I have a 1999 Dodge ram 1500 van and the drive side shock bolts are broke in the nut plate on the lower control arm The only way i see how to get the studs out is to remove the lower control arm Haynes manual States I need a spring compressor too remove the lower control arm but too me if i lower the control arm the spring will fall out apon installation using a floor jack would compress the spring enough too install the lower control arm you mopar guys if I'm thinking right or not. Thank you Casey.old.gi

 

That happened to me last Fall on my 2000 Ram Van 1500. As I recall, I drilled the bolt out and the new one went in crooked but it held. Round trip Maine to Florida, no problems.

 

Common issue. With van securely raised on jack stands, simply drill and extract broken bolts with reverse drill bit and/or spiral extractor.

http://amzn.com/B0002NYBH8

 

I drilled and re-tapped one of mine.

 

Sorry guys uh I have no reverse drill or tap so i took the option of getting a new lower control arm from autozone but the ball joint nut won't come out will not loosen and the inner bolt that holds the bushing (1 tough mother) still not loose and I have a big hammer and still no loose don't tell me about an air tool cause i have none I'm an old gi machenic hand tools only any thoughts on how too get it out Thanks.

 

Does a friend of yours have air tools?

Or do you have a long heavy duty steal pipe to act as a cheater bar? If you do I would use a break over bar instead of a ratchet to break those nut/bolts loose.

 

What do people do to remove the rusted nut at the top that has really no threads anymore on the rusty stud??? I got the shocks, but stopped when I saw that problem.

I got air tools, but they are tooo big to fit up there to even bust the rusty stud and nut off.

 

Rusty top bolts on POS shocks? out comes the Sawzall and a fresh Bimetal cutting blade and cut the shock shaft.

I've also drilled out the broken bolts from the lower control arms and retapped them for larger grade 8 bolts.

 

Deep socket on top bolt and bend back and forth until it breaks.