A DOG Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 I have to replace my bent right rear XT6 control arm with a gl10 arm. So I'm in the process of taking off the backing plate on the gl10 arm so I can swap on all the XT6 brake stuff. Well the sucker wont come off of their. I've taken off all three bolts and tried prying on it and it wont budge. I stick a pry bar in their to bend them apart and it doesn't go. Is there a special trick to getting these off? Is there a spot weld or two on them? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 I don't think that doing this swap is advisable, but I will not dwell on that. The backing plate is held on by just the 3 bolts... plus decades of dirt and corrosion. First, thoroughly clean/scrape the hub "snout" that the backing plate has to slip over. Then, the accepted technique seems to be to whack the backing plate along its rim (in the caliper cutout area) to get it to spin on the snout. Get it to move a little in one direction, then spin it in the other direction. Keep working it back and forth, applying ligh prying pressure to get it to pull off of the snout. It can be a pain, and it can take a while, but patience should prevail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 I think that the control arms are the same as long as they both have sway bar brackets. Get your PB Blaster and squirt off the hub, then clean it all off with a wire brush. Do it again. Squirt some PB behind the backing plate. Don't pry on it or it will bend. Use your sledgehammer (small, not big) to rotate the backing plate like Pat said. Pull out on it, without bending it, while you alternate the directions you're tapping. Clean off the hub with more PB when it looks gross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoscowSubaruDude Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Having some minor experience with banging on car parts with a sledge... I'd recommend using a rubber mallet, or a dead-blow hammer. I've goobered up a few parts beating on them, and have since switched to using softer stuff... plus the dead-blow delivers a helluva whack. Just my .02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 What's been said. You may want to stuff a rag in the bearing hub area to keep the dirt from getting into the bearings, but once the three bolts are removed, tap it to rotate it, get it spinning freely, PB Blaster it & clean it, and then you should be able to start rocking it off. You'll see a nice ridge of nastyness built up in front of it as you pull it. This is what's holding it on. -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A DOG Posted September 25, 2006 Author Share Posted September 25, 2006 Thanks for the info everyone. I'm gonna be working on my XT6 all this week in order to have it ready for winter. PB blaster is brake cleaner right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 PB blaster is brake cleaner right? NO! PB Blaster is a penetrating lubricant that will help get stuck nuts/bolts out, and help free things up when they don't want to move. Brake cleaner is a harsh organic solvent designed to remove all oil/grease/etc from brake system parts when putting things back together (because brake pads don't work well when oiled/greased). Neither one will do the other one's job. Using brake cleaner on a frozen nut will just not do anything. Using PB Blaster as brake cleaner will make the brakes work very poorly, if at all. -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 are you swapping bearings and the hub insert with the lug studs on it? i'm sure you know the GL-10 is 4 lug and the XT6 is 5 lug so the backing plate isn't your only hill to climb. glad you finally found that part you needed, that took fooooorrrreeeever. cool stuff, good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 yeah, brake cleaner would degrease your bearings, bad idea.. I don't think a rubber mallet would do anything to a stuck backing plate, because when they're stuck, they're STUCK. Your arm will get tired from giving it 50-100 whacks with the sledge. have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 ...I don't think a rubber mallet would do anything to a stuck backing plate, because when they're stuck, they're STUCK. Your arm will get tired from giving it 50-100 whacks with the sledge. have fun I used a nylon-faced deadblow. It worked. Arm got tired, but it worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Having some minor experience with banging on car parts with a sledge... I'd recommend using a rubber mallet, or a dead-blow hammer. I've goobered up a few parts beating on them, and have since switched to using softer stuff... plus the dead-blow delivers a helluva whack. Just my .02. +1 not to mention the fact that were talking about a cast piece here, which is liable to breakage. not LIKELY, but possible. secondly, put the PB Blaster away. I used to love the stuff, but i have found a better product. its more expensive, but its worth it.. Yes, I'im going to take this opportunity to once again sing the praises of SeaFoam DeepCreep. It is to PB B'laster, what PB B'laster is to WD-40. I dont even bother with PB anymore, i use a cheap can of WD40 to spray on and clean off as NorthWet described in his first post, then i get the deep creep onto it and let it sit. the stuff has rust-eating chemicals or something in it.. it just penetrates and frees more of what makes things stick than the PB does... I use it to take pliers and diagonal cutters that should be thrown away and make them feel like brand new.. even if left outside untouched for a month... Pick it ip and work it a ocuple times, you start to see the box joint get moist from the deep creep working out.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 The backing plate is not cast, beating it will just bend the i$ht out of it. TWIST it, and beat on the caliper mount (the thick part) to get it to turn. Once you get it turning, work it back and forth till you break up the rust and can pull it off. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 backing plate.... *smacks self in forehead* not mounting plate or anything like that. i wasnt imagining the sheetmetal backing plate, i was thinking what goes behind it. cast... DUH!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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