri-Coat with 175,000 miles 1993 Cadillac Sixty Special Gold Mist with 185,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93SixtySpecial Posted July 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Success! I found a neighbor with an oxy-acetleyen torch and I heated it a few times and got it out. After 4.5 hours for one little sway bar link, my clunk is gone! It was worth it! Yay! -Dusty- 2006 Cadillac DTS Glacier Gold Tri-Coat with 175,000 miles 1993 Cadillac Sixty Special Gold Mist with 185,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Success! I found a neighbor with an oxy-acetleyen torch and I heated it a few times and got it out. After 4.5 hours for one little sway bar link, my clunk is gone! It was worth it! Yay! Glad you got it fixed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 you know it iis weird. Sometimes they spin when you try removing the nut. sometimes they dont. Not the same situation but still weird. My best friend and I both own 96 Devilles. His was nearmint and mine is not. Mine has twice as many miles on it, anyway We had to replace one of his hub assemblies on his and even though nothing was rusty the axle wouldnt come out of the hub assembly, I ended up having to remove the whole knuckle and heat and press the axle out which ended up damaging the cv joint. And 2 days ago I removed mine with no problems at all, mine are rusty and original bearings with almost 200000 miles. Came right out. I waa honestly worried after his lol. Glad you got the link out. They can be really bad. I also see many that have been replaced seize on really badly GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 There is a tool that looks like a medieval thumbscrew that is used to split nuts rusted onto bolts or studs. These are common in suspension shops. As far as the larger jobs like hub bearing replacements, I would ask a machine shop to use a press if I had a problem with DIY equipment. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Success! I found a neighbor with an oxy-acetleyen torch and I heated it a few times and got it out. After 4.5 hours for one little sway bar link, my clunk is gone! It was worth it! Yay! The oxygen is what makes all the difference. Just using a propane torch won't get it hot enough - the oxygen enrichment will. Usually, the nut is not the problem but rather the tapered joint locks together. Heat up the bar with the torch, tap it and it pops right out. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93SixtySpecial Posted July 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Yeah the nut was fine. Gave me a little trouble, but KHE was right. It was the tapered part that was giving me the trouble. I cranked that sucker up and got it red hot and then it came out. I was a very happy man after that. -Dusty- 2006 Cadillac DTS Glacier Gold Tri-Coat with 175,000 miles 1993 Cadillac Sixty Special Gold Mist with 185,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Yeah the nut was fine. Gave me a little trouble, but KHE was right. It was the tapered part that was giving me the trouble. I cranked that sucker up and got it red hot and then it came out. I was a very happy man after that. That's what it takes. Like KHE said, propane doesn't phase them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safari2000 Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Have any of you guys tried MAP gas on your propane torch?? It gets a lot hotter than propane and might help around the shop for things like this..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Have any of you guys tried MAP gas on your propane torch?? It gets a lot hotter than propane and might help around the shop for things like this..... Mapp alone probably will not get hot enough. Eventually, it would but it would be difficult to localize the heat since it would take so long to heat up. The oxygen makes all the difference. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picah Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 Nothing like the big heat hammer !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 Nothing like the big heat hammer !! I call it "The blue-tipped wrench"...LOL Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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