#39 should be a slip fit through the caliper bracket, VL, spacer and steering arm; with a Nyloc nut on it. Should be no problem leaving it stuck in the VL, as long as you never want to change the caliper bracket
But I'll bet that if you soak it in PB Blaster for a few weeks, it will come out. Bend back the tab and use a box-end wrench to try to turn it back and forth.