How am I supposed to fix this?!?!

[MichEnvoyGuy]

I was driving yesterday and I heard PING - POP - BANG! clank clank clank I looked in my mirror and there was a bracket on the ground so I stopped and picked it up. My rear swar bar was now banging when I went over bumps.

I jacked the truck up today and took the wheel off. This is what I found:

The stud for the rear stabilizer bar bushing bracket is gone! I cant tell if its welded or pressed in the frame but its very hard to get at.

Anybody else have this problem before? Any suggestions would be super appreciated

 

[tblazerdude]

I just have holes where the new ones fit in (no studs). Are you sure you can't pound that out and insert the new stabilizer link? Orrrrrr maybe I dont know what i'm talking about. either way.

 

[MichEnvoyGuy]

I just have holes where the new ones fit in (no studs). Are you sure you can't pound that out and insert the new stabilizer link? Orrrrrr maybe I dont know what i'm talking about. either way.

No, you dont

This is NOT where the end links go. This is for the bracket that holds the sway bar up and contains the rubber sway bar bushings themselves.

 

[tricguy007]

U might be able to pound that out then just put a bolt and nut in thee to hold the bracket

 

[MichEnvoyGuy]

U might be able to pound that out then just put a bolt and nut in thee to hold the bracket

Ok well I answered my original question - it appears to be a pressed in stud that is tack welded (very well might I add - the robot that welded the frame that day was having a bad day). I used a punch and my 5lb sledge, no luck. I used my torch to heat it up and maybe break the welds. Nope. Now we are drilling through the middle of it. I dont know what its made of, but its hardened and KILLING my new drill set. Hopefully Craftsman has a lifetime warranty on their dril bits

I find it hard to believe Im the only one whose sway bar bushing bracket stud broke?

 

[jimmyjam]

i've had the other end of the bracket pull out (its kinda like a hook, it pulled out straight). so i'm surprised that the bolt went before the other end did...

 

[Sparky]

At least we can't complain about GM using crappy welds

 

[McGMT]

One of those mechanical slip ups on the production line, the welder probably was serviced after it didn't weld on the next vehicle at all but they didn't check the vehicle before that... Things happen when you build a hundred cars a day or whatever.

At the dealership I worked at we had a Grand Am that had to be pushed off the truck, had a 3.1L v-6 in it...
Pulled it in the garage with 1 mile on it and guess what... The engine was missing its pistons and connecting rods. Everything else was there but they run alot better with pistons...

GM said that if a vehicle wont start after the line it is cheaper to ship it and let the dealer fix it.

 

[Sparky]

OK I have to ask - how did that car get 1 mile on the odometer without pistons?

 

[McGMT]

OK I have to ask - how did that car get 1 mile on the odometer without pistons?

All I can figure is all the towing and pushing thru the factory lot and all that stuff.. That's alot of pushin... haha

 

[The_Roadie]

I find it hard to believe Im the only one whose sway bar bushing bracket stud broke?

In over seven years on four trailblazer sites including the one that deals with aggressive offroading, I've heard of maybe two brackets that tore off at the other side, and ZERO broken studs. You're the first. Congrats! :wootwoot:

 

[Sparky]

If it makes him feel any better I'm the first to have sheared off a rear UCA, at least his was drivable

 

[MichEnvoyGuy]

In over seven years on four trailblazer sites including the one that deals with aggressive offroading, I've heard of maybe two brackets that tore off at the other side, and ZERO broken studs. You're the first. Congrats!

:wootwoot: :wootwoot:

Well, thats nice. I get to be the first for once...lol.

I took pictures but my phone died so Ill describe what I did and post pics later.

I drilled out the middle of the old stud that was welded in place and put a 3/8" x 2" hardened bolt and nut. Then I treated the threads with threadlocker blue.

Drilling that old bolt was a complete PITA. It murdered my brand new, just opened for this job, Craftsman "Heavy Duty" drill bit set Putting everything back together, of course, was easy peasy.
Pics to come....

 

[MichEnvoyGuy]

Well as promised heres the pictures I took as I was doing this tedious job

This is the bolt, after I drilled it out:

It was realllly hard to drill that baby out let me tell ya!

Heres the new hardened bolt I installed on the one side. It was hard to get at with the shock there:

And this is the other end. It actually looked pretty good if I may say so myself

All in all, nothing too major but a PITA nonetheless. Keep an eye on those bolts guys, because I noticed its pretty rusty underneath the truck. I know the other end that slips into the frame has popped out for some, but Im guessing Im not going to be the last one to have this happen to as the stud was very heavily rusted where it broke off.