Ford Galaxy Rear Suspension Diagram
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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
i guess thats what ford calls it. the part the spring seats into. i had this problem back when i put on the vogtland springs and ford racing damper kit. i had to heat the bolt up, then cut the bolt out because it seized to the bushing. well, i tried to make a polyurethane bushing to replace the old (since it burned) and it didnt dry long enough. so it caused the wheel to pull.
now i have a replacement arm, but again i had to cut the bolt i replaced. no big deal as i planned to replace it (though its a 10.9 and ive gone through several blades to cut one side of it) but the other bolt that has the alignment tabs (which is factory bolt) is seized too. what was ford thinking!!!!!!!!!! is this a common problem? it seems as if all the rear suspension bolts are seized to the bushings. is there anything anyone has used that works like a champ to get them to release? 4lb sledge is of no avail. heat doesnt seem to do anything. im not sure that any penetrating lube would work cause how tight it is. but im open to ideas.
oh, the bolt with the alignment tabs, do i have to get that one from ford? i have a feeling its getting cut or ruined in some way. wait, ford used tty bolts back there didnt they?
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you have to use a reciprocating saw to cut those bolts, of thats what i did, bought new control arms and bolts. around 214$
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Discussion Starter · #3 ·
ive been using one. the bolts ford used, i think, cut off easily. but i put on a 10.9 bolt and as soon as the blade touches it, it rips the teeth off. i went through 4 18tpi, 1 14tpi, 1 all purpose (last ditch effort), and a carbide one that still has held up fairly well and help knock down some metal. i used the end of one of the 18tpi ones and used all my force and finally one end of the bolt was cut.
i was hoping to unbolt the crap, pop in the new arm, and be able to get my jack stands back so i could rotate the tires on the bmw. but nope. this car has never been easy to do anything on. well except for the front struts/springs. 15 minutes to remove and install new ones.
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Just FYI- I had to cut the outer lca bolt off on mine too, and I used my Dremel with one of the fiberglass reinforced cut off wheels that came with it. The bigger cut off wheel, not the smaller ones. Speed was set at 7/10. I was able to cut the bolt no problem, taking my time, and it didn't even use up much of the cut off disc.
But I'm guessing you guys cut the bolt between the bushing and the outer mount, so the size of the cut off wheel might be too small to do that. I cut off the bolt end that is in the tack welded nut. Cut the nut, and the bolt. I still have to drill some of the bolt though.
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But I'm guessing you guys cut the bolt between the bushing and the outer mount, so the size of the cut off wheel might be too small to do that. I cut off the bolt end that is in the tack welded nut. Cut the nut, and the bolt. I still have to drill some of the bolt though.
yup that's what i did
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This is a common issue, almost universally common in the north. You should have the arm at the correct ride height when you loosen and tighten the bolt, because the bushing is designed to twist as the arm moves up and down. Still, if it is seized, you will need new arms and bolts. The bushings are not normally replaceable. Use anti-seize compound on the bolt when you reinstall it.
If you run a rear sway bar, you might need new arms anyway, they tend to crack around the sway bar mounting holes. The newer arms are reinforced in this area.
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I just had this problem as well, but it was the whole trailing arm I had to pull, so there were three bolts (one for each arm that mounts to trailing arm) that were siezed and I had to cut them all out. I did find a prothane kit that was a direct replacement for the stock bushings but the real shocker was the price for the replacement bolts- more than the bushings. I guess that's what you get for going to a dealership...
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Next time you replace those bolts: PAINT THEM IN ANTI-SIEZE!!!!!!!!!!
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Discussion Starter · #9 ·
Next time you replace those bolts: PAINT THEM IN ANTI-SIEZE!!!!!!!!!!
did that with the one i replaced. still seized. the tolerance between bolt and bushing are so tight, it pushes all of it off. i typically use anti-seize where corrosion is a problem. its just a poor design
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The outer bolt is to be expected, sucks that your inner alignment bolt is siezed too.
