This bolt goes thru the lower control arm and sub frame on passenger side.

Can this be fixed? if so how? I was told the sub frame possibly has to be replaced....

Can dealer warranty this?




Thanks in advance for your inputs.

 

is just the head of the bolt sheared off? if thats the case it looks like the bolt rusted itself into the bushing sleeve. you should be able to soak it with a good penetrating oil http://www.amazon.com/Kano-Aerokroil.../dp/B000F09CEA then centerpunch the bolt, drill it a little so you have a good solid center, then hammer it out with an air chisel with a pointed tip. it may take a few days and applications of penetrant and air chiseling but it should come out.

how did that happen anyways?

 

well, I have had two of those bolts get stuck so far, both times bushing had to be melted, bolt cut out, cut open subframe to replace the nut thats held inside it by a steel cage, which is probably going to get pushed through the cage on you car too. Then weld subframe back together. Subframe does not need replaced. I started a thread to warn people of this, think its called "LCA bolt stuck again", check it out another guy added some pics of him cutting it out of his car. It really sucks when it happens, hope more people see this and plan ahead.

 

Thanks for your input, it happens after removing it a few times.

thanks for your input, I'll search for the thread!

 

good luck. I bailed on installing the RCK partially because this bolt was so tough to break loose.

 

help needed

 

its going to be a bit of work, unfortunately there is no easy fix. i recommend you try what i posted. its the safest and cheapest way to fix it. i cant guarantee it will work, but im pretty confident it will.

 

Thanks for the advice. I've talk to a friend he also suggest the same. I am just afraid even if I remove the bolt the new bolt won't thread in...

 

You didn't destroy the threads inside the subframe. I think partially what happens with these bolts is that, like post #2 mentions, the bolt/sleeve fuse together. Once this happens the bushing is actually moving while you turn the bolt. This causes the big potential for shearing off the bolt head.

I remember hearing of something called an easy-out. I believe the idea was that you drill a special bit into the bolt and it allows you to back it out. There may be an extra step or two.

 

this might help:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5127433_use-easy-outs.html

 

Good link thanks a lot! Before the head broke off, the bolt has hard time coming out already so I knew this bolt is going to be a problem one day.

 

thanks I thought about it too

 

Your not going to strip the threads of the nut that's in the subframe. The problem is its stuck in the bushing, even if you welded on to it and got it to spin, its going to do just that, spin. Then what happens is you push the nut through the cage, and you have to cut open the subframe to put it back, mine were welded in last time to prevent that. I spoke to my mechanic about it the other day, and he said that because I already had the upgraded bushings there (whiteline) that he had to melt it out, to get enough play in the control arm so he could get to the bolt/bushing sleeve. He also mentioned that he cut the flap where the tie bars bolt to and bent them back to make room to work. He just did another buddy of mines Evo, replacing front axles, they were both stuck on his car, he still had stock bushings so he was able to get enough play in the stock bushing to just pull on control arm and cut the bolt, no melting. He stopped as soon as he realized the car had the same problem, so he didn't have to cut open the subframe. On my car he got the bolt to turn and it just kept spinning, until we lost the nut, and the bolt was still stuck. The method from the first reply sounded like it would work too, method I am suggesting shouldn't take more then a couple hours. In the thread I mentioned, someone said they replaced the bolts with VW bolts with a coating on them to prevent it. He used a sawzall to cut the bolt. GL

 

Thank you for the details. I remember when a installer tried to remove the bolt before the head broke off he said it was getting tighter as he tries to turn it loose...

 

this is your friend I put it just about everywhere metal meets metal.