Lower control arm

Thoughts on safety issues with only 3 bolts instead of four on lower control arm / spindle.. it's a long story with a broken extractor...

 

Have a pro fix it.

 

At best you're working at 75% strength, which means you're adding stress to the other bolts. Not a great idea, IMO...

Can you post a pic, we might be able to better help if we know your long story...

 

If your talkin the bolts holding the lower ball joint on, they're not known to be trustworthy with all the bolts. So I wouldn't risk it.

 

Fix it correctly. That point takes a ton of stress...

 

Yeah... I figured it would not be a good idea... I was replacing cv shaft and snapped one of the 4 bolts to attach to lower ball joint.... then snapped an extractor Inside it.... big pain in the button. Thoughts?

 

Yikes. Those four bolts are critical to the integrity of the lower ball joint assembly, I might consider having a machinist drill that out and see if you can save the threads, or potentially tapping it one size larger. That knuckle looks pretty rough, you may want to look into the cost of replacing the whole thing.

 

That looks like one of the outer bolts. Those go all the way through to the other side. What you can do is start by drilling as small of a hole as close to center as possible, then step it up little by little until you get close enough to the threads, but not cutting in to them with your bit. Then torch that mother fucker. If there is any portion of the screw left protruding from the other side, you can grab it with some vice grips and spin it out the other direction. Once this is done, chase the threads with a tap to clean them up and put in a new bolt.

 

I would get that out. Not impossible. I see alot of meat on it. I did have to drill up a size and tap for larger once, until I could get a new knuckle.

 

Update I've got the extractor out by drilling a hole on the top and punching it out... we've got most of the bolt out but there is still some inside.... will keep updates coming.

 

The problem now is it's going to be hard to drill as the extractor is hardened steel.
I'd start calling around to scrap yards. And if not grind that surface flush and just run 3 ball joint bolts only TEMP! Until you get a new knuckle.

 

weld a nut on and back it out. takes 5mins. the heat will unseize it on its own. I would not drive it with 3 bolts.

double edit: Nvm

 

Imo this is the best option at this point. Do not drive it with 3 bolts. That's just a silly gamble I wouldn't be any part of. Find and use any tool you can until that shit is out and get a new bolt in there. With loctite. I've personally seen 2 tacos and a 4 runner on the road stuck with broken balljoints. Not pretty.

 

I had the same issue installing new LBJ where my torque wrench broke (stopped clicking) & I overtightened that bolt & broke it. Anyway it was pretty easy to grab the other end with vise grips and spin it al the way through. I didn't take the knuckle off the car so could only do a 1/8 turn at a time so it took like 20 minutes to get it out.

 

Hi everyone.... I ended up taking the whole spindle off and bringing it to a machine shop to get retreaded.... cost 10 dollars and took 2 minutes. I replaced the cv with no issues and now just have to replace all the diff fluid that leaked out. Tks for the help.