[alfa] Re: front sway bar mount

[Kevin Trent <trentkc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 03:23 PM 5/17/04 +0000, you wrote:

> Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 08:02:04 -0400
> From: Bruce Giller <bgiller@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] Front swaybar mount
>
> I had to unattach the GTV's front swaybar to get the engine out awhile 
> back.  And of course, one of the lower rubber bushing strap bolts sheared 
> off when being removed.  And my crude attempts to get the stub out has 
> failed; Kroil, PB Blaster, propane torch, ViceGrips.  So I went with 
> hitting the stub with a hammer to shake things loose....only to find the 
> stub getting shorter!  Yep, the welded nut inside the car frame had pulled 
> loose from car and in no time the stub&nut were free from the car but 
> rattling around inside.
>
> So now I need to weld on a new trapped nut.  But how?  There doesn't seem 
> to be any access from the top to this area.  I suspect that this happens 
> alot on older Alfas.  Is there an "approved" method to replace this 
> trapped nut?
>
> One though was to put in an threaded insert into the hole but I think that 
> it would soon rip out.  My only other thought is to cut out an area around 
> the original hole larger than the replacement nut, shape a steel patch to 
> fit theopening, weld the nut to the patch and then weld the patch to the car.
When this happened to me on the lower mount (where they always rust), I cut 
a "access" hole on the end of that radiator support cross bar at the inside 
of the wheel well, then used a bolt that dropped through the existing sway 
bar strap's mount hole.  Now, with the "stud" sticking through the hole, I 
welded the stud bolt in place from the access hole.  The access hole was 
made by cutting on three sides, so it was folded back in place and welded shut.

//KCT, Powell, TN
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