Well This Sucks!!

[Reggie]

Hi All,

I'm rebuilding the front end and tried to remove the lower control arm bolts only to find that the factory tacked the doggone nuts to the bolts. I'm used to getting greasy and cussing but this is going to take a whole lot more cussing! A chisel didn't do squat, so it looks like I'm going to have to saw them off. Anyone else run into this? Did you just replace them with grade 8 stuff or should I be looking somewhere else for replacements?

 

[Reggie]

Found some NOS ones here for $12.50 a pop plus $4.95 shipping, Yikes! MoPar Front Suspension Bolt - NOS - '70's-'80's - P/N 6030853 | eBay

 

[AMC Diplomat]

This does suck! There has to be an equivalent bolt out there. Years ago I had to cut a lower control arm bolt on a Town Car. No one had one, no one could sell me an aftermarket one the right length, complete nightmare, until I found that Ford used the same grade bolt for something else (I forget what, I know it was from a truck) that was the right length and everyone had the Motorcraft bolt cheap.

You can try https://boltsandnuts.com/ you might get lucky because it's so old that the bolt is probably a standard length they carry. I will say it is a lot easier finding hardware for the Diplomat than the Town Car; stuff tends to be in common sizes

 

[Reggie]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

It looks like a pretty standard bolt minus the tip at the end so it shouldn't be too hard to find something usable. It does suck how that blob of weld is there to make it so hard to do anything with.

 

[Justwondering]

Reggie ...
What was that country western song lyric???

If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...
Gloom, despair and a-gon-knee on me...

OR

Some days are diamonds ...
Some days are stones ....

JW

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

I'm rebuilding the front end and tried to remove the lower control arm bolts only to find that the factory tacked the doggone nuts to the bolts.

I know it's a tight fit in there, but could you get at it with even a Dremel cut-off wheel just enough to cust through that blob? Heck, enough so that you could then put a little beating on it with a cold chisel to completely split it?

 

[Reggie]

I know it's a tight fit in there, but could you get at it with even a Dremel cut-off wheel just enough to cust through that blob? Heck, enough so that you could then put a little beating on it with a cold chisel to completely split it?

I tried the Dremel and the sway bar is in the way. Even if I remove the sway bar (which I'm going to do), it looks as if it won't reach far enough past the bottom surface of the frame to cut anything. I have a jigsaw that will fit in there and I just bought a pack of new blades to destroy....

 

[Reggie]

Reggie ...
What was that country western song lyric???

If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...
Gloom, despair and a-gon-knee on me...

OR

Some days are diamonds ...
Some days are stones ....

JW

Yup, or as my late father and uncle Sam used to say; "If it ain't one thing, it's a d--- 'nother!"

 

[volare 1977]

I may have some but need to check first if you still need them let me know. Ok checked only have one NOS bolt 6030853

 

[Ele115]

A grinder and burr like you would use for porting cylinder heads. The pointy tip should get in there. But that's only if you have the tools.

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

A grinder and burr like you would use for porting cylinder heads. The pointy tip should get in there. But that's only if you have the tools.

Excellent advice...a tear-drop shape cutter would get in there for the final finish!!!

 

[Duke5A]

I torched mine out and used hardware store grade 8 bolts with nylon lock nuts to replace it. If you want better bolts than that stop by your local CAT dealer. Yes, it is a sphincter puckering experience. One slight twitch and the K can be damaged. I did have the K removed from the car when I did this and flipped upside down, so my access was way better than having to do this on the ground and overhead.

 

[Reggie]

Thanks guys. I found two of them, and I appreciate all of the responses. The factory even left a piece of the welding rod attached on one side.

 

[volare 1977]

Still got to wonder why anyone would tack them like that.

 

[LSM360]

Definitely overkill. I thought it was only the AHB's but now I know different

 

[volare 1977]

Must have be on the later years. I have never seen that on the 70`s F bodies

 

[Aspen500]

I swear I read something about the tack welded nuts a quite awhile back. Seems the nuts would come loose for some reason. Can't remember if it was just done at the factory on all FMJ after a certain date or just AHB, or if it was some sort of recall. I can't recall, lol. My late (June 23rd) '79 wasn't welded anyway.

 

[Justwondering]

Thanks guys. I found two of them, and I appreciate all of the responses. The factory even left a piece of the welding rod attached on one side.

View attachment 52395

Quality is Job #1 --??
JW

 

[Aspen500]

Quality is Job #1 --??
JW

That was a Ford advertising thing. I was a Ford tech from 1985-2007 and our saying in the shop was "Quality is Job 5, maybe 6" lol.

Car quality was way down in the '70's for all makes. Then they slowly got better,,,,,up until 15 years ago. Then it all started going back down into the dumper. Quality nowdays, not so good from an auto tech point of view. Don't care though, now that I don't have work on them anymore, lol