Ok, so I just changed one of my front axles for what seems like the hundredth time and when I put it back together everything went as normal, except... a bolt striped out.

 

It is the bolt on the steering knuckle that pinches the ball joint on the end of the suspension arm, if that makes sense. So, the ball joint on the suspension arm IS popped up into place in the bottom of the steering knuckle. There just isn't the bolt that keeps it from popping back out.

 

How important is that bolt? It seems like the upward pressure of the suspension arm and the snug fit it has in the steering knuckle would make it pretty hard for it to come out, but I really have no idea.

 

I don't know if the threads on the inside of the steering knuckle are stripped or not. I just wonder if its ok to drive around without that bolt just to the hardware stores to try to find a new bolt and see if it works. If the threads on the inside are toast, is my only option to find an new steering knuckle at a junk yard?

 

This is kinda hard to explain. I hope you guys can sorta tell what I'm talking about. Thanks for any help or thoughts anybody has on this for me.

maybe just get another longer bolt that sticks through and thread a nut onto it?

I would not recommend doing that at all. your ball joint is going to pop out and it will let the strut fold what ever way the weight of the car takes it. NOT GOOD! are you sure it stripped? You might be able to get a longer bolt and a nut but I would be going to the junk yard to pull an other steering knuckle just to know its all the way it should be.

The longer bolt and nut works fine. I've been using one on my brat for 12 years. Be sure and use the same diameter bolt as the original.

The longer bolt and nut works fine. I've been using one on my brat for 12 years. Be sure and use the same diameter bolt as the original.

 

hi, + 1 for what he says, the bolt is supposed to clamp the ball joint but it also goes through the side of the ball joint in a reduced diameter section so the ball joint is like "locked in" even if the bolt is not tight . if you really want to fix it you could install a heli-coil repair in the knuckle .

Why are you replacing axle 100 times?

Something you are doing to the car or to the install is not being done correctly if you are doing them often.

 

Or else you are putting in junk autozone/ advamce auto axles, those are junk.

Edited October 6, 201114 yr by bheinen74

Thanks for the tips guys. Yeah the longer bolt works perfect. good as new.

 

I actually had another post going the other day asking about why my inner CV joint keeps going out. Its always the inner cv on the passengers side and the boot on that one is right above the catalytic converter. I'm thinkin it just gets too hot and maybe some oil hitting it causes even hotter steam right there, maybe even hot oil splatters up on the boot a little bit I was thinking.

 

I'm thinking of welding a little metal heat shield in there. I thought about trying that heat tape just right on the cat, but I've never used it and I don't know if it even really does anything.

 

The drivers side CV lasted about 45k miles. where as the passenger side (next to the cat) only lasted about 10k the last couple of times.

+1 long bolt all day long. you could try chasing threads with a tap and fresh bolt to match or helicoil the threads to repair them but not really worth it IMO, just leave what you got now.

 

The drivers side CV lasted about 45k miles. where as the passenger side (next to the cat) only lasted about 10k the last couple of times.

are the axles failing or the boots breaking?

 

if the axles are failing, get a set of axles from MWE. pain and shipping and core, yes, but after 100 times you need a good solution.

 

once you get MWE or tell us the boots are failing - just get good at rebooting them, axle replacement is over kill.

 

i'd get a quality axle - either an original Subaru axle, if it's even possible to find one, or an MWE axle, and reboot it when the boots crack. you'll never have to replace an axle again if you follow that protocol.