[Davito]

On a recent off roading adventure the grade 8 bolt which connects the front drivers side shock to the lower control arm sheared off :shock: I was trying to use one of those titanium bolt removers and it sheared off as well :wall: Not sure where to go from here :?: Anyone have any suggestions :?: Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[FSTDANGO3]

You'll need to drill it out
Start with a very small bit and slowly work your way up to a size close to the bolt size then just run a tap thru of the correct size to clean it out
Go get a new Shock Bolt
Steve
DOC Pres

 

[Davito]

You'll need to drill it out
Start with a very small bit and slowly work your way up to a size close to the bolt size then just run a tap thru of the correct size to clean it out
Go get a new Shock Bolt
Steve
DOC Pres

Hi Steve, Thanks for the reply. The bit broke awkwardly so I had to grind it down flat to drill it. I have a brand new set of cobalt bits but they don't seem to be doing anything :wall: Maybe it'd be easier to replace the lower control arm :? Hmm wonder how much that'll cost

 

[FSTDANGO3]

You'll need some real hard carbon Bits and you must start real small
Replacing that lower arm will be very expensive and what a pain
Steve
DOC Pres

 

[IndyDurango]

Replacement 2x4 lower arms are available from the dealer and from SocalDakota.com. They're not my fav place on the net, but some love them.

Good luck.

IndyDurango

 

[tomk]

2000 4x4 lower control arm with bushings and ball joint is just over $300 at dicsountautoparts4u (see the banner)

 

[FSTDANGO3]

Fuind a way to drillit out or Bring it somewhere to get it removed
Steve
DOC Pres

 

[race D]

It's actually carbide tipped masonry bits that you'd want to use.

They have saved the day for me on more then one occasion.
Again start small and work your way up in size.

 

[GreenD]

Agreed on the carbide tipped. One thing I found was there are some inexpensive carbide bits that really don't drill well. A friend of mine is an electrician who buys very good and expensive tools. He lent me a couple of his carbide bits and it was amazing the difference, they cut right through where the others just seemed to spin. I guess what I'm saying is you might want to pony up for the good bits, they can be over $30 a bit.

 

[FSTDANGO3]

That's what I'm talking about the Good stuff
Still Cheaper than a lower control arm and you'll use them again someday
Steve
DOC Pres

 

[Davito]

Thanks all for your help. Finally got the darn thing out. I got a brand new set of carbide bits but they still made no dent in the broken bit. I ended up using a dremel and a grinding bit to get through the bit. After that was out the new carbide bit flew through the bolt like a hot knife through butter :cheesy: This time I used a grade 5 bolt instead of a grade 8, its the third time the grade 8 sheared off, so one of my off roading buddies said a softer grade 5 may be better suited to the lateral forces and would likely bend instead of break like the stronger more brittle grade 8. Make sense to anyone?

 

[tomk]

seems odd that the bolt would keep breaking?

Are your bump-stops in good shape, and are the shocks you're running the correct length for any suspension mods you've done?

 

[Davito]

Bump stops seem to be in good shape and I'm running the new Rancho 9000XLs because my old ranchos rusted out, and I'm on 32" BFG ATs.

Any time they have broken it has been while off roading. Either going fast over many small bump like this time, dropping into a deeper than expected water crossing like last time, or when all four tires leave the ground and front two come down first and hard (that time both front bolts sheared off .) I realized on this last trip though that every time it happens I have my Ranchos on the stiffest setting (9) perhaps I should have it on a softer setting.

Or maybe I need to add a 3" body lift and put some 35s one maybe that'll fix it :cheesy:, hmm I like this last option the most

 

[MWeed]

Davito, if you go to 35's you'll more than likely start having problems with the front end durability. The front end is lighter duty than the stock wrangler that's more than 1k lbs. lighter than the D.

 

[Davito]

I was thinking about that too Mike. What if I run the 32s for everyday driving and put the 35s on for the trails, would I still run into the same issues? Most of the time we go very slow through the trails anyway.

And speaking of wranglers, here's the jeep I had to pull out of the trail last weekend through the last 10km of the trail after his center bolt on his rear leaf sheared off and his axle shifted forward.

 

[dizzyD]

Their are EDM places out their that'll basically plasma out the old metal. Had it done with a broken exhaust manifold bolt on the D for under a hundred. 1/2 an hour worth of work. My old Dak had the same situ, I eventually relace the lower with a good used from junkyard, $50. Never could get it drilled out right.

 

[MWeed]

It's the torque on the joints and axles from 4 wheeling that'll kill the front end. The power to turn the 35's will tear up the front axle if you get stuck in mud or hard rock work, maybe even sand under the right conditions. You see it all the time with jeeps trying to run 36's with a Dana 44. Axle joints break, axles break, wherever the weakest point in the driveline is, it'll break if enough torque is applied at the wrong time.

If you want to do that tire size, I'm afraid that the only successful way to do it'd be to do a solid axle swap on the front end and go to a good strong Dana 60, or Ford 9". The one good thing about doing that's that you can lift it as high as you want, then.

 

[race D]

If your breaking grade 8's I'd be afraid that your getting counterfit bolts marked as Grade 8.

A fried of mine works at the water treatment plant, and they had several lowouts on vlves from the bolts breaking.
Come to find out the supplier was buying cheap knockoff's off shore with grade 8 markings.

 

[FSTDANGO3]

I was going to say that you should be using the OEM Bolt again.
Also set those Ranchos just a tad lighter off road.
Nice Job on the Jeep Rescue
Steve
DOC Pres