The BANE of my exsistance

[Ogrestiva]

Ok, so a few days ago I broke my control arm ball joint. I bought new FMS control arms. I went to remove the bolt that attaches it to the frame and the head was rounded off, so I decide to saw through the bolt. Yestarday and today I spent hours sawing through the Bolt with a small hacksaw, then I found my dads sawzall and went to town. The bolt and part of the control arm were sliced clean and the head of the bolt came out...the back end of the bolt, on the other hand, is still stuck in the frame...grrr...what I can't figure out is why. The bolt turns, but it doesn't move in or out...my only thought is that there is some sort of swivel mechanism in the frame that allows it to turn, but not come out. Anybody have a diagram or any idea about what to do? Here are some pictures of the mess I made:

This is the removed control arm


This is the frame after the control arm was removed with the little portion of the bolt remaining


This is the portion of the frame where there is a little hole that you can hold onto the bolt back end of the bolt


Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys
~Daniel

[wrestler3025]

Hey Daniel,

Did the spot welds that hold the nut on the backside break? If thats the case, you may have to cut out a hole in the frame and re tack that nut, or another in its place.

[Ogrestiva]

I don't think that the spot wields broke, but I could be wrong. The bolt appears to be spinning in the nut, as if it striped the inside of the bolt...

[FB71]

Its a captured nut. Meaning, its a nut captured inside a sheetmetal cage. The cage is spotted to the framerail, and the nut is left to float some. The cage is intended prevent the nut from rotating. However, when the bolt corrodes to the nut, the torque applied to unscrew the bolt will cause the nut to balloon-out, or 'swedge' the cage to larger size, allowing the nut to rotate.

Soak with PB Blaster (or similar) for a few days, applying it at least once a day. Take a long drift/punch, and locate the cage. You can usually stake down the cage enough with the drift and hammer to stop it from rotating. If not, wedge a prybar against the nut. Use vice gripes to rotate the remainder of the bolt.

PS, I just remembered that early cars had a caged nut, later cars had a spot nut (ut spotted in place directly).

If its a spotted nut, just wedge a prybar against it thru the hole in the bottom of the frame rail, and then rotate the bolt.

[wrestler3025]

Okay, so the nut is stationary(from what you told me in your PM) and the bolt spins but there is some resistance. If the theads are gone on the bolt inside the nut, but there is a portion of the bolt that makes it to the other side of the nut, it might be hard to get out hehe. Similar to opening an umbrella and then trying to walk through a door. Can you feel how much bolt is coming through the nut on the other side??

[wrestler3025]

Or you can try what Jim suggested heheheh.

[Ogrestiva]

5q+5q

[Ogrestiva]

it's a 93 and it's a caged nut. I tried to hit the cage with a hammer and punch, but the cage is rather thick, should I just hit it harder until I bend the cage or should I hit the bolt from the other side and knock off the cage completely? do I need the cage?

[FB71]

just hit it harder.

If it still won't stop, then just drive it thru, you don't need the cage. That's there for ease of assembly.

[Ogrestiva]

so..I broke it thru the cage, but the cage is still in there. Any advice for putting in a new one? I need to get a new bolt, will any bolt that is the same size work, or does it need to be a specially hardened. What should I do for the nut...locknut?

[FB71]

cut the cage apart with a chisel if you cannot get the nut back in. You don't need to remove it, just push it out of the way. I have reused the nut I removed, if salvagable. If not, just replace with a standard hex nut and lock washer, or nylon locknut. However, it must be Grade 8 (if SAE) or Class 10.9 (if metric), for both the bolt AND nut.

[Ogrestiva]

Thank you VERY much!!!
I got it off and I am putting the new one on now.

[Ogrestiva]

YEA!!! I got it to fit. the bolt is in there tight, should it just be snug? also when putting the axle back in on the drivers side , does it just slide back into the trans or is there a clamp that I need to reattach.

[GenevaDirt]

Tighten it....the arm pivots on it. Glad to hear it all worked out.

[FestYboy]

just send the axle home till it seats and that's it. i had the same thing happen to me with Scrappy and wound up with the same solution. those cages aren't stout enough. did remember to use PB though before attempting the second set...