Control arm bolt - how unsafe?

[Toady]

I was installing my UMI lower arms today and one of the 4 bolts stripped as I was torquing it down. It's the driver's side back one (next to the shock). The other 3 are fine. So, two questions.

* How to remove the bolt? It's the threads that are stripped, not the head, so it won't come out by going lefty-loosey.
* How unsafe is it to drive like this? The nearest trusted shop is about 7 miles away, and I may have to take it there.

Thanks,

 

[GregInAtl]

Its hard to say that nothing will happen leaving it. The only thing you can bank on, is fixing it will give you peace of mind, and if it ever needs to be removed, the hard part is done. I'd recommend getting it to a good repair shop to be removed, if not for safety (Which you dont know is compromised until its too late)but for the above mentioned peace of mind.

 

[Woody]

Get a chisel and a big hammer and cut it in half.........or use a die grinder and a cut off wheel.........

 

[Lee Thompson]

Try this

Leave it on and back it up with another nut.

 

[Toady]

You must be psychic

Leave it on and back it up with another nut.

I was just thinking about doing that this morning - at least until I can get the correct replacement piece.

Woody, borrowing sawzall tonight.

GregInAtl, peace of mind is priceless. And it really wasn't all that bad getting the new ones in there, so I'm going for it. Yet another delay...LOL.

Thanks, guys.
Rhett

 

[wagon]

Weld the nut on and call it a day. You are going to have to cut it off anyways. Just remember to buy another one and keep it handy in case you ever need to do some work on the rear.

 

[Toady]

Brian, LOVE the wagon. It's been one of my favorite rides for a long time. Welding it on would have been fine, except I don't have a welder, so it still would have meant a trip somewhere.

In any case, I tried the nut splitter my dad bought me and I thought I'd never need. Lots of sweat later (it was still about 95 degrees out) I had a cracked nut (OUCH) and a free bolt.

FYI for anyone who's never done the lowers: removing the lower shock attachment makes it much easier to move the axle around.

 

[wagon]

Thanks. It's one of my favorite rides too. Well, that's good you got it off, now you don't have to worry about it later. If you had to wrestle the thing off, then you would have been ok taking it to a shop for a quick weld, but you did it the better way.