lower control arm nut and bolt

[nebrfestiva]

Well I've changed the lower control arm and tie rod end on the passenger side without a problem now I am doing the driver side and have problem. The captive nut that is in the frame is turning I can't tighten or loosen the bolt.
If its going to involve having it towed to a body shop and frame cut and rewelded I'll just junk the car and remove the new struts, and exhaust that I put on.
Any other ideas?

[georgeb]

Try wedging a piece of flat steel between the nut, which is square and will grab better than a hex, and the frame. The nut is toward the outside of the channel. You can make a couple cuts from the hole and bend down the channel to get better access. I ended up cutting my bolt but I wish I tried this first.

[denguy]

Go in with a small hole saw thru the side or bottom of the frame horn near the nut, cut the bolt with a sawsall, get the old nut out thru the hole, get a longer high grade bolt, get a new high grade nut, put nut with a washer glued to it in a box end wrench and stick it in thru the hole you cut, etc, etc.

[Nerd Racing]

Go in with a small hole saw thru the side or bottom of the frame horn near the nut, cut the bolt with a sawsall, get the old nut out thru the hole, get a longer high grade bolt, get a new high grade nut, put nut with a washer glued to it in a box end wrench and stick it in thru the hole you cut, etc, etc.

That's the most creative i have heard yet...

I had this happen to me the other day... And one of the cross member bolts did the same thing...

[WmWatt]

I think you can cut and grind off the head and knock the stub out all from the outside.

[blacklabels]

Go in with a small hole saw thru the side or bottom of the frame horn near the nut, cut the bolt with a sawsall, get the old nut out thru the hole, get a longer high grade bolt, get a new high grade nut, put nut with a washer glued to it in a box end wrench and stick it in thru the hole you cut, etc, etc.

Ya I just ended up doing this same thing last weekend to mine.... The lower control arm is a pain in the butt.... Hate rust so bad and every nut I toke off I had to brake off.

[nebrfestiva]

Thanks for words of encourgement. You saved a Festy from the salvage yard. I hear ya, only on my festy its either really rusty or really greasy from the oil leaks.
Now if I could find a complete latch assembly for the lift gate I would have it made.

[georgeb]

I think you can cut and grind off the head and knock the stub out all from the outside.

If you can't trap the nut this would be my next option.