Upper control arm bolt won't go back in
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 251
Likes: 25
From: New Smyrna Beach, FL
Upper control arm bolt won't go back in
I was doing some work on my car over the weekend that required disconnecting most of the front suspension and ran into a problem when trying to connect everything back. It all went smoothly except for the front bolt on the passenger side upper control arm. It came out easy enough and threads back in fairly easily, until after a 1/4" or so when it feels like it binds. To crank it in any further exceeds the torque specs and has me worried I might snap it off or strip it out completely. I've tried running the bolt in with the control arm completely out of the way and it does the same thing. The threads look ok when I pull the bolt all the way out to inpsect, but I can definitely see a color difference between where the bolt has been in and where it hasn't. Any ideas?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,507
Likes: 722
From: Sausalito CA
Well, "tap" the threads.
Also, try measuring the depth of the threaded hole.
Are you sure you have the correct bolt?
As I recall some suspension mountings use shims, are you missing the shims?
All FWIW.
Good luck, let us know your results
Also, try measuring the depth of the threaded hole.
Are you sure you have the correct bolt?
As I recall some suspension mountings use shims, are you missing the shims?
All FWIW.
Good luck, let us know your results
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 251
Likes: 25
From: New Smyrna Beach, FL
Positive it's the correct bolt and shims still in place. My next step was going to be to try and run a thread cutter down the bolt hole to "clean out" the threads. Maybe just a burr or metal shaving or something? I'm just trying to explore all options given the placement. The last thing I want is to strip this bad boy out.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,009
Likes: 916
From: Baie-D'Urfe, Quebec
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C6 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
I had the same issue with a rear anti-sway bar bracket bolt. No problem removing it, but wouldn't thread all the way back in. Weird. I ended up running a tap into it.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 134
Likes: 39
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 251
Likes: 25
From: New Smyrna Beach, FL
So did that fix it when you did that? Do you recall the size of the tap you used? From what I'm seeing, the bolt is M10x1.5. Does that sound right to you?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,009
Likes: 916
From: Baie-D'Urfe, Quebec
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C6 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
i couldn’t figure out how the factory managed to drive the bolt in with the thread being the way it was
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Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,438
Likes: 919
From: CONCORD NC
it is very easy to cross thread the upper control arms, you MUST load the suspension so they go in straight. The steel frame cars have threat inserts that can break free and spin. The aluminum framed cars have blocks of threaded aluminum. Either way, start them by hand, and I recommend fully installing them by hand. Also if you remove washers for alignment, relocate them to the front so you still have them. If you run a bolt in too deep, the unthreaded part can extend into the female threads and damage them