I tried to remove my severely rusted control arms from my 97 Bonneville SE, but couldn't remove the 2 bolts (front & back) in each control arm after removing their nuts. The bolts were frozen rusted to their bushing sleeves, which prevented me from removing them. So, I tried using a Sawzall to cut off the bolts but the blades were destroyed by the stronger steel of the bolts. But my grinder cut right through them, no problem.
Now, where can I get new SAE 8.8 grade (or higher) bolts and nuts for my 97 Bonneville SE? I can't seem to find them anywhere. They're 4" long with about a 18mm hex head, however, the diameter next to the bolt head is 5/8" and the end of the bolt is 1/2" diam. This is weird that the bolt diameter seems to change somewhere inside the bushing sleeve!
Also, I'm having a problem finding used control arms (left & right) that can be shipped to me, although I have found some that I'd need to remove by myself, Arrgghh!
I'd appreciate some help on this soon, even if the bolts & nuts aren't new.
Need Rear Control Arm Bolts & Nuts
-
StraTact
- SSE Member

- Posts: 104
- Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2015 12:30 pm
- Year and Trim: 1997 Pontiac Bonneville SE
Re: Need Rear Control Arm Bolts & Nuts
I found and ordered a Rear Left Control Arm from A-1 Auto Recyclers, Kirtland, NM 1-505-325-1994, for only $45 +$25 S/H.
They arrived in about a week and were RUST FREE, and even included the bushings and ball joint, which were in perfect condition!
Needless to say, they saved me a lot of work, time and $$$ because I didn't need to replace the bushings or ball joint.
Later, I needed to replace the Rear Right Control Arm, due to an accident, so I ordered it from A-1 Auto Recyclers again, but this time they charged me $40 for shipping, due to the shipping increase due to Covid-19 somehow. But it was well worth it because it arrived with the bushings and ball joint intact. However, the ball joint didn't move smoothly, so I borrowed a ball-joint press from Autozone and replaced it for cheap money.
Load leveling the rear suspension was a bitch, when I first jacked up the rear at the center with a floor jack, then moved jack stands under the control arms, the wheels didn't move outwards to simulate normal spring extension. They were too far extended.
So, I started from scratch by lowering the car to the floor, still on its wheels, bouncing the rear end up and down a few times until it rested at the proper height, then jacked up each side under its control arm and placed a car ramp under each wheel. Then I bounced it up and down again to ensure that the springs settled at a normal spring extension (I could tell by the gap between the top of the wheel and the fender), then tightened the control arm pivot nuts to 85 ft-lbs and their bolts to 134 ft-lbs.
Then I jacked up each control arm again and removed the ramps.
Not fun, but it worked!
They arrived in about a week and were RUST FREE, and even included the bushings and ball joint, which were in perfect condition!
Needless to say, they saved me a lot of work, time and $$$ because I didn't need to replace the bushings or ball joint.
Later, I needed to replace the Rear Right Control Arm, due to an accident, so I ordered it from A-1 Auto Recyclers again, but this time they charged me $40 for shipping, due to the shipping increase due to Covid-19 somehow. But it was well worth it because it arrived with the bushings and ball joint intact. However, the ball joint didn't move smoothly, so I borrowed a ball-joint press from Autozone and replaced it for cheap money.
Load leveling the rear suspension was a bitch, when I first jacked up the rear at the center with a floor jack, then moved jack stands under the control arms, the wheels didn't move outwards to simulate normal spring extension. They were too far extended.
So, I started from scratch by lowering the car to the floor, still on its wheels, bouncing the rear end up and down a few times until it rested at the proper height, then jacked up each side under its control arm and placed a car ramp under each wheel. Then I bounced it up and down again to ensure that the springs settled at a normal spring extension (I could tell by the gap between the top of the wheel and the fender), then tightened the control arm pivot nuts to 85 ft-lbs and their bolts to 134 ft-lbs.
Then I jacked up each control arm again and removed the ramps.
Not fun, but it worked!
- 95naSTA
- Certified Bonneville Nut

- Posts: 7087
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 11:47 pm
- Year and Trim: 95 SLE
- Location: Philadelphia
- Contact:
Re: Need Rear Control Arm Bolts & Nuts
Southwest cars/parts are just a different category all together..
For the rear, it sounds like you were fighting the tires after letting it back down, which makes sense but doesn't make it suck any less.
For the rear, it sounds like you were fighting the tires after letting it back down, which makes sense but doesn't make it suck any less.

95 SLE... a keeper. 241k miles. Low and Slow.
97 BMW 528i
98 Infiniti vq35'd i30: 13.3@104mph, 30MPG Hwy (RIP)
02 Jag X-type
03 BMW M5
05 Chevy Cobalt LS
07 Infiniti G35s 6MT (Sold)
07 Ducati Monster S2R 800 with DS1000 swap
83 Yamaha IT175K
72 Yamaha DS7: '74 RD250 swap, JL chambers
Info on dropping a 92-99: Here.

