Issue with caster blocks
 

Here's my situation:

I was getting a bad clunk sound from my front right suspension, and when I dug into it, I discovered that the outboard caster block bolt was missing and the inboard was only finger tight.

I removed the inboard bolt to take it to the hardware store and find a match. When I got back home, I was able to secure the outboard side with the new bolt, but I am unable to get the inboard bolt (the one that was originally there) to thread on. It is as if the female threads broke off.

Is this a common issue? And is there anyway to access the rear of the mounting surface?

TIA

Brad

I'd like to know as well, I have a bad cluncking/thumping coming from my front right strut area.

So, it was threaded in before..other bolt was missing... got new bolt, now the hole for the bolt that was still in is messed up, or you can't get things to line up?

I am sure I have seen this in a thread in the past. I think that there is a bolt that is welded into the floorboard which is the threads that the caster block bolts screw into. Possibly since only one bolt was present the other side broke off from the beating it was probably taking. The fix may require cutting it open and welding in another bolt to make it work.

Search around for other threads on this topic possibly I saw it on rlist.

I believe the hole is messed up. When I have the good bolt in, the hole lines up, there just isn't anything to grab the threads on the bolt.

If the threads are still there in the body of the car, and you just can't get the bolt started in the threads, try using a jack to press the control arm/caster block up against the body of the car after you get one started. That should square things up well enough to get the bolt started.

If the nut inside the hole is now loose, then you need to cut things open and reweld it, and weld it all back together.

Good luck, Keith

Yeah the only suggestion I could give is to run a thread restorer through. But you want to ensure the bolt holds well.

this is not uncommon. it's a pretty piss poor design. it happens largely due to corrosion, and over-torque. i believe the spec is only 34 ft/lbs.

the only successful way of repair that i have heard of involved cutting it open and welding it all back up.

I had the same problem on the passenger side I just helicoiled it to the next size. Driven on it for about 5k and the bolts hold fine.

It was suggested that I use nut-serts. I ordered a set off McMaster Carr, I will let you guys know how they work once I get them.