Howdy all,
I've been scratching my head on this for a bit now and can't seem to find a great solution. I'm working on an 88 dakota 4x4 and wanted to redo the suspension components. All was well until I hit this snag pictured below.


One of the bolts holding the arm in comes out against the CV axle and pumpkin. Even removing that CV axle wouldn't be enough to get the bolt out.

I've tried scouring the intervenes for an answer but all I find is related to later dakotas which don't seem to have this set up. Could anyone shed some light for me on how this can be taken out?

 

Pull the axle, then I *think* you can pop the flange out of the housing, and that will give you clearance to remove the bolt.

Another option would be, if there is enough room on the other side to insert a new bolt, just cut the original off, and take it out in pieces. Then slide the new one in, and put the nut on that side.

 

I had the same problem when I put bushings in mine.... Ended up taking a 4.5 in. cutting wheel and cutting it off. Bought a new grade 8 bolt and reversed how it went in. I believe to get clearance, you would need to drop the diff. or at least open it up and pull the stub axle...... Cutting seems to be the best choice for me!!

 

Thanks guys! I was really hesitant to cut just because I've found in times past that when go fully ugga dugga to break something and make it work, there was a much simpler method which didn't require destruction. However, your suggestions have been implemented. I cut it and a new bolt slides in from the opposite side just dandy. I wonder why they designed it that way. Regardless, many thanks for your help!

 

Simple. It was easier to assemble in that order, with the diff out.

One person in the middle could load both sides. Or a robot in the middle.

Then install the diff, and no problem.

EDIT: Also, crud from the road and from mudding will tend to collect on the FRONT side first; the factory way, the threads have a slightly better chance of staying clean.

RwP

 

Well, I figure I may as well continue this question in this thread because it is still appropriate given the title. The short of it is I had the bushings replaced, returned to my beloved truck to slap it all together only to find that the lower control arm no longer fits the mounts. The shape appears the same as before, but it is ~3/4" not wide enough to mount where it had been before. I'm admittedly perplexed. It came out easy enough (after those bolts) and appears to have not been bent. Is there something I'm missing or some trick with these? Or should I suspect that where I took it to did in fact bend it? i
Not sure at this point. My friend thinks with a big enough pry bar and hammer anything can be done. Has anyone else had a similar issue replacing their lower control arm?

 

Ok I got asd jumpered...I'm getting -8 volts on orange wire coming from PCM...getting -0.04 on black light blue wire and -4.98 on gray and BLK ...ok Rwp I never tell anyone this but I suffered a stroke in 2011 and a brain aneurysm in 2012 and its kinda hard for me to understand instructions and remember things.....my wife wanted. Me to get my son to do this but I'm stubborn....so please have little patience with me and I'm truly grateful for your help