Rear Sway Bar Bushing Install....Help Needed

[OH10_MSP]

SO I ordered some new bushings from and decided to put them on tonight. I took the drivers side and my buddy took the passenger side. For some reason the lower bolt in the bracket that covers the bushings were being total bitches to get out. I finally got mine out, but the passenger side seems to have some serious issues.

The nut that is tack welded to the frame of the car that the lower bolt goes into has broken off. It was a clean break and appears that the bolt was driven with an impact gun and possible cross threaded in the process. This would explain the difficulty getting it off. I do not know the technical terms of any of this. See pictures below to get a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Basically has this ever happened to anyone before? How should I go about fixing it? Suggestions?

 

[JM1Protege]

I actually had the same thing happen to me and my car is still sitting outside with the swaybar bracket just hanging from the car... i dont know what would be the best solution to resolve this problem

 

[OH10_MSP]

I found a post in a dead thread from like 2+ years ago that a guy said it happened to him too. I PM'd him to see what he did...hopefully he get back to me.

 

[jeremy irons]

On my car, a previous owner had stripped the nut... so they put a slightly smaller bolt through the BACK of the frame member, so it stuck out like a stud.

(you can get your hand in there from underneath, though you wouldn't think so from looking at it)

it was a real pain to tighten properly, and then it came undone and the bushing clamp broke in half. http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5273729&postcount=8

All the same, I'm going to do the same thing again, but this time, I'm going to use lockwashers and nuts.

 

[OH10_MSP]

On my car, a previous owner had stripped the nut... so they put a slightly smaller bolt through the BACK of the frame member, so it stuck out like a stud.

Do you happen to have a picture of how/where they put the smaller bolt?

 

[ucMP3]

On my car, a previous owner had stripped the nut... so they put a slightly smaller bolt through the BACK of the frame member, so it stuck out like a stud.

(you can get your hand in there from underneath, though you wouldn't think so from looking at it)

it was a real pain to tighten properly, and then it came undone and the bushing clamp broke in half. http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5273729&postcount=8

All the same, I'm going to do the same thing again, but this time, I'm going to use lockwashers and nuts.

You don't need a smaller bolt, just use the same size bolt and do it backwards how this guy was saying. I had the exact same thing happen to me and this is how I solved the problem. Worked like a charm.

 

[OH10_MSP]

You don't need a smaller bolt, just use the same size bolt and do it backwards how this guy was saying. I had the exact same thing happen to me and this is how I solved the problem. Worked like a charm.

Heck yes. I was thinking that would would be what I needed to do if all else failed, I think I will just go strait to this. Thanks for the help guys, hopefully all goes well.

 

[SleepyMSP]

I had this...its easy...put the bolt inside the subframe and put a wrench on it then put the nut on the outside

 

[jonridinhi]

Mine are the same way.

 

[HKPRO5]

tap and die?

 

[Pmpkinhead]

If you you get the Clunk Fix kit, you won't need any of the original stuff and the bushing location is different and the performance is upgraded and ....(guitar)

 

[OH10_MSP]

If you you get the Clunk Fix kit, you won't need any of the original stuff and the bushing location is different and the performance is upgraded and ....(guitar)

I definitely want to, given they do another production of them this year. I haven't seen any updated information from the guy who makes them though...:/

 

[jeremy irons]

Oh, btw, which way do the OEM clamps go on... oval hole forward or back?

 

[OH10_MSP]

Oh, btw, which way do the OEM clamps go on... oval hole forward or back?

Oval goes on the bottom

 

[ucMP3]

If you you get the Clunk Fix kit, you won't need any of the original stuff and the bushing location is different and the performance is upgraded and ....(guitar)

They still mount to the stock mounting locations on the rear cross-member tho... So he would still need to mount the clunk brackets the same way as the stock ones.

 

[jeremy irons]

Oh hey, and what kind of nuts do you use for the endlinks? Would nylok be okay? or what about flange nuts?