Three weeks ago the car battery died. OK, it was seven years old. Then it was metal on metal with one of the rear brakes. I'll get to it, in the meantime let it make noise, I need new rotors anyway. On the way to getting brake parts I have a blowout. Sidewall. Fucking whatever. I'll put my all seasons on the back and the snows on the front. I'm at the tire place and the guy comes out, "I need to show you something."
"Yeah, I know, the brakes are toast."
"Well, that's true but this is worse than the brakes."
One of the bolts holding the upper rear control arm snapped. The control arm is pretty fucking rusty too. Fuck me running.
I drive the fucker home and start taking the thing apart. After a ton of PB Blaster and a lot of torch and a long cheater, I manage to get the good bolt loose. I can't even fit a ratchet in there, so it's 27,000 quarter turns of the wrench to pull out almost 2 inches of threaded bolt. I get the control arm off and see the other bolt is sheared right at the surface of the bracket it bolts onto. Can't get a drill in there, or a punch, or anything. The only way to get at it is to replace the bracket which is also the strut/shock absorber assembly which is also frozen on and torching PB Blasting hasn't helped. Also my 1/2" ratchet handle is missing so I'm trying to get those bolts off with a 3/8" ratchet and it's twisting the extension. I'm putting it aside for today. I found a new used shock strut assembly on ebay for 25 bucks and ordered it. The control arm and all the bushings and so on I can get locally.
What a PITA.
