atw58
05-02-2019, 10:27 PM
I wanted to replace the front sway bar bushings by accessing the two bolts in each bracket from the wheel wells. This avoids dropping the sub frame. Two of the four sway bar bushing bracket bolts snapped. What is left is 4/5 of the bolt stuck in the subframe. The top 1/5 of the hole is empty so the bolt is stuck well inside the hole. The locations are rear driver side and front passenger holes. It was a struggle. Had to extend 1/2 inch socket with a pipe and unscrew one ratchet click at a time. The bolts snapped when the bottom rusted portion moved up enough and fully contacted all the hole threads. The friction between the rusted bolt threads and subframe threads was too great.
Now there is a bigger problem of removing the 14 mm Gr 8 bolts stuck in the subframe. There is no room for a drill from the top. Tried to drill a hole in the subframe directly below the bolt to reach them but the small 1/16 drill bit to make a starter hole didn't make a dent.
Any suggestions.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ubclyi0qsh3jjz9/P1350635.JPG?dl=0
Now there is a bigger problem of removing the 14 mm Gr 8 bolts stuck in the subframe. There is no room for a drill from the top. Tried to drill a hole in the subframe directly below the bolt to reach them but the small 1/16 drill bit to make a starter hole didn't make a dent.
Any suggestions.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ubclyi0qsh3jjz9/P1350635.JPG?dl=0