16 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHstripped control arm hex bolt
Leading reported evidence
Use pickle fork
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I’ve run into this before and I used a pickle fork to put pressure on the control arm.
Leading evidence: 'Use pickle fork' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Run into this' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
I’ve run into this before and I used a pickle fork to put pressure on the control arm.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
If it keeps spinning then tighten the nut while the jack is under it and then try removing the nut.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
In this case, I would use a dremel (since I have one) with a saw wheel (very small) and split that nut.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
In the course of 60 years of wrenching I have had occasion to use a hack saw to split a nut or bolt.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Pressure can be applied using other methods, but the main point is you want to put a lot of pressure on the ball joint while trying to remove the nut from the bolt.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
16 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T091943Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
I'm in the middle of removing the front lower control arm and am stuck trying to get that last bolt off. The hex bolt is stripped in a way that i cannot get a hex key in there to hold it in place. When i spin the nut, the middle section spins with it. I've tried using vice grips to clamp where the boot is underneath but cannot for the life of me get a tight enough grip. Any suggestions?
kmJqJ97.jpg
In the course of 60 years of wrenching I have had occasion to use a hack saw to split a nut or bolt. In this case, I would use a dremel (since I have one) with a saw wheel (very small) and split that nut. Cut it and hit it once with a chisel/hammer.....done.
You could try putting a Jack under the control arm to reseat the tapered portion or the ball joint,might be enough pressure to keep it from turning.Many solutions.....a lot of good advice.
Try jacking the underside and putting pressure on the ball joint. You also can heat with a map torch and the spin it off with an impact.
May require taking the hub out and removing the axle though.
Also, I think the tops of those ball joint bolts are usually Torx not hex - it's possible you could hammer a slightly oversized one in there and it might hold (especially in combination with a jack under the ball joint to jam the taper into the steering knuckle).
Is it stripped or dirty? From the pic, it looks jam packed full of crap. If it's actually stripped, give Mac Tools RBRT hex a try. They come in all lengths and sizes, so make sure you get what will fit under the axle.
https://www.mactools.com/en-us/Socke...-T-Hex-Drivers
Just cut it off, you're not going to use it again anyway. Or try wedging a pickle fork between the two.
Also, I might be wrong but aren't those Torx and not Hex?
You can cut it off several ways, try an impact, pound a torx bit in there instead of a hex, or use a nut cracker tool.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7769259
Pressure can be applied using other methods, but the main point is you want to put a lot of pressure on the ball joint while trying to remove the nut from the bolt.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys! Y�all were right that it�s a torx. Regardless, it was too stripped and the nut was pretty much seized. Decided to just hit it with a dremel and go crazy with a chisel/hammer. Luckily the other side went without any hiccups and got the arm swapped in 20min. 👍
