Rear Suspension Failure - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

LimaCharlie · 08-04-2012, 03:51 PM

I have a buddy with a 2010 Camaro SS LS3. He was driving to work a couple days ago and his upper control arm bolt in the rear suspension broke suddenly (driver's side). This is the bolt that connects the upper control arm to the knuckle. Now the driver's side rear wheel has serious positive camber and it's impossible to drive the car safely. The only mods that I'm aware of are Pfadt trailing arms and I'm not sure who installed them.
Has anyone heard of this bolt breaking on a 5th gen Camaro? Do you have to remove the bolt when installing the trailing arms? If so, is it possible the installer used the wrong torque specs?

Synner · 08-04-2012, 04:04 PM

Bolt wouldn't be touched. It could have been loose or a defective bolt from the factory. Stranger things have happened.

PfadtRacing · 08-06-2012, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synner

Bolt wouldn't be touched. It could have been loose or a defective bolt from the factory. Stranger things have happened.

Agreed. That upper control arm bolt shouldn't need to get touched during a trailing arm install. The trailing arm it's self doesn't increase loads seen by that bolt. Seems like a stroke of bad luck to me.

Get the car trailered to a shop and back on the road.

Rob@WretchedMS · 08-07-2012, 01:04 PM

agreed, while it's possible that bolt was removed, it's not required to be removed.
and even if it was it shouldnt have broken,
Just get a GM replacement bolt and nut, install it with some loctite and have the alignment checked just in case.

JLE58 · 08-07-2012, 08:11 PM

I had a control arm bolt work loose on me when I first got my car and it was stock so it happens.

08-04-2012, 03:51 PM	#1
LimaCharlie Drives: 2011 Camaro SS/RS - 2004 Silverado Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 2,989	Rear Suspension Failure I have a buddy with a 2010 Camaro SS LS3. He was driving to work a couple days ago and his upper control arm bolt in the rear suspension broke suddenly (driver's side). This is the bolt that connects the upper control arm to the knuckle. Now the driver's side rear wheel has serious positive camber and it's impossible to drive the car safely. The only mods that I'm aware of are Pfadt trailing arms and I'm not sure who installed them. Has anyone heard of this bolt breaking on a 5th gen Camaro? Do you have to remove the bolt when installing the trailing arms? If so, is it possible the installer used the wrong torque specs? __________________ 2011 Summit White Camaro 1SS/RS -6.2 LS3, TR6060, 3.45, G80 2004 Black Silverado 1500 2WD Regular Cab, Short Bed -5.3 LM7, 4L60E, 3.42, G80 2014 White Caprice PPV -6.0 L77, 6L80E, 2.92, G80

08-04-2012, 04:04 PM	#2
Synner Drives: cars Join Date: May 2011 Location: Oversneeze Posts: 4,544	Bolt wouldn't be touched. It could have been loose or a defective bolt from the factory. Stranger things have happened.

08-07-2012, 01:04 PM	#4
Rob@WretchedMS Drives: His Wife Crazy Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Silas Deane Auto,CT Name: Rob Anderson Posts: 1,789	agreed, while it's possible that bolt was removed, it's not required to be removed. and even if it was it shouldnt have broken, Just get a GM replacement bolt and nut, install it with some loctite and have the alignment checked just in case.

08-07-2012, 08:11 PM	#5
JLE58 Drives: CGM,twin turbo, cam 2010 SS/RS Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: ROCKMART, GA Posts: 2,185	I had a control arm bolt work loose on me when I first got my car and it was stock so it happens.