I have a 92 NA a rear spring snapped the other day I was in the process of replacing it.

All the bolts were PB blasted the day before sat over night everything came out
except the 17 mm bolt that holds the bottom of the strut in.
As i was turning the bolt. It turned a decent amount of times maybe 10 or so then i felt it break loose or what i thought
but now it just spins on its own wont back out wont move just spins
looking from underneith looks like other part of bolt has not moved at all.

This makes me think that the bolt has snapped.

well what are my options at this point?
Do i need a new control arm?

This is for the passenger side rear.
thanks

 

do this:




hold the busted squre nut in place.

and replace with a new one like this:

 

you can also get another lower control arm

 

Did the same damn thing on my '99 when I was taking the suspension out. Its such a shitty design. I did the same thing Brain suggested, that seemed to be pretty much the only reasonable option to get it out.

 

Brian i am not quite sure what you did.
I am pretty sure my nut is busted mid way through since the shock still is on it and wont come out.

are you drilling it and sticking a new bolt through?
Or did you break the square nut off and just pull it out?

 

And this is from underneath the control arm?
I dont think i have a cut off wheel small enough to each into there. All of them are pneumatic as well. My car is at my house and my garage is 10 miles away....
maybe there is a electric version?

I have an angle grinder. and a jigsaw..

 

there's a nut on the other end, it's square and held on by weak clips.

the clips broke and the nut is spinning with the bolt.

you must cut out that section in order to access the nut, hold it with pliers of sorts, unscrew the bolt, pull out the nut, and then bolt it back up with a replacement that you can hold a wrench to.

 

ps what is the green thing your shock?

 

Ahh i see..
I hope thats where the problem is.

So when i unscrew the bolt the next time i re insert a bolt i have to have that nut back in place?
thanks!

 

and this is accessing from under the car?

 

correct sir. but you need a replacement nut, as the one that's failed will not be held by a wrench. it has little tabs welded to it making it difficult.

 

It's a pain to hold the spinning bolt in place, especially with the tabs in your way. Make sure you take a hammer and punch/old screwdriver that you can use bend the broken tabs out of the way so you can grab onto the bolt.

 

This is going to suck, i will let you guys know how it turns out!
thanks Much appreciated!

 

Why do I feel a sawzall fail coming...

 

I used an angle grinder to cut and open it up Sweet success with some effort extreme difficulty securing square bolt got the whole assembly out!
thanks guys!

Only problem now is seems like the shock is blown as well. FML going to have to replace all 4 soon as well

 

Also for reference for anyone searching for the same problem The Nut fits inside a 17mm Wrench fine, Its a little big so it could be Standard size (i dont know why)
Maybe a 16 but its large enough that you wont have any issues with a 17.

 

A 17 inch wrench? Holy cow, and here I thought I had all the tools I'd ever need...

 

i had to use needle nose pliers, as those tabs were in the way to hold the square nut, then I replaced it with the nut off the lower shock bolt on the front end.

 

I need a picture of this impossible-to-wrench nut.

 

Sorry correction 17mm. Must have lost my mind
!