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did that with the one i replaced. still seized. the tolerance between bolt and bushing are so tight, it pushes all of it off. i typically use anti-seize where corrosion is a problem. its just a poor design
Did you raise the control arm to the proper ride height before you loosened or tightened the bolt. You need to put a jack under it and lift as per the Ford instructions. That is very important.
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Wow, you painted it in anti-sieze and it STILL rusted?!?!?!? Thats amazing! Ford's design for this part is worse than I thought!
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.... this is off topic, but what if i got a place like NTB to replace my suspension.... will they be responsable if this happens?
sorry for the thread jack but its kinda deal with the bolts that i don't want to deal with!
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Discussion Starter · #14 ·
they would probably do something, but then charge you for it. its not like they were the reason it was seized.
and yes i did raise the arm. dont know if it was exactly ride height, but i raised it up.
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Help! I have read through this thread and am still slightly bemused! Not difficult... BUT... I need to replace the 'tie bar and knuckle' (control blade arm?) and have the same problem that the bolts are seized. no matter how much WD40, heat etc... Soooo I thought taking the entire off-side read suspension off would do it... I have removed coil spring, anti-roll bar etc. etc. and taken the nut off of the rear lower arm to crossmember... the bolt now seems to be seized to the bushes? Is this really common... lumping it with a hammer seems to have no effect, the bolt turns slightly but it restricted by an 'anti-loosening washer'... is this what you guys are talking about?
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Oh... the car is my daughter's - I thought I'd moved on from this - it seemed such a straightforward job!!!! Quite rewarding to get my hands dirty again... but nonetheless horribly frustrating and now quite embarrassing!
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the bolt now seems to be seized to the bushes? Is this really common... lumping it with a hammer seems to have no effect, the bolt turns slightly but it restricted by an 'anti-loosening washer'... is this what you guys are talking about?
That's exactly what is happening. The bolt rusts to and becomes one with the metal bushing (the tubular portion of the bushing) making it virtually impossible to remove in a conventional manner. In some limited cases it's possible to cut the head off the bolt and the nut and then with a pin punch/drift drive the remaining portion of the bolt out of the bushing. The success of this option is totally dependent on how badly the bolt is rusted/seized to the bushing but it may save you from having to buy a new arm. The downside is that if you do get it out its often hard to find an aftermarket replacement bushing as they're usually sold pre-installed in a new arm.
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Hmmmm... so it is probably best to leave the lower arm where it is... although the car is 11 years old, it only has about 45k+ miles (genuine it seems) and has been sitting around for quite some time. The bushes appear to be in good order...
sooooo I guess that it is time for an angle grinder and cut the bolts for control arm (blade thingy?) off the end of the lower arm... I went for the lower arm as there only seemed to be a single bolt remaining... and as the bolts for tie and knuckle arm around the 'hub' are also seized (hence the wasted efforts on the lower arm). I was reluctant to grind bolts while the arm was still attached. Gratefully though, it seems that it is not just me. I can get all but the two bolts under the hub assembly out... more heat and then the grinder then? Ho bloody hum... if this is such a regular occurrence, would it not have been better for Ford to select materials that did not bind in such a way - stupid question I know, but I would have thought that the cost of suitable materials would not have been restrictive... Makes one wonder why the Focus is STILL the best selling family car in Europe! Apart from its design, reliability, drivability, etc... etc...!
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Oh, and thanks Geezer, much appreciated...! 
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I recently had the problem of with the blot connecting the rear lower control arm, and trailing arm seizing as well. My solution was using an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel, and fitting it in the 1/4 inch gaps between the trailing arm and the lower control arm. When bought my new lower control arm I coated the inside of the metal bushings with anti-seize to prevent the shoulder of the blot rusting on to the metal bushing. Also, as stated a couple of times in this thread, make sure the lower control arm and trailing arm are at the right hight. If not, this will hinder the removal and installation of the blot.
Source: https://www.focusfanatics.com/threads/rear-lower-control-arm-bolts-seized.202669/
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