Technical Wishbone bolt snapped on removal

[schumraid]

Hi guys,

As the title suggests I'm changing wishbones after failing the MOT but the front bolt on the drivers side has snapped. Any ideas for getting it out?

Being that the bolts are slightly thinner than the holes they go into I assume if I just drill through and put a new nut and bolt in that there will be too much play?

Here's to praying I don't have to drop the subframe :bang:

Thanks!

 

[Maigretnz]

You don't want to make the hole it fits into bigger. Centre punch the bolt. Use a smaller drill and get gradually larger. Drill it straight.

 

[850kd]

Remember suspension bolts are of special quality . Not any old bolt will do . The fact that yours has sheared makes me wonder if someone else replaced it with a bolt of substandard material .
Proper bolts are normally 'off the shelf' at a Fiat dealer.

 

[schumraid]

Finally got this sorted tonight. I solved it with a lot of time, patients and in the end a bit of brute force and ignorance.

I drilled out the hole using a range of cobalt bits from 8mm - 11mm and managed to batter the remains out.

On a side note, I bought all new bolts from Fiat and one of the bolts securing the balljoint snapped just as the tip of the bolt was coming through the nut (so no tightening tension on it) flippin' joke!

 

[850kd]

Did you get bolts and nuts new?
For a new bolt to shear seems very unusual , not to say worrying.

 

[schumraid]

Yep, all new from my local Fiat dealer. Worrying indeed... If it had of been just strong enough to be tightened and no more god knows what the consequences could have been.

Needless to say a trip back to have a few strong words is on the agenda for tomorrow...