Help needed identifying sheared bolt and from where

[NiXBoX]

Hope to get some guidance from this forum.

2001 Boxter Base - 52k Miles.

Washed the car today and was backing her into the garage. Heard some clunk noise but continued to park.

Got out and in my driveway I found a sheared bolt (see pics) which must have been why I heard the clunk noise.

The bolt looks to be sheared off. The nut fits a 18mm socket and the bolt fits a T40 socket.

From where I found it i think it must have come from the front right location of the vehicle.

I only had time for a quick look and nothing looked out of sorts.

Plan to put her up on jacks and move the steering to see if I can hear anything plus perform visual inspection of the suspension components.

Appreciate any guidance, etc. i were this type of bolt may have come from.

Thanks.

[spinjockey]

Looks like it came off one of your drop links or coffin arm. If so not expensive or hard to fix. Replace both sides at the same time.

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by spinjockey

Looks like it came off one of your drop links or coffin arm. If so not expensive or hard to fix. Replace both sides at the same time.

Yes, indeed, and when these are rusted they usually snap when trying to remove, I would suspect that the other three links would be in the same condition.

I would replace the four links (2F and 2R), with new ones.

[NiXBoX]

Thank you both for your feedback.

Yesterday, i only reached under (not placed on jacks) and inspected all the ball joints front and rear on driver and passenger sides per the figures in the Boxster parts catalog. All ball joints were intact.

Other then the suspension would there be other areas that this bolt would be used?

I also scanned through the parts catalog for every M 12 nut and again this nut/bolt combination is only in the suspension areas.

I will put on jacks this weekend remove the tires and re-inspect but not sure where else to look.

Thanks again.

[spinjockey]

It is definitely broke off a suspension component. It isn’t clear if you were able to look at both ends of the drop links on all four corners. I would pull the wheels on each side and examine closely. Since you haven’t complained too much about handling I suspect it is a drop link as anything else would cause a significant issue. But you shouldn’t drive it until you are confident it’s not a suspension bolt.

[redpepperracing]

Definitely looks like a drop link. For NiXBox, that is the link from the sway bar to the shock, also called a sway bar end link.

[NiXBoX]

Thanks all for your replies. I put her up on jacks and indeed it was the ball joint nut in the driver side control arm.

I could only identify when i rotated the wheel.

Parts order and planned to repair this weekend.