Front strut bolts won’t move

[TonyR2023]

I need to replace the front left air spring on my 2006 L322. All was going well until I tried to remove the two bolts holding the strut to the axle. The nuts came off with some penetrating fluid and an impact driver but I cannot budge the bolts themselves. Had the biggest (4ft) bar on the socket and they won’t budge. Hammering or hammering and socket bar were both equally unsuccessful. For now have put the nuts back on but.a bit loose to drive it around and see if that works them loose but otherwise out of ideas - not sure heating them with a blow torch will do much and not damage other parts. So any tricks to doing this or any suggestions for things to try?

 

[Rover Range]

Use an air impact wrench on the bolt and air chisel on the nut side of the bolt- at the same time. They will come right out.

 

[TonyR2023]

Use an air impact wrench on the bolt and air chisel on the nut side of the bolt- at the same time. They will come right out.

Unfortunately don't have access to an air chisel, just the impact wrench but that wasn't moving it on its own. Suspect someone has managed to put the taper bolts in the wrong way round sometime in the past. All the YouTube videos show them knocking out backwards whereas these will knock out forward and are tapered.

 

[MikeMesza]

Even using decent air tools, I had the very same frustrating problem a week ago. The shanks on the bolts swell become seized, and it seems like they're never going to move. Have a jack under the hub, hammer a bit, lift/lower the jack, hammer some more - eventually they'll come out

 

[TonyR2023]

I did the equivalent of that by loosening off the nuts and driving around for a couple of days. Nada!