When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hey everyone. So I have made quite a bit of research before posting. I was logging some pulls yesterday when I heard something fall from the bottom of my car. It started pulling a bit but I safely made it home. Upon inspection I noticed it was a bolt that goes through the subframe and LCA under the passenger side of the car. I looked in there and noticed that the bolt had snapped at the threads. I’ve looked in the inside of the car to see if there was any way I could access this but the two only ways it seems is that
1) I drop the subframe and use a easy out (however I can’t find a long enough one to get in there)
2) cut through the interior and try to find the cavity of where it might be and extract it that way.
Has anyone encountered this problem and if so how did you tackle it. Here are some reference pictures of what I’m talking about.
the bushing that the bolt goes through is 40399 and the bolt is also highlighted.
it’s not the stud that points down. If you see the picture it’s the bolt that goes through the bushing and it goes up into the subframe. I’ve read all these links already.
Yes, my car did that a couple years ago. I think it happened by bringing a burr from the subframe up into the threads. I tried to drill out the bolt but its really hard and eventually snapped a drill bit into it.
The good news is that the threads actually start about 25mm up in the chassis leaving room to make a sleeve and weld it in below the snapped bolt. The bad news is you have to remove the whole subframe to do it, and need to make a sleeve and weld it in place.
Specs of the insert is 17.1mm OD, 25mm long, and threaded for 14x1.5. Also need to order a bolt from McMaster (or somewhere) at the right length to not bottom out, but you'll have to measure what you need.
Just some random thoughts/memories of the fix.
17.1mm was a nice tight fit so we threaded on a bolt and tapped it into place.
Either it was long enough or we left a little bit of material protruding so when welded there was a small lip for a fillet weld to then be ground flush.
The threads start in a bit from the weld effected zone to have less chance of distorting, but they were also chased after.
When installing that bolt going forward I'm extremely cautious to get it started gently and blow out any possible debris in there before inserting.
I used 4140 because thats what I had and its weldable to mildsteel.
I coated it with some rust prevention primer after and use copious amount of anti-seize.
You should be able to send a napkin sketch of this to a local machine shop to get one turned for your fix, but I wont be making them for others.
Yes, my car did that a couple years ago. I think it happened by bringing a burr from the subframe up into the threads. I tried to drill out the bolt but its really hard and eventually snapped a drill bit into it.
The good news is that the threads actually start about 25mm up in the chassis leaving room to make a sleeve and weld it in below the snapped bolt. The bad news is you have to remove the whole subframe to do it, and need to make a sleeve and weld it in place.
Specs of the insert is 17.1mm OD, 25mm long, and threaded for 14x1.5. Also need to order a bolt from McMaster (or somewhere) at the right length to not bottom out, but you'll have to measure what you need.
Just some random thoughts/memories of the fix.
17.1mm was a nice tight fit so we threaded on a bolt and tapped it into place.
Either it was long enough or we left a little bit of material protruding so when welded there was a small lip for a fillet weld to then be ground flush.
The threads start in a bit from the weld effected zone to have less chance of distorting, but they were also chased after.
When installing that bolt going forward I'm extremely cautious to get it started gently and blow out any possible debris in there before inserting.
I used 4140 because thats what I had and its weldable to mildsteel.
I coated it with some rust prevention primer after and use copious amount of anti-seize.
You should be able to send a napkin sketch of this to a local machine shop to get one turned for your fix, but I wont be making them for others.
That’s impressive. Only thing is that the machine shops here in Hawaii are incompetent as they don’t like taking these type of side jobs or will charge up the butt for it. Do you think that it’s accessible from the top if I cut into it with an angle grinder and retrieve the rest of the piece ? I was able to order a new bolt from STM. I was able to move all the cushion and fabric from the passenger side. I measured it from a rubber grommet plug there was in the floor to the location of interest through the top and it seems like it was sealed with some sort of putty.
I couldn't find any way to reach the top of the bolt without cutting into the chassis. Which I wanted to avoid cause you're still going to need to get something in there to weld. Of course for me its easier since I have a machine shop, but maybe you could send it to xometry or one of the other online places.
Could also joint a FB machinist group and ask there. Always people looking to make an quick buck on a simple part to pay for their hobby machine.
Oct 7, 2024 | 06:42 PM
