Broken control arm mounting bolts

[Gerg]

So recently the snow ball effect went into place on my dsm. First I realize my drivers side wheel bearing is shot. I order all the parts and fight the hub off of the car. Take the hub to the machine shop to get the new bearing pressed in and such, all is well on that end.

When I went to reinstall the hub to the lower ball joint and I see that the boot is torn and it doesn't look very well. I ordered a whole new control arm so I didn't have to deal with replacing the ball joint.

So I went to remove the control arm from the car and I broke one of the 17mm bolts attaching the arm to the subframe. The problem with that broken bolt is that it looks like it also attaches to the body.

The other 17mm bolt just turns, I believe I may have broken off the threads on the inside of the subframe.

Would the easiest way to be to remove the entire subframe and replace it with another one? I don't know how I'll get the control arm off with the one bolt just turning. And I think that the subframe will probably have to come out so I can remove the rest of the broken bolt.

I have another parts car I can source the entire subframe from my parts car, this seems like a huge headache! Suspension stuff is never any fun

 

[mavericktsi83]

Definitely post some pictures. You may be able to use some PB Blaster and a reverse drill bit to extract the bolts. Your local hardware store will most likely sell a nice titanium bit...soak the broken bolt with penetrating oil in the meantime.

I had a similar experience with a broken off exhaust manifold stud in the head and it was a PITA to extract but the reverse drill bit did the trick.

Post some pics and good luck.

 

[Gerg]

I'm probably going to drop the subframe so I can get to the broken bolt easier. My phone just broke so hopefully I can get pictures tomorrow, with the subframe off.

The best picture I can find is in this thread: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...1g-front-control-arm-bushing-replacement.html

It's the second picture down, on the left side of the picture circled in red. The top bolt that has the two smaller 14mm bolts on each side of it is the one that broke off. It goes through the subframe and attaches to the body. The bottom bolt is just spinning and not backing out at all.

I think my options are drilling the broken piece out and rethreading the hole. Then I'm probably going to have to replace the subframe.