OMG
i was lowering my 03 z06 last nite, nice simple "mod", rear of the car went fine. moved to the front. i was using the bushing cutting method in the front so i had to lower the front lower a arm... well i stripped out the hex key bolt on the a arm ball joint :banghead: i guess im going to have to find a tap set that works on a bolt that you are turning clockwise (like im tightening it) to get the nut off of the bolt and then take the ball joint in to the chevy dealer and if im lucky ( :lolg: ) they'll have one in stock. i guess i was wondering if someone knows what kind of chore its going to be to get that ball joint bolt out of the a arm after i finally get it tapped out?
frustrated forumer :reddevil
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

 

damn :nonod:

 

I remember having trouble. Then I removed 4 bolts from the frame, these bolts are the
top 4 in the wheel well (they are in pairs of 2).
Once that was done, it created a better angle for the ball joint to slide right out! :cheers:

 

what you need is a pair of vice grips on the bolt to bolt the bolt while you break the nut loose. After that, the nut should come of easily and no need for the excessive grip of the Vise-grips. Then pull the lower A-arm and replace the the ball joint or replace the whole A-arm if the ball joint is not able to be seperated from the A-arm. Either way you have to replace the ball joint so screwing up the threads isn't a big issue so long as you don't screw them up so bad that you can't get the nut off. If need be you could put a set of needlenose vise grips below the steering knuckle to hold the ball joint if getting past the damaged threads becomings an issue.
Good luck on the repair.

 

Take the upper ball joint nut off & use a T40 TORX bit.


[Modified by ALLKAR, 5:33 PM 3/5/2004]

 

thanks for all of the suggestions--that is what i love about this forum :hurray: --real world help. but actually i had a guy at napa auto parts give me some advice that got the job done (who would've thought!)
i went out and bought about $500 worth of tools (impact wrench and impact wrench sockets :D (i love tools)) i then jacked up on the lower a arm so that there was pressure on the lower a arm ball joint. then i sprayed some penetrating oil all over the threads on the stud and used the impact wrench to re-tighten the nut on the stud. then i used more penetrating oil on the top of the stud and cleaned it up with a wire brush. then i put the impact wrench back on the nut, said 3 hail mary's, and the nut came right off :hurray: .
oh yeah, and about trying to just get the nut off in any way i could and then replace the ball joint. i was going to try that but when i called the gm dealer he said that i would have to buy the whole lower a arm :banghead: . but it was only 150 bucks so i guess not that bad. :chevy
the only thing is now i no longer have a t-40 torx hole in the top of my ball joint stud. lets just say my ball joint lost her virginity :lol: .
thanks again for your help