Help snapped the bolt in my lower rear arm

woodiwoodi Wagonist
in Suspension, Braking & Wheels
I was trying to do a quick rear shock job on my 2000 civic over the weekend and I put a rachet on the outer bolt of the lower rear arm and gave it a good crank and snapped the bolt clean in half. So now I have half a bolt stuck halfway through the rear arm and stuck into the welded on insert of the trailing arm. Any ideas on how to remedy the situation?

I was thinking of using a cutoff wheel on my grinder and cutting the welded nut off and then getting a new bolt from honda and a locknut to match. Any other ideas on how to remedy the situation? I can't really figure out any other good way to get the remains of the bolt out.

I know it's not a wagon but I'm pretty sure it's the same setup as is on my wagon so I thought someone here might have some ideas.

Comments

  • unlimited02unlimited02 Senior Wagonist
    here's a couple of ways of fixing this... the easyiest way to is to get another match LCA from the junk yard or someone... take off the LCA and drill the left over out... and put a straight bolt with a nut on the other side...
  • saveacivicsaveacivic New Wagonist
    unlimited02 wrote:
    here's a couple of ways of fixing this... the easyiest way to is to get another match LCA from the junk yard or someone... take off the LCA and drill the left over out... and put a straight bolt with a nut on the other side...

    words of wisdom right there...
  • AlphaxomegaAlphaxomega Senior Wagonist
    if the bolt is far enough into the welded nut. then just hammer the nut off, samething happend to mine. just get another nut and bolt to replace.

    if not. then best bet is to drill the bolt then hammer out, make sure you dont mess anything up. Make it as clean as possible.
    Good luck
  • woodiwoodi Wagonist
    So i got one side off with a grinder and a cutoff wheel and managed to pound the remainder and the bolt out and got a new bolt and not and put it back together.

    I moved to the other side and despite all attempts to be careful the same thing happens. Followed the same process and cannot get the piece of the bolt stuck in the bushing to budge. It's been soaking in pb blaster for days and all I'm doing is destroying the bushing trying to get it out and the old bolt is not moving. So I figured oh well I'll order a new bushing from honda and just change that instead. Looked it up on the parts schematic and you can't buy those bushings separately. What the heck? You can buy the one in the center the shock attaches to but no the ones on the ends. Is there somewhere I can buy those bushings separately or do I have to buy the whole arm if my bushings go bad? Then if I do buy the whole arm will that include the bushing for the shock mount or is that another piece all together?

    I am getting so frustrated with this thing. This was supposed to be an hour job. Now I'm two weeks in.
  • unlimited02unlimited02 Senior Wagonist
    if u can get the bushing just upgrade into DA integra... they fit also... and u can probably run the rear sway bar also with some custom end links...
  • crazy_Ivancrazy_Ivan New Wagonist
    Energy Suspension has the bishingsfor the end of the arms, and a reverse twist drill bit may allow you to extract the remainder of the bolt...
  • ragenasianragenasian Moderator
    Why not just buy new lower control arms? They are so cheap it is easier just to replace the whole control arm, and it will come with all new bushings.
  • Mandalore88Mandalore88 Senior Wagonist
    I have an 88 so I had planned on getting DA rear LCA's for when I changed my rear struts.

    I only had one snap off, I just used a cheap cutting wheel from harbor freight and cut the old LCA out

    Junkyard struts and LCAs are only like $50-$60
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