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Front Swaybar Frame Mount Broke

edmaude

NAXJA Member #1368
Location
West Milford, NJ
I ended up breaking the one welded nut inside the frame while installing new bushings this weeked. Can I get access to the inside of the frame area by removing the front bumper? Any other suggestions? It seems ok with the one bolt for now, but I do not want to leave it that way
 
Greenlantern said:
remove the swaybar for good.... youll see its no different
If you don't plan on ever driving on a paved road NOR driving faster than 25mph, than yea, thats a plan.

If you do plan on driving in those conditions, whats your solution? Spring replacement (like double the current spring rate) to increase roll rate to an acceptable level? Pretty rough on ride?

OR how about this, lets use the safety equipment designed to maintain proper control of the vehicle, its cheaper than doing it properly with alternatives and far cheaper than paying for new vehicles and lawsuites because we thought it was a smart idea to cruise down the highway at highway speeds with critical suspension components removed.

Did you actually break the nut off, it rolled away and there is nothing there on the other side of the frame? Or did you break off the bolt in the nut and/or damaged the threads in the nut?

If the nut is still there, with the bolt in it, you can take your time and do it right, you can drill out the bolt and clean up the threads.

If the Nut is still there, but the threads destroyed, you can drill and tap the nut for a larger bolt or use a heli-core kit to replace the threads.
 
Ahh... the timeless debate: Swaybar or No?

Personal preference rules out all other options. If something happens and directly relates to your swaybar modifications, you have yourself to hold accountable.
 
GrayT said:
If something happens and directly relates to your swaybar modifications, you have yourself to hold accountable.
If you get into any accident that the suspension performance could have contributed too or even remotely prevented (and suspension performance is directly related to stopping distance, although swaybars are not, unless your in a turn); imagine the field day a lawyer could have with that.

But back to the topic, edmaude the nut is actually "GONE", I've only seen that when I've taken an air chisel to it to purposededly remove it. Regular chisels and hammers could not take them out.
 
The weld on the nut broke loose as I tightened it so right now I have the bolt threaded on about half way onto the nut, which is no longer connected the the frame. This a DD so the swaybar is no getting removed
 
Rick Anderson said:
If you get into any accident that the suspension performance could have contributed too or even remotely prevented (and suspension performance is directly related to stopping distance, although swaybars are not, unless your in a turn); imagine the field day a lawyer could have with that.

I'm sure it would be a hell of a case, but like I was more or less implying... no one is making you take off your sway bar.
 
edmaude said:
The weld on the nut broke loose as I tightened it so right now I have the bolt threaded on about half way onto the nut, which is no longer connected the the frame. This a DD so the swaybar is no getting removed
Thats stinks, yea your in deep on that one. Could the inside of the frame rail be rusting out? I would be suspicious if a nut broke off with just some torque of a bolt that was not even bottomed out yet.

You could cut a hole in the frame rail, tighten down the nut and weld it, clean up the rust, and then weld a patch over the hole in the frame rail to bring back the strength. Hopefully the nut snapping off is a fluke, because you might find the frame rail is rotting out at that point and you'll have a lot more metal to cut and weld, than just the nut.
 
Yeah welding it out of my league. Do you know if I can gain access with the front bumper off or is the subframe boxed in the front? I have so little rust on the undercarriage that I doubt I have frame rot. It really snapped like it just wasn't welded on correctly.
 
edmaude said:
The weld on the nut broke loose as I tightened it so right now I have the bolt threaded on about half way onto the nut, which is no longer connected the the frame. This a DD so the swaybar is no getting removed
You are kind of in a quandry now. About the only fix that will last is as follows: saw off half tightened bolt, and then choose one of the following two options:

1. fabricate a nut strip similar to that used in the back to hold on the trailer hitch and/or gas tank skid plate. The spacing between the holes would match the holes in the "frame" for the sway bar. Fish this nut plate into the "Frame" thru the front opening.
2. cut a small rectangular opening the side of the "frame" rail and weld in a new nut. Then weld up the hole you created for access.

Either way, it's gonna be a PITA. Sorry.........
 
You may have to pay someone to do the welding for you. You can do the cutting yourself. Have the new nut tightened down with the hole there, drive carefully to a welder, he'll weld the nut and weld a patch over the hole you cut in the frame, it shouldn't be that expensive.

I like the nut strip idea, if there is an existing frame hole nearby, I'd try to fish that thing in like suggested, before I went into cutting holes in the frame rail.
 
Rick Anderson said:
You may have to pay someone to do the welding for you. You can do the cutting yourself. Have the new nut tightened down with the hole there, drive carefully to a welder, he'll weld the nut and weld a patch over the hole you cut in the frame, it shouldn't be that expensive.

I like the nut strip idea, if there is an existing frame hole nearby, I'd try to fish that thing in like suggested, before I went into cutting holes in the frame rail.
The only hole big enough would be at the front of the "frame" rail, where the bumper mounts. If it's on the driver's side, you would also have to fish the nutplate past the steering gear mounting thru-bolts. More PITA. The more I think about this, the cutting and welding of the frame rail is probably the best solution (but maybe not the fastest or cheapest.)
 
it is the passanger side so I will try to fish a bolt in there somehow. Will I have access of I remove the bumper?
 
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