I was jacking up the rear to check my brakes and UV joint as the possible source of a terrible clunk during take-off.....and I found it STARING ME IN THE FACE. The lower track rod is hanging there. The bolt is missing.

It's clearly the problem or part of it. The bolt first goes through a plate on the axle, then through the lower torque rod bushing and seems to bolt right into the differential housing. From appearances it seems to have snapped off about a half-inch into the housing.

Anyone have experience with this problem? The brick has 175k miles. I am going to try to round up transportation for tomorrow and fix the car in the evening. Can I do this with handtools? I am CONCERNED.

Highly unusual. More likely the nut came off and the bolt departed the car. Get another bolt and nut and use Loctite Red to secure it.

I'm not sure we are talking about the same thing, or perhaps I could have described it better.

The torque rods attach to the subframe with nuts and bolts. But the other end (trailing) of the lower torque rod attaches to the axle and the differential housing. The diagram off FCP's site looks like a bolt only, so I figured it threaded directly into the differential housing casting. If you're sure it's a nut and bolt, then it's simply a matter of getting the rear wheels preloaded to line up and putting the fastener through. Am I reading you correctly?

It is a bolt both top and bottom. I have never seen this failure. You will have to drill and Easy Out the broken part. There are other fine extractors for broken studs. If it won't come out for you either seek professional help or replace the rear axle complete.

I searched the archives here on the board and there was another reported incidence on a 700 series vehicle, but nothing about the 900. It did not describe the final outcome but the advice given was much the same. Get an Easy Out and drill it out, or put in a helicoil, and replace the bolt. I am not set up for either of these. I am going to try the dealer, to see if they can get it in, as they are notorious for being backed up for five days or more. Here in Detroit they have "too much business" due to all the Ford employees that drive Volvo's on the so-called "A" plan. There are a LOT of new Volvo's here.

My other option is a local muffler shop that does all kinds of work and has helped me out in the past. I suspect he must have Easy Out's and Helicoil's to fix broken studs for manifolds and what-not. In fact he is probably my best bet.

Any other suggestions? I'll post the findings once it's finished.

The local dealer is supposed to open to take calls at 7:45 am, but up to 8:05 they did not answer the phone. So, I called my local muffler guy and explained the situation. Sure enough he had the tools and told me to bring it right over. He put the car up at 8:15 am and told me he could get it done that morning. The problem he suspected would be getting the right bolt. The existing was 14mm with a 2.0 thread and roughly 4.5" including the head. The upper torque arm uses the same bolt. I called the dealers; both within twenty miles and neither had the bolt in stock. I called several foreign car parts shops and no one had a bolt larger than 12mm. Luckily I had a friend who works locally for foreign auto supplier and he found something that fit. A little too long, and perhaps not the same hardness as the stock part, but something that will get me on the road until the dealer special ordered stock bolt arrives.

From my perspective I might have been able to take a hacksaw and cut a key into the remaining extended portion of the bolt past the differential housing to take it through, but I think it was well worth paying the local muffler guy fifty-bucks to get it done. He told me to bring the car back with the stock part ($5.50), once it arrives, and he'll put it in while I wait. I should have my car back soon. So completes the saga. Thank you both for your help.

I once replaced the bushings on the arms on my 240. You could have unbolted the top bolt and removed the bottom part by wiggling it out. In any case, you have to jack up the rear end of the car by the frame, not the axle. I remember too that a 19mm socket or wrench is what you need to turn the nut and/or bolt. Good to hear you have found a way out of the mess though.