s2000maniac

I replaced the shocks and was torquing the control arm bolts and one bolt got loose and start turning. I tried taking the bolt out but it just keeps turning. Half of the bolt is still screwed into that nut that's welded on the other side.This is the front left driver side. I don't know what to do. Even if I try cutting the bolt I dont think I will be able to get the control arm out since part of the bolt still screwed into that nut. I set my torque wrench to 75 ft/lbs which is the recommended torque spec. Dammit!!

APaul1

Damn.. Broken bolts suck. I can't believe it broke at 75ft lbs. Maybe it was over tightened before and slightly broke when you took it out and broke for real going in, maybe crossthreaded a little? A drill and screw extractor is the go to choice but I donno if a drill with fit there. maybe you can cut the bolt in two places where the uca is sandwiched at the place. Take the uca out and you might be able to fit a drill through the hole and have enough room on the right side of the right flange for a drill gun.

edit
once you cut the bolt and take the uca out, you might not even need a drill and extractor. The bolt doesn't look like its threaded in that much. You can probably, at that point, knocked it out with a punch from the welded nut side and clean the threads with a tap if its just screwed in a couple threads.

edit 2
sorry i didnt read the part where it said "half the threads are screwed in" I def wouldn't knock it out with a punch. Only if it was catching a thread or two and stripped.
holy shit i suck at reading. For some reason I thought it was broken too. You would only need to cut the bolt at one place then, in between the left flange and control arm, and pull the bolt out from right side, take the arm out and see what you can do from there. This is only if you cant screw extract it from the head due to limited space.

edit again
I think I read right, I just didnt think right. Is the bolt turning on one end and not the other? Or both ends turning but not coming out?

s2000maniac

^^ thanks

I got the bolt out and the nut seems to be stripped. I think those pieces are from the inside of the nut.

APaul1

oh okay, lol for somereason I couldn't get my mind around the spinning bolt, not coming out, and threads half way in. So my mind was subconsciously thinking broken bolt. So how'd it come out? I would think a prybar on the head and an airratchet would've work. Hopefully the welded nut is tap-able.

s2000maniac

I just used pliers and yanked it and it came out. I don't think its a good idea to tap and die it since its suspension bolt and most of the threads on that nut are gone. Some people suggested that I should cut that nut off and get another nut.

Slowcrash_101

Yes, if you even have the slightest feeling that a fastener is bad replace it, I learned this the hard way. Even if you have to get something from the hardware store as a temporary measure while the OEM one comes in. Now I'm going to use calipers to measure bolt length and compare to specs, if the bolt is stretched, I get a new one.

zeroptzero

I've had three of mine do that, and I've managed to find a perfect fix for it. You don't have to remove the old nut with my fix as the new bolt is the proper length.

Go to your Honda dealer and order a suspension bolt which is the perfect length, and a suspension nut which is capable of holding the proper torque -75 ft lbs. Part numbers are listed below.

Make sure the oem nut is stripped as good as possible, put the old bolt in an strip it out some more if you can then pull it out. The cleaner the old nut is of rusted threads the better. Then Lube up the smooth part of the body of the new bolt so it doesn't seize in the control arm bushing (anti-sieze works great), put the new bolt in through the control arm bushing and through the old nut. Then put the new nut over top of the old nut so you get a double nut setup. Torque it all down to spec. Do the final torque with a jack under the lower control arm and the suspension compressed with full load on it so the car is in the air lifted up off the jackstand.

This is the easiest fix . These are Honda suspension parts so they can take the load and torque needed. I've ordered spare parts in case others fail in the future.

Part numbers:

Honda nut - 90395-SNA-003
Honda bolt - 90118-SNA-000

Someone needs to stickie this info as I seem to be the only person who has found a fix for this common problem. This is an easy and great fix as it maintains the original geometry of the suspension setup. Beats the hell out of cutting the old nut out and sourcing aftermarket parts

If you need pics let me know but you have all of the info to do it right.

s2000maniac

ohh awesome thanks!! BUT is the bolt long enough to go through the old stripped nut and through the new one?

also the old control arm bolt has different part number and costs about $6 and the one you listed costs about $2.

zeroptzero

Yes of course. And with it being a proper Honda suspension bolt the middle body section of the bolt is wider than the threaded end of the bolt, so you don't get any movement once it is in the bushing.

These parts should be easily sourced by your Honda parts counter guy, just give them the numbers I gave you and make sure they come up as a bolt and a nut. Get a couple of each part as spares.

s2000maniac

okay Thank you soo much!!