Warning - Broken control arm bolt!

[Echo86]

Replaced the LCAs yesterday, successfully, without shearing any bolts or damaging threads. The alignment to get the arm is was the tricky part. Used a lube by a company called Schaeffer. Not available in stores and many times better than WD40. Before you laugh and say its from an infomercial, the guy who helped me with the arms had it in his shop. No heat needed at all to remove 12 yr old bolts without damage. Unreal stuff.

[kanaga]

It looks like i have some work to do...

Passenger side
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Driver side
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Any suggestions on the best way to remove the headless bolt?

[ex-x-fire]

I think you can lower the cradle a little & try to turn it out with a pipe wrench.

[kanaga]

I was thinking that was the most probable solution. Would it need to be on a lift, or could I use ramps?

[ex-x-fire]

If you try lowering the cradle it'll need to be on a lift or stands. You can access the upper nut of the control arm bolt if the foot well area. Someone actually pounded the broken bolt up through there, it broke loose the captured nut, allowing full removal of it.

[CTScott]

Removing the cradle is amazingly difficult with a broken bolt, as the rusted bolt bonds to the bolt sleeve. That is definitely the way to do it. Don't tray the hammering it to remove the captive nut route, as you will do more damage than you want to in doing so.

[2009Toyotoad]

I seem to remember a recall notice for this. It might still be in my glove box I'll check tomorrow and update the post if its still there.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by 2009Toyotoad

I seem to remember a recall notice for this. It might still be in my glove box I'll check tomorrow and update the post if its still there.

There is a service bulletin on it. So, that really is another option (as long as it falls within the mileage limit) - to simply bring the car to Toyota and let them deal with it.

[kanaga]

Mine has 170,000 miles; way past the warranty

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by kanaga

Mine has 170,000 miles; way past the warranty

And, if I remember correctly the "warranty extension" for this issue is only to 100K miles.

[kanaga]

Originally Posted by CTScott

And, if I remember correctly the "warranty extension" for this issue is only to 100K miles.

Yep. 7 years / 100K miles

[kanaga]

Should I use jacks at the jack points to take the weight off of the wheels, or ramps? I don't have access to a lift.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by kanaga

Should I use jacks at the jack points to take the weight off of the wheels, or ramps? I don't have access to a lift.

Definitely jack it via the lift points. If you use ramps you will still have the weight on the front suspension. Make sure you support it very well, as it will take a lot of torque to break some of the bolts loose.

[shepd]

Just did mine. They were so seized in there my 1/2" breaker bar was useless as it just kept bending (didn't stay bent but all my energy was going into a spring). Bought a 3/4" socket (no metric that small, but fortunately it's basically identical to 19mm) for my 36 inch 3/4" breaker bar. That did the job GREAT although I had to back the bolts out most of the way with the breaker bar as they never loosened enough for a ratchet until the very end. I did this with one corner of the car jacked up very high. Total labour (for me) about 2 hours (due to having to back them out with the big-ass breaker bar).

If I were to do this again, I'd simply do it with the car on the ground as those bolts are easy to reach without any need for additional clearance. Would take just as long but way more comfy. Or, if I were a shop, I'd put the car on a lift, get the bolts loose with the breaker bar, and finish them up with an impact wrench.

It was about time to do it as well, look at what doesn't get a recall in Toyota land:



Guess I will be doing this every couple of years so long as I own the car. Fortunately the replacement bolts are only $17 total here in Canada (odd to find something at the dealer that didn't require me to get a second job to pay for it).

Front end clunk never disappeared after fixing it, though. Guess I have something else to fix... Ball joints and tie rods seem fine. :(

[tmontague]

Originally Posted by shepd

Front end clunk never disappeared after fixing it, though. Guess I have something else to fix... Ball joints and tie rods seem fine. :(

Check your sway bar end links, bushings and control arm bushings. I'm having the same issue on my Echo and i'm gooing to change the bushings next. I'll let you know if it fixes it. The struts, inner and outer tie rods, engine mounts are all new and the strut bearings were both regreased.

[kanaga]

If you're on the fence about replacing these bolts, do not assume that they are OK because the bolt heads look ok. My driver side bolt head looked brand new, but the shaft was in bad condition.

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[tmontague]

How'd you end up removing the one w/ the snapped off head?

[kanaga]

Originally Posted by tmontague

How'd you end up removing the one w/ the snapped off head?

I jacked up the car and removed both wheels. I then removed all of the bolts holding the crossmember to the car. Then I was able to use a pry bar to pry down the lower control arm and crossmember. This exposed the shaft of the bolt above the bushing. I then used A pair of vice grips to back the bolt out.