Rear bumper bolts

[NYNick]

The top rounded, chrome bumper bolts are spinning in place when I attempt to remove them with the nut from below. Aren't these carriage bolts, with sqaure fittings in the bumper? The bumper has never been removed, to my knowledge, in the past, and is in good shape.

Is my only option to cut them off? I see I can buy new ones from people like CCOT, but it seems to me they should snap before spinning.

Thanks

Nick

 

[mwebfj60]

I had a couple do the same thing when I was removing my bumper. I also had a couple of them just snap too. I ended up cutting the heads off the ones that rounded out.

 

[djawahir]

I tried to hold the bolts with a pliers while I turned the nut. That only worked for a little while. Then I had to grind the whole thing off.

I replaced with stainless steel bolts and nuts because I didn't want to bother with the carriage bolts again.

 

[shotgun12321]

I just had someone with gloves on put their full weight against it while I tried to get the nut off.....it worked for most of them.

 

[OyajiJon]

I used a c-clamp to hold them down while taking off the ones on the front bumper because someone wanted it for their rig. On the rear, though, I just fought them long enough to get a sawzall blade under them and cut them off. That bumper went in the trash.

 

[NYNick]

I'm thinking sawzall too...

 

[KLF]

Yup, they are chromed carraige bolts, and actually pretty soft. I drilled them out, start with a 1/8" pilot hole to get it in the center, then a sharp 5/16" bit, you only have to go about 1/4" deep and the head snaps off.

 

[shotgun12321]

Could probably heat them up for a little with a propane torch and just chisel em out. Not sure if that'd be more work than just sawzall, but another option.

 

[Spike Strip]

Large Vise grips to hold the head.

 

[sdbrassfield]

They are a PITA....I heated mine up and used vise grips on the rounded head and went back w/ a bolt that had a head on it...No more rounded head bolt...

 

[NYNick]

I like the drill 'em out approach. I'll give it a try before the sawzall.

 

[STUDLY 60]

I tried vise grips, ends up damaging the bolts and scratches bumper. I found the best and easiest way way was to tighten them untill they broke off. Doesnt take much grunt with a large breaker bar or ratchet. If you have a impact wrench even easier.

 

[desmocruiser]

They are definitely a pain to remove. If you replace with non OEM carriage bolts, try to find one with a bit taller shoulder than the T OEM bolts.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Large C clamp, saw-zaw.... MIke

 

[NQCruiser]

I tried to hold the bolts with a pliers while I turned the nut. That only worked for a little while. Then I had to grind the whole thing off.

I replaced with stainless steel bolts and nuts because I didn't want to bother with the carriage bolts again.

You were able to get stainless bolts in that fine metric thread? I looked everywhere for some for this exact application and no-one in Aust sold them. I wanted ones with a hex head to avoid the issues everyone has spoken of here. I ground the edges of mine off and punched them back through so that I could at least retrieve the nuts.

Let me know if you have a link to the place you got them - i'd still like to change them to stainless rather than the machine steel ones I settled for...

 

[Dynosoar]

Grind a small slot in the head and hold it in place with a screw driver.

Dynosoar

 

[Elbert]

if you don't care about the bumper...tack weld the head of the bolt to the bumper, then you can get the nut loose, after which you take a BFH and smack the bolt head once or twice and your done. I was replacing my bumper so did not care about the damage. Had 2 or 3 of the bolts refuse to come loose and the above was my solution. Depending on where the bolt is, it was very hard to get a C clamp on it to hold it down.

 

[augirthedude]

Pulling the bumper today , thanx for all the insight!

 

[NYNick]

Oooh...I like the overtightening, snap 'em off route the best of all the suggestions! Most violent! Buying new ones anyway...

Anyone looking for new ones, CCOT has stainless and chrome. Cheap, less than $20 for stainless, $12 for chrome if I remember correctly.

Thanks for all your suggestions!