shock mount bolts

[94 Ranger]

anyone ever snap the bottom bolt off that mounts your shock to the control arm?...i tried getting my shock off and the damn nut same off but so did the bolt!...it broke right in half!...how do you get that out? pound it out?...please let me nkow...thanks fellows

 

[IlovemybroncII]

take a rod or punch that is smaller than bolt and knock it out

 

[AllanD]

Uhhhh... that "bolt" isn't going to pound out with any tool I've ever seen...

It's a mounting stud that's essentially a welded part of the control arm.

AD

 

[ati190]

This has been covered many times. Grind whats left off flush with the arm. Take a 5/8" bit, drill where the old stud was. Go to autozone, or napa and get a shock mount bolt. Between 2.99 and 5.99. You can chose to weld the nut after you torque it, but I used RED locktite, incase I had to remove the bolt, it would make life a little easier.

 

[snoopdoggie]

I'm not clear if you have the shock off. If you do drill the remaining piece of the stud out from the back side. Or, grind the stub off and drill it out from the front. Then get a shock bolt to match the width of the shock and bolt it in. Replacement bolts use to come with new shocks, many years ago. You may also find them listed as shoulder bolts. The shoulder is the unthreaded part that fits inside the shock.

 

[AllanD]

What I recommend is to get the shock hardware from a Gen1 truck.

A through bolt and a brace bracket.

AD

 

[94 Ranger]

ok so here is the deal...i will try to pound the old one out, if it does not come out i will drill it. When i get it free or drilled i will go get a grade 8 shoulder bolt and replace it with that...pound that in place put the shock on then a washer followed by a nut with red lock tight?...how does this sound?

 

[94 Ranger]

This has been covered many times. Grind whats left off flush with the arm. Take a 5/8" bit, drill where the old stud was. Go to autozone, or napa and get a shock mount bolt. Between 2.99 and 5.99. You can chose to weld the nut after you torque it, but I used RED locktite, incase I had to remove the bolt, it would make life a little easier.

so why would you weld the nut on?...what if you need to put another shock on down the road?

 

[AllanD]

so why would you weld the nut on?...what if you need to put another shock on down the road?

It's a Repair mount and the nut you "weld" is the one on
the BACK side of the mount, which is on the inboard side
of the radius arm.

AD

 

[94 Ranger]

oh ok...i see what you mean now. Weld the nut on the backside of the radius arm then take a bolt and run it threw the new shock and screw it into the nut that i have previously welded to the backside of the radius arm!..hahaha gotcha now

 

[AllanD]

Actually the "Repair mount" is a double ended "stud" with a large diameter flange
that gos against the arm.

they used to be a common repair on "A" and "A-special" GM bodied cars
for the lower shock mount on the rear axle.

Personally I'd drill out the stud, and get a pair of the brace brackets
from a Gen1 ranger push a steel sleeve into the lower shock bushing
to revert to the '83-88 style lower shock mount.

AD

 

[94twodoor]

This has been covered many times. Grind whats left off flush with the arm. Take a 5/8" bit, drill where the old stud was. Go to autozone, or napa and get a shock mount bolt. Between 2.99 and 5.99. You can chose to weld the nut after you torque it, but I used RED locktite, incase I had to remove the bolt, it would make life a little easier.

This is the same style repair I am about to make. I plan on using grade 8 bolt with a lock nut on opposite side of control arm, then put shock on, then a washer and bolt. My question is, how the hell do you find the right drill bit for the job? I bought metal drill bits and they barely put a scratch in the hardened steel? Should I look into carbide tips?