Steeda Rear Sway Bar Install -- Bad Bad Luck

[DMG_Eleanor]

I'm posting a sad topic - during the install of my new Steeda rear sway bar, one of the sway bar mount bolt head sheared off while doing the final torque at 35 ft-lbs. It was the lower bolt on the driver's side mount.

If you know where this bolt is, you'll know it's right next to the battery, meaning there is no straight shot to get at it (it's tucked up in there). It's also not good to weld on another bolt since it's right next to the battery. The bolt head sheared off in such a way than the shaft is within the motor carriage with no way to grab it.

I just got off the phone with the mechanic - they are going to have to drop the battery, try and remove the bolt from the motor carriage, and then tap another bolt into it. He noted that on these newer cars, Ford is using these one-time use bolts to allow for tighter tolerances. So in places where they wouldn't expect people to remove the bolt, they are essentially one-time use bolts.

No bolts were provided by Steeda, so I didn't even think about not using the existing bolts. Anyway - word to the unlucky among us, but yourself some cheap insurance and get some new bolts for this job. Because I gotta say, this sucks.

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[kennethjk]

I'm posting a sad topic - during the install of my new Steeda rear sway bar, one of the sway bar mount bolt head sheared off while doing the final torque at 35 ft-lbs. It was the lower bolt on the driver's side mount.

If you know where this bolt is, you'll know it's right next to the battery, meaning there is no straight shot to get at it (it's tucked up in there). It's also not good to weld on another bolt since it's right next to the battery. The bolt head sheared off in such a way than the shaft is within the motor carriage with no way to grab it.

I just got off the phone with the mechanic - they are going to have to drop the battery, try and remove the bolt from the motor carriage, and then tap another bolt into it. He noted that on these newer cars, Ford is using these one-time use bolts to allow for tighter tolerances. So in places where they wouldn't expect people to remove the bolt, they are essentially one-time use bolts.

No bolts were provided by Steeda, so I didn't even think about not using the existing bolts. Anyway - word to the unlucky among us, but yourself some cheap insurance and get some new bolts for this job. Because I gotta say, this sucks.

Sorry to hear, it’s not something I have heard of. I had an independent shop install mine so I don’t know what they used.

maybe they changed the bolts they are using from earlier models.

good luck

 

[MachEMaster]

I'm posting a sad topic - during the install of my new Steeda rear sway bar, one of the sway bar mount bolt head sheared off while doing the final torque at 35 ft-lbs. It was the lower bolt on the driver's side mount.

If you know where this bolt is, you'll know it's right next to the battery, meaning there is no straight shot to get at it (it's tucked up in there). It's also not good to weld on another bolt since it's right next to the battery. The bolt head sheared off in such a way than the shaft is within the motor carriage with no way to grab it.

I just got off the phone with the mechanic - they are going to have to drop the battery, try and remove the bolt from the motor carriage, and then tap another bolt into it. He noted that on these newer cars, Ford is using these one-time use bolts to allow for tighter tolerances. So in places where they wouldn't expect people to remove the bolt, they are essentially one-time use bolts.

No bolts were provided by Steeda, so I didn't even think about not using the existing bolts. Anyway - word to the unlucky among us, but yourself some cheap insurance and get some new bolts for this job. Because I gotta say, this sucks.

This sounds alot like when i snapped a body mount bolt off my GMC Yukon when trying to remove it. I was able to carefully center punch directly in the middle of the sheared grip of the bolt. I started drilling with the smalllest 1/16" drill bit and gradually stepped up one size each time. I used compressed air and drill and tap fluid. When I got close to my tap drill size, I was able to run a tap through in small clockwise/counter clockwise rotation, with a tap adapter and ratchet.

The only good thing going for yours, is it shouldn't be rusted and crusty. You may even be able to use a bolt extractor, now that the bolt head is gone and relieved the pressure. I would still soak the threads with as much penetrating fluid as possible. Good luck!

 

[SWO]

Can you try to take a picture?

ETA: Is it one of these bolts, only on the driver side? Top or bottom?

 

[DMG_Eleanor]

It is the bottom one in that picture.

I didn't take a picture of the bolt shaft in the bolt hole because I was in disbelief - but it snapped about 1/4" in. I couldn't get a good angle on it to try anything like making a flathead groove either.

 

[mkhuffman]

It is the bottom one in that picture.

I didn't take a picture of the bolt shaft in the bolt hole because I was in disbelief - but it snapped about 1/4" in. I couldn't get a good angle on it to try anything like making a flathead groove either.

Dude, this is so horrible. I tightened mine with a short socket wrench, and I don't think it would have been possible to overtighten them with that.

