Major problem with Whoosh Trac Bar - Stripped bolt

[pixelzombie]

I was trying to figure out why the front end seemed loose even after a front end alignment. The car felt unstable as if a strong wind was pushing the car. It turns out the lower bolt that holds the Whoosh trac bar in place has broken off and not working any more. There is definite play in the lower control arm which is probably what I was feeling.

This repair seems to be rather complicated for a backyard mechanic. Does it have to be done at the dealer or could a place like Pep-Boys handle it?

 

[cidsamuth]

Can you post a picture?

the dealer probably won’t touch it with the aftermarket stuff, unless doing you a solid. A small shop or a speed shop is likely the best bet

 

[pixelzombie]

Can you post a picture?

the dealer probably won’t touch it with the aftermarket stuff, unless doing you a solid. A small shop or a speed shop is likely the best bet

That is the photo right after it was put on. The bolt on the passenger side is the one no longer working.

 

[cidsamuth]

This one?

 

[pixelzombie]

This one?

Correct, it no longer functions as a bolt.

 

[cidsamuth]

Saw your FB post also.

You will need to figure out whether the bolt is broken or the nut/threads it’s screwed into are toast.

If the bolt, then the challenge is extracting the old, broken one. Technically, those bolts are “one time use,” so breaking it is not out of the question. I seem to recall the spec on them is 62NM + another 180 degrees, which is a lot. Stretching and breaking is a real possibility.

If the threads are bad or the welded nut in the frame broke, that’s a different issue. You will likely want someone with some machining or welding skills to rig up a solution.

Bottom line, it’s not insurmountable, but it is a unique issue that you’ll have to sort your way through. The car is probably not safe to drive until this is fixed, given it’s a major anchor point for the lower control arm.

 

[ron@whoosh]

are you sure it's not a problem with your lower control arm to subframe bolt ?
the trac-bar surely is NOT the cause of your "major problem"
who installed it?
did you use new hardware?
what was the toque spec?

 

[green_henry]

Hard to believe that the bar has anything to do with it. Either the bolt was previously compromised or was compromised by whomever installed it. It happens

 

[TyphoonFiST]

IM sure these bolts are Torque to yield*

 

[Volumetrik]

Yep, one-time use bolts.

Ron sells them : https://whoosh-motorsports.myshopif...fiesta-st-ford-oem-control-arm-bolts-set-of-2

 

[cidsamuth]

Yep, one-time use bolts.

Ron sells them : https://whoosh-motorsports.myshopif...fiesta-st-ford-oem-control-arm-bolts-set-of-2

Theoretically. I’ve had mine off several times to drop the trans and/or motor.

 

[ShakySteak]

I had a similar issue when I installed a trac bar. I read the torque specs wrong and over torqued, when I hit a pot hole it snapped the welds holding the nut inside the subframe. Fixed it by cutting a small hole in the subframe, around 1sqin, by the nut avoiding the welds big enough for a wrench (21mm) to fit, had to tighten that way. Not a permanent fix but works until you can either weld the nut back into place or get a new subframe. Also the welds for the nuts are a bit shoddy and prone to rust.

 

[pixelzombie]

I had a similar issue when I installed a trac bar. I read the torque specs wrong and over torqued, when I hit a pot hole it snapped the welds holding the nut inside the subframe. Fixed it by cutting a small hole in the subframe, around 1sqin, by the nut avoiding the welds big enough for a wrench (21mm) to fit, had to tighten that way. Not a permanent fix but works until you can either weld the nut back into place or get a new subframe. Also the welds for the nuts are a bit shoddy and prone to rust.

The guy at Pep Boys had the name of a mechanic that new how to weld. He said it's a common thing on certain cars and he was able to fix mine without any issues.