Is this front spindle shot?

[cmcintyre]

Soaked this bolt, located on the bottom of the front spindle, holding the ball joint, put some heat on it, applied torque and sheared it right off.

I take it this is threaded all the way through and would be highly difficult to drill out and tap in a new thread. Easy outs have never worked for me, they just break in the bolt. Plus this thing is only supposed to be 37 lb/ft plus my usual 50 percent for rust.

New spindle time?

23341

[michael everson]

You might be able to drill that out. You could always drill it out and install a nut and bolt. Grade 8 please.
I have done this in the past.
Mike

[Mechie3]

Those are notorious for rusting on subarus. You can try drilling it out.

[cmcintyre]

Thanks! I will give it a try and let you know how it goes…..

[metros]

You might be able to drill that out. You could always drill it out and install a nut and bolt. Grade 8 please.
I have done this in the past.
Mike

I've done the same in the past. Drilled out and nut/bolt, which held up to track use without issue.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Here is the procedure I used to get the bolt out.
1. cut the bolt in half with a thin cutoff wheel through the slot.
2. drill 1/4" hole through center of threaded end of bolt until 1/2 way point.
3. With 1/4" dowel punch drive non-thread end of bolt out.
4. drill 3/8" hole through threaded end of bolt using vacated hole as drill guide.
I opened up the hole to 7/16" and used 7/16x2.5" grade 8 socket head with lock nuts.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#91251a005/=pd9bv7

Now for the Hard Part.
The little slot allows salt water to get into the top of the ball joint housing. It drips off of the CV housing.
The ball joint has a recess in it that the bolt uses as a locking pin.
The ball joint is held by squeeze and the bolt pin for safety.
The rest of the groove in the ball joint fills up with salt water. This corrodes the housing and the ball joint.

I tried every chemical and pull device to get this out with no luck. but I was able to get the ball joint to rotate in the housing.
I ended up cutting the ball joint socket into little pieces through the little slot. And it fell out.
6 hours first one (learning curve) 2 hours second one (getting smarter) a weeks worth of cuss words.

Lesson learned. A little rtv in the slot will prevent water from getting into the ball joint housing.
Lesson #2. Don't change the ball joint unless they are bad.
Bob

As Dan would say: Ask me how I know.

[RM1SepEx]

one of mine broke off

I drilled through the center soaked with PB Blaster for several days
used heat wrench and easy out, threads were OK

as Bob indicated above the ball joint didn't want to come out due to corrosion, I reused it with new grade 8 bolts

my donor only had 70K with a high mileage donor I would have put in new ball joints

[Bob_n_Cincy]

one of mine broke off

I drilled through the center soaked with PB Blaster for several days
used heat wrench and easy out, threads were OK

as Bob indicated above the ball joint didn't want to come out due to corrosion, I reused it with new grade 8 bolts

my donor only had 70K with a high mileage donor I would have put in new ball joints

With the 818 coil over design this lower joint carries the load. My electric 818 will be 50/50 balanced with 900 lbs on the front axle. I put new ones in.
Dan, Did you mean class 12.9 metric bolts?
Bob

[RM1SepEx]

oops :-) too used to std threads and classifications

[Mechie3]

I tried every chemical and pull device to get this out with no luck.

You didn't try this little device. ;) The original idea came from sniperf1 (sp?) on NASIOC. Turn in Concepts used to make and sell it for $40. They stopped making them so I made my own. Snap on now makes one for $125.

The tube is just larger than the ball joint. The externally threaded rod has an internal M12 thread that matches the ball joint. Thread the rod onto the ball joint. Hold the threaded rod still while turning the nut on the cover (I used two nuts jammed together instead of maching a flat on the end) to pull the ball joint out. I've never had it take longer than 5 minutes to setup and remove a joint. It's the same setup with a stationary center "bolt" and turning nut that FFR uses to install rivnuts.

I have a CAD model of the ball joint on 3dcontentcentral.com for free download if you want to design your own.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?search=true&item_ID=739363&PartNo=BJR1&group_id=675664&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/mechie3/a0a94f98.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/mechie3/dc77454b.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/mechie3/ff96ce1a.jpg

[waruaki]

Nice tool, well done.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

You didn't try this little device. ;) The original idea came from sniperf1 (sp?) on NASIOC. Turn in Concepts used to make and sell it for $40. They stopped making them so I made my own. Snap on now makes one for $125.

Hi Craig,
I tried to use a tube, washer, and the castle nut. I pulled the threads off the ball joint itself.
Greg or Clint at Turnin Concepts told me about this after my pain. I will use one on my second donor.
Thanks Bob.

[Mechie3]

Of course you always find out after you've done it the hard way!