While I absolutely love the Steeda bars on my car, I am sometimes greeted by strange noises as I traverse bumps at angles. I wonder why I am hearing random knocks and creaks. Is it what I did to the suspension, or is it something Ford did?

Regardless, the improvement in the handling is worth any weird inconvenience. Except maybe what you are going through. Holy guacamole. Hopefully it won't cost you thousands.

 

[azerik]

While I absolutely love the Steeda bars on my car, I am sometimes greeted by strange noises as I traverse bumps at angles. I wonder why I am hearing random knocks and creaks.

Sadly. This is the way. It's the bar moving side to side and hitting the bushing with the stop washer. I'm trying to find a material that we might be able to slip in there that would add a layer of dampening. 2023 problems I guess.

It is the bottom one in that picture.

I didn't take a picture of the bolt shaft in the bolt hole because I was in disbelief - but it snapped about 1/4" in. I couldn't get a good angle on it to try anything like making a flathead groove either.

Might this work to put a flat head notch in the bolt:

they make smaller cutting wheels, I think the smallest I've seen is about 1/2 inch

 

[DMG_Eleanor]

Unfortunately, the cost from the mechanic is $1,900 to drop the battery, remove the bolt shaft (maybe drill and tap if they can't get it straight out), replace the sway bar mount (since it twisted on the very short drive over there), and put it all back together.

$50 in parts, $1,850 in labor.

All I can say is ugh. I'm defeated at this point. Every avenue I have to fix it that isn't the one outlined above either increases my stress level, or is a janky fix by someone who doesn't work on EVs, or both. There just isn't any room to do a typical bolt extraction. At this point, I'm trading the money for piece of mind that it's fixed right.

 

[DMG_Eleanor]

Sadly. This is the way. It's the bar moving side to side and hitting the bushing with the stop washer. I'm trying to find a material that we might be able to slip in there that would add a layer of dampening. 2023 problems I guess.


Might this work to put a flat head notch in the bolt:

they make smaller cutting wheels, I think the smallest I've seen is about 1/2 inch

I toyed with this idea, but it's pretty deep in there and too narrow.

Unlucky with this one, for sure.

 

[azerik]

And just so I'm understanding this correctly. The mechanic. removed a new 1 year old bolt, cross threaded it and snapped it. But wants $1800 to drop the battery because they broke the bolt.
I'm not sure paying them $1800 to screw around with your battery is a good idea when they can't install 4 bolts without breaking the easy one.

 

[DMG_Eleanor]

Oh, I should be clear here - I broke the bolt head off.

After feeling sick and thinking about what happened, I then called the dealer/mechanic and asked if they could extract a bolt shaft. I drove it there, and in the process twisted the sway bar mounting bracket.

I was hoping for more of a $200-600 fix. But there are next to no independent shops that are even willing to touch a EV near the battery. My options are limited at best.

 

[DMG_Eleanor]

That's also what peeves me about this - this WAS the easy bolt! It's not like I sheared off that awful one on the top of the passenger side. My dang knuckles are still busted from knocking into everything around that one.

On the flip side, thank Christ that one didn't break. I don't even know how you'd get to that one.

 

[azerik]

It is tight, but it's still about 2.5 inches between the pack and that bolt. But the good thing is I seem to remember being able to unscrew it by hand. So if it's the bolt head snapped off (Torque: 52 lb.ft ) it shouldn't be all that hard to unscrew once it's moving.

I also have a Dewalt 90 degree driver. It's about 1 inch thick. A stubby drill bit that uses a hex might fit. A bit would probably need to be cut down to size. It is a pretty soft bolt really. I'm still brain storming.

 

[DMG_Eleanor]

I appreciate the brain storming. It's what I did all weekend.

It's that 2.5" clearance that stopped every solution in it's tracks. I also have that DeWalt 90° driver. But when I add that depth to the extractor bit (plus needing to punch it to get it going on center)... well, it's at the dealer now. With any luck it won't be a PITA for them and I'll have my car back by the weekend. I'll have less money, but I know they will fix it correctly. My ego is also bruised, but I'll be alright.

Figured I'd post here so others might consider just buying some cheap insurance bolts in these tight places.

 

[leeman]

It's just goes to show that using a computer to build a car in all aspects, including the build plan as it hits down the assembly line does not allow us to do much modifications without causing us great pain and time. Now I know why people spend so much money on older cars because there's so much easier to work on. I could never see myself doing any work on one of these cars even though I own one there an absolute nightmare to take apart according to Ford mechanic that had to take apart the front of my car due to rodent damage, and then again with the battery pack having to be removed the first time the dealership did this they almost drop the battery on the ground. These cars are no fun to work on and the warranty reimbursement it ford gives the dealers is horrible. This is why so many Ford dealers keep pushing people back out on the street saying the cars have no problems.

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