2007 Saturn ION Suspension Redo...

All,
Own the vehicle since September 2006. It had 6 miles on the odometer.

Been a very reliable vehilcle. I put a clutch in it at 131K miles and a couple rack and pinions. Not had a lot of luck with them over the years as they seem to wear out. Things looked good on the underside at that time.

At 183K miles, the sub frame was completely rotted out with holes etc the size of dollar bills. I have a small floor pan rot spot. The rack was worn out again. Suspension had well over 100K on it and was in a sorry state.

So I found a nice sub frame and new shock/struts, springs,sway bar links, sway bar, control arms (ball joints as well), tie rod ends, and a new rack and pinion. Also tires. Got them Removed and Replaced (R&R) and was down to the lower ball joint pinch bolt/nut combinations to be torqued down. Both Bolts looked well worn - threads beat up. Upon torqueing them down (37lbs) I found the one bolt/nut combination will not torque down...It just spins. Upon removal the threads are beyond shot.

So I went to the local part stores to just end up at local hardwares as I could not find the length (70mm) bolts. I thought I found the correct ones when I picked up M10 X 1.5 (Coarse) - 70 mm length -10.9 Grade.Flange bolt with corresponding 10.9 Grade nuts. The old bolt seemed to start in the test board at the hardware. Unfortunately when I got home they do not fit thru the Lower Ball Joint Pinch hole opening. The shank is too wide. I can see thru the pinch hole and the old bolt goes thru fine. It appears, when I got out my gauge and measured at the shank (not threads), that its a M9 possibly as it measures at 9mm and the new ones I got measure at 10 mm.

Unfortunately I am unable to find a M9 X 1.5 (Coarse) - 70 mm length -10.9 Grade.Flange bolt locally (at this point). The Wheel hub is the original for the vehicle. I did replace the Control Arms/Ball Joints right after the factory warranty expired on the vehicle. So I may have replaced the pinch bolt at that time - do not remember. The Parts Diagrams I have found online do not seem to go down to that detail.

I do have the factory service Manual (3 book manual) and I am searching thru that thing. I can try the local GM dealer as well.

I was wondering does anyone know the correct size for the lower ball pinch bolt and/how to source it?

Thanks
Chris

 

All,
Called my local dealership...I located the pinch bolt for the steering which according to the factory manual should be replaced every single time...They had it no problem.

Unfortunately the pinch bolt for the lower ball joint. No dice. There is not a specification for it in their system. The bolt comes up as discontinued item. They tried some book they had as well...still no dice.. No information on size available.

Has anyone ran into this before? Seems unusual there is no specification on size?

I am going to go thru the manual again...There is always the option of buying a set of new Ball Joints...to get the bolt.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Chris

 

No, no I have the bolt out of the vehicle without a issue.

Upon retorqueing it down it will not get to 37lbs. Just spins...The threads are shot. The nut gets to a point, even when its not in the Pinch hole (loose outside the car) that it spins and cannot go any further. The original Control Arms/ and Sub Frame was shot (rusted out). The Lower Ball joints would rotate without any resistance at all...Almost fell out.

Finding a replacement bolt/nut has been the issue. It measures at the shank at 9mm. The length is 70 mm. Its a Flange bolt thats a 10.9 Grade (stamped on the end). The 10.9 confirms its metric I have been told. Not able to locate a 9mm even at Fastenal or my "normal" connections locally. I would take a coarse or fine thread today as a replacement but the old one appears (threads are rough looking) to be coarse. Dealer cannot confirm size/spec. Typically Lower Ball Joint Pinch bolts I have done in the past are 10, 12, 14 mm for most vehicles.

The 10 mm replacement, I recently bought as a replacement, goes thru to the other side and sticks out a small amount for the nut but gets hung up on Shank. I tried hammering it in to no avail as well.

Friday, If I do not have a solution by then I am heading out to a local U Pull a Part yard to pull a set from a donor vehicle. I have other business there anyways and will add it to the list.

Thanks
Chris