Any Mechanics? Front End help
 

My idler arm ripped out from my frame....(see pic).
My thought is there was some underlying problem that caused this to happen. Not too familiar with front end linkage. Yeah, it knocked once in awhile but was never really out of alignment. Procrastinated having it looked at. Drive it 10 miles a day to work and back, MAX.
Any ideas? Ball Joints? Other steering linkage?
The truck has been sitting for a month and a half. I obviously can't drive it. I can get it towed to a shop through AAA but want to get an idea how deep I need to dig in my pockets.
Seems like a weld job first? Ball Joints and an alignment second?

It's a 98 Chevy S-10, 2Wd.......:hang:

By looking at the pics, most likely the idler arm has been becoming frozen up for a while and there is not much for a washer on the retaining bolts, thus ripping it through the frame holes!

Take the nuts and bolts off.May have to heat em up.Buy some new nuts and bolts and get some big washers for the side with the nuts.Looks like it's been apart and washer were'nt reinstalled.

Agree with Adam. Those puny shoulder bolts were not meant to take the strain. Burn off the bolts if you have to, go buy a new link, bolts, nuts and HD washers, and re-assemble. You should be fine after that. Good luck.

I'd weld that. Add reinforcement and make sure you get the holes in the right spot. Bigger bolts won't go because they're a close fit in the arm.

I'll second that, the only right/safe way is to weld and reinforce it.

Also,
you can only put a washer as big as the hole on the outside of the frame !

My concern is that if a reinforcement piece is welded on, the geometry of the idler arm won't sit the same, thus causing the other steering linkage to bind. Probably ripping the welded piece off again or the bolts out again. If there was a bad section of linkage that didn't allow the whole piece to move correctly, then I think that is why it ripped out to begin with. So, I think there is an underlying problem that needs to be fixed as well.
I can fabricate a new piece of metal with 2 new holes in the machine shop at work.......it's just a matter of getting it welded. My concern is would it need to be welded onto the "inside" of the frame to not change the geometry? If so, that will be a pain in the a$$ and maybe not even doable because the inside is not accessable.
If I were to make a piece what type of metal would it need to be in order to be welded? Regular 01 carbon steel? Would 1/4" thick be too thick? If I go any thinner it may be too flimsy.

Cut a rectangle and slide the patch inside. align the holes to the right spot and weld. If you have a fab shop at your disposal build a shim to bring the arm to the proper level. Weld that,too. Make the patch of heavier gauge than the frame.