Lollipop Bolt Sleeve/Insert

[lennon]

One of the control arm lollipop bolts in my new e30 was cross-threaded or something, and after a minute or so of trying to get it out, the whole "insert" thing in the body popped out with bolt in it. I don't know where to find this part on real OEM.

Anyone know the part number or if it's available? Is this something I would be able to get at a local bolt warehouse?

[Simon S]

Oh shit. That sucks to hear. I once over-torqued one of those bolts and spent several painful hours - first breaking an extractor - then dremeling a slot for an impact driver - then pounding, and pounding, and pounding.. ug.



But to have the whole insert come out is a puzzle.. I'd send an email to blunttech in effort to source the part. I have a hard time trying to find it too.

It looks like that insert goes into part #3 or 5 in this realOEM diagram - but I don't see it.



Even if you got the bolt out from the insert you have - I guess the threads are fubar'd. Shit. I suppose you could drive the car (carefully) wherever to have a welder/fabber look at it with just one.. no - shit! That insert recesses into a cavity on the lollipop.. it could rotate one the one fastener.

As a complete last resort - seems like I remember reading about a guy who drilled up through the floor and ran a bolt through the whole floor structure. I really hope it doesn't come to that though. Shit. Good luck man.

[Dominic49]

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73248

[lennon]

Damn, I really do not want to do that if avoidable at all. I feel like the insert would be available somewhere, even if it's not a BMW part. It wouldn't even have to be the same thread for all I care.

I would take the "insert" around to some shops to try and get another, but when it popped out, it actually popped IN, as in up into it's hole and into that frame rail. No way it's coming out.

I gotta figure this out, maybe blunt can help me.


Also, be warned, it could happen to anyone. I wasn't banging on this bolt for days or anything before it came out. I hit it for a few seconds with the torch, and then started trying to knock it counterclockwise, within a few hits the whole thing just popped up and in.

[Simon S]

Wow - I got fuckin' lucky then - 'cause I was beating on that f'ker like a proverbial red-headed stepchild.

.. and it's up in there? Damn dude. I wish you much luck.

[lennon]

Blunt confirmed what I thought, there is no listing for that part. Hopefully someone around here has a threaded insert that will work. I see tons for sale online, but I need this car on the ground asap. Just another delay I guess.

[KenC]

How are you going to get the insert to stay in there?

[drumad]

Hm, maybe you should cut out that same chunk from a car in the junk yard and have someone weld it in there for ya (might been an alignment nightmare but I don't think that can get that screwed up). Or do that other method with the hole and nut in the car.

[lennon]

How are you going to get the insert to stay in there?

I'm using a "riv nut", rivet nut, etc. There's really all kinds of threaded inserts that will stay in on their own. The type I'm using is like a rivet, but threaded. It expands and grabs from the back side after you put it in. Do some googling if you're interested.