lower ball joint bolt help

Hey everyone. I went to replace some torn CV boots this weekend, the passenger side was torn, driver side is getting there but not blown out yet. I also did the tundra brake upgrade (which turned out awesome, huge improvement in braking!) All went well on the passenger side, but one of the bolts on the driver side lower ball joint (one of the 4) rounded off as a I tried to remove it to get the CV out. Tried a lot of things: started with a normal 6 sided socket, vice grips, pipe wrench, torch to heat it up, penetrating rust spray. None of these helped at all, so cut a notch in it to get a screw driver or pry bar in there which I also couldn't get to work. Then I got out my shitty flux core harbor freight welder and welded a nut to it (twice) without success. It just broke the welds. So at this point the bolt head is f*ed, and not sure which way to go.
The CV boot on this side is actually still fine, and I finished the tundra brake upgrade, so the truck is functional which is sweet. Put the other 3 bolts back in and torqued them.

I've thought about cutting through the middle of the bolt with an angle grinder but that would likely ruin both parts it is holding together.

I suppose my options are to replace the parts around it - lower ball joint and the steering knuckle (?) assembly thing that holds the brake and wheel studs.

Or take it somewhere to drill the bolt out? What kind of shop would you guys recommend for this? And would I be able to re use the parts (most likely?)

just looking for some advice on what you all would do next. by the way, it is the more forward and inside bolt of the 4.
thanks!

 

Man that’s tough. If you can get it all off and on a bench, I’d try drilling it out. But it sounds like it is siezed right the hell on there. It may be easier to buy another knuckle. Think they are $150. Or, $368?

https://parts.toyotaofdallas.com/au...ont-suspension-cat/suspension-components-scat

 

Yep. Thats the expensive-ish last resort. I think I’m going to try cutting off the head of the bolt, and therefore being able to separate the lower ball joint from the knuckle/spindle. Then I’ll hopefully have a small bit of the shaft of the bolt to work with. Plus it won’t be under any tension.

 

What about a nut cutter? https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...MG5zsDQCaecScV7u_eaFEDTHMkpPH59YaAumOEALw_wcB

 

I’ve never used one of those, but I’m not sure it would even fit around the bolt head. It’s pretty tight down there. I’ll use the dremel/angle grinder and update.

 

You could put the other 3 bolts back in, tighten them, and drive to a reputable front-end repair shop to have the 4th bolt removed.

 

Can you grind off the head of the bolt and then replace the bolt and the lower ball joint? Seems the simplest and least expensive route to me.

 

Got it!

Cut off the head of the bolt with an angle grinder and then was relatively easily able to vise grip the bolt shaft out of the knuckle/column.

I definitely could have taken it to a shop, but prefer figuring the truck stuff out in my own, for better or worse.

Lower ball joint plate has a few angle grinder scratches, but nothing deep at all. just going to clean it up and spray some coating to prevent rust.

Thanks guys

 

Extent of the damage:

 

Good work!!