There is a bolt that looks different than the other 2 holding the rear control arm to the frame (bracket) previous owner may have used a different one... but I can’t get this thing out, I’ll go to loosen it and it’ll just keep spinning and then tighten up again (even though I’m loosening it) before breaking loose again. Any advice on getting it out?
Things I’ve tried:
-Liquid Wrench
-Pry Bar
-Impact
-Vice Grips
-A lot of ratcheting
1 of the 3 bolts holding the control arm up to the frame (bracket) looks different than the others. The previous owner may have used a different one but I’m trying to replace my Rtab, and I cannot get this different bolt out. It will just keep spinning before tightening up again and then breaking loose, and keep spinning. Any advice? Things I’ve tried.
Impact
Liquid wrench
A lot of ratcheting
Pry bar
Vice grips
Thread sounds like it has gone, hopefully on the bolt. You need to get something under the bolt head and lever it out while you turn the bolt with a ratchet or spanner. If you can't get anything under it yet, try turning the bolt and pulling outwards using mole grips
What if it’s the hole that lost threads? Would a tap and die set work?
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Apply leverage under the head as you try to back it out?
Still cannot get it... idk what else to try, car badly out of alignment now. Just wanna get these bushings in and get a WA..
someone likely over-torqued that bolt, and it's semi stripped now. After you remove it inspect the threads and you can use helicoil and a drill to repair it. Do as others have said. Use a prying tool - pry bar, screwdriver, etc. while turning the bolt head.
When I did my RTABs I sprayed penetrant into that cavity, there is a small plastic plug in the wheel well you can remove. Might be big enough to get a borescope in there to see what you're dealing with. You may have to go to a shop and get it cut out and replaced. IDK if you can access that from the back seat or not.
Last edited by jmo69; 10-21-2017 at 05:07 PM.
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No nut under the seat, Checked already. How much would a shop charge to get it out?
They will probably tell you: can tell you later, when we got it out, per hour $..
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Might have to weld something onto it and then leverage it out. Then drill and retap or cut out and weld in a new rtab pocket.
Thinking too complicated.
Put the other two bolts in. Grind the head off the bolt or cut the bracket, remove arm, grind off the two or three welds holding the threaded inserts in and weld another in. Look for an RTAB pocket strengthening thread you should be able to see the welds I mean
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I like that idea ^. But unless the OP can weld, the job is behind him and he needs a shop that will. Or someone with a welder and grinder who will come to him. There probably is someone not too far away but could be hard to find that person.
Do all your own prep then a mobile welder. No point paying welder prices per hour for cleaning off paint. Or hire welder
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Started digging into where the bolt was sitting, turns out it was nut and bolted with welded metal in front of it, and silicone covering the metal. Will this effect anything when I go to get an alignment?
Try just unbolting the the other 2 and the 3rd as far as possible, then just start shaking and pulling like your having a seizure. Ive had to do this on a friends car to get it out, nothing was wrong with the Bolt, just stuck from grime, and although in your case it seems they used an incorrect Bolt in the 3rd spot, it still may help. Like go HAM shaking and Pulling.
Welded metal in front of it? RTAB Reinforcement plate? Does it look like this?
https://www.akgmotorsport.com/produc...nt-plates-e36/
Called it from 4000 miles away.
I would hope when this was done they either welded the nut to a plate and / or welded the nut in place, then closed up the box section. You don't weld up the hole you cut tp get to a nut and not weld the nut in while the welder is there.
Then the bolt rusts and a couple of poor tack welds may not be enough and it tears free and spins.
If the lip of the original threaded boss is missing and they didn't washer it out the RTAB console won't sit level for alignment.
Last edited by E36328Coupe; 10-26-2017 at 02:48 PM.
No warranty of any kind implied or given and no liability for any loss, damage or injury, no matter how incurred accepted.
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