Stubborn power steering pump pivot bolt

[ChrisTabat]

This would seem to be an extremely basic question, but does anybody have any tricks or special tools that they have been successful using to break loose the power steering pump pivot bolt on a late 60's / early 70's Cadillac?    I fought (and eventually succeeded) with the bolt on my '68 472,  and now I'm fighting the same battle with my '75 Eldorado 500.   It's a 9/16 bolt,  can't get a socket with a break bar on it,  and I can't get enough leverage with an open end or flare wrench.    I don't want to round off the head or I'll have real problems.   I had no problem with the slot bolts.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

9/16" socket with a 6-8 inch extension and you can use what ever you think you want to try for a breaker bar.
I personally have NEVER had an issue with this bolt, so I would be careful, clean the area carefully and use a spray of rust removal chemical before you snap off the bolt or the stud that is there.
Greg Surfas

[Cadman-iac]

I agree with Greg on that. I've torn down a lot of Cadillacs in my time but haven't seen one that's impossible to break loose. Some were not so easy,  but not impossible.
I suppose it's possible the PO may have cross threaded the bolt,  but that would be really hard to do going through the bracket first.
Good luck on getting it apart.

[35-709]

That bolt IS a PIA but the right length extension and socket combination will allow you to get in that narrow space you have available with a breaker bar.  Use some Never Seez or the like when you put it back in and be mindful of the torque specs listed in the shop manual for it.

[ChrisTabat]

Thanks for the replies.   Now I'm thinking I may be tackling the wrong bolt.   The one that I'm trying to break loose is between behind the pulley.   I can put a socket on it but that's it;  no way to get a ratchet or breaker bar on it.    I don't think either  of my shop manuals specify the location of the bolts;  just says to loosen the 2 slot bolts and pivot bolt.     That sure seemed to be the pivot point on my '68 though.....

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

I believe you are fighting one of the bolts that attach the pump to the bracket.
Greg Surfas

[ChrisTabat]

Indeed I was.   Apparently I loosened that mounting bolt unnecessarily when working on my '68 but the actual pivot bolt had not been tightened by whomever took it off previously.   So by loosening 3 bolts per the manual,  I got the pump to move and never gave it any further thought until I tried to take the belt off my '75.    I tightened the pivot bolt on my '68 and easily freed up same on my '75.    Thank you to everyone who answered my question.

[fishnjim]

Time to buy some tools?   Call the tool truck guy, see what he says...
If you can get a socket on it, they make pretty good ratchet head wrenches that might work that are long length.   Not the riveted ones with two ratchets, one ratchet end and an open end.(Craftsman, etc.)   Depends how much room between the hex and the pump body, if a ratchet will go on.   That way you can add a pipe or something for extra leverage and don't have to re-position.   
There's also a bunch of curved box end ones for these type engine bolt issues, short and long in 9/16".   As I age, I'm using more extra length wrenches any way.   The standard length ones and my hands and muscles didn't like each other.   Gone to power too.
The"old" tools from the day aren't always available now, so you have to know what it's called, and where to look.   I don't recall any special wrench for steering pumps.  But some designs were worse than others.   You just need more practice, you're not frustrated enuff, and a bigger tool box.   Half the fun is looking for the "right" tool while you taste a cool one.

When bolts are behind the pulley, I usually use a tappet wrench, the real flat/thin ones, they're long also.     
These bolts should not be that tight, so something else is apparently wrong, been in there since new or rusted.   Usually if they're cross threaded they'll turn, just won't come out.

[Coupe]

Here’s a trick I learned from my son that is a heavy equipment mechanic. When dealing with a bolt or nut in a confined situation that will not let you use a breaker bar use 2 combination wrenches.  Put the box end on the nut/ bolt then hook another box end on the open end of the wrench that is on the nut/bolt.   This can double the length of one wrench. 

My sons mantra is “creativity can be your friend when The project Sup is breathing down neck”.