Running board mounts

[GerhardUngerer]

I am replacing the running boards on my FJ80. She's a bit rusty (understatement). I decided to remove the brackets for a few reasons:

• They are very rusty and I wanted to treat it with the electrolysis method (as I did with other parts)
• The middle bracket is bound to hit me in the noggin as I crawl back and forth under the car,

The top fastener seems to have been a stud and was broken off by one of the previous owners or someone that did work on it.

Question #1 - How do I repair this stud that was broken off?

The front and rear brackets seem to be rust-welded in. I have sprayed them down, but they don't want to budge and I dont want to break them off. Getting to it is VERY tough. The body mount is in the way. If I break those bolts off, there will be virtually no way of getting a drill in there to drill them out.

Question #2 - How on earth do I get those brackets off?

Question #3 - Those body mounts look rough also. Options?

 

[andcunning]

Same issue, what did you end up doing?

 

[Malleus]

You have to remove the body mount bushing to get enough access to the screw to remove it, if it's rusted in place. The bushings are surprisingly easy to remove; not so much to replace with new, however.

The bracket isn't so much in the way, but the bushing is. An induction heater helps a lot, but you have to get a good one. The head has to turn red or it's not hot enough; and you have to remove the coil as soon as it gets there and then use an impact socket on it immediately. If that doesn't work right away, heat it and then spray it down with water; I use a spray bottle. Keep spraying until it stops sizzling and then heat it again. Two, or maybe three, cycles of that, and it usually comes off.

If you have a broken stud, like Gerhard had, you have two options. 1) you can live with it, or 2) you can heat it and weld an extension on it and heat it some more and try to remove it. If that doesn't work, a dremel will get it out. I stopped using drills and screw extractors a long time ago and only use a carbide burr, 1/2 the diameter of the screw, on a dremel now. It always works.

 

[andcunning]

You have to remove the body mount bushing to get enough access to the screw to remove it, if it's rusted in place. The bushings are surprisingly easy to remove; not so much to replace with new, however.

The bracket isn't so much in the way, but the bushing is. An induction heater helps a lot, but you have to get a good one. The head has to turn red or it's not hot enough; and you have to remove the coil as soon as it gets there and then use an impact socket on it immediately. If that doesn't work right away, heat it and then spray it down with water; I use a spray bottle. Keep spraying until it stops sizzling and then heat it again. Two, or maybe three, cycles of that, and it usually comes off.

If you have a broken stud, like Gerhard had, you have two options. 1) you can live with it, or 2) you can heat it and weld an extension on it and heat it some more and try to remove it. If that doesn't work, a dremel will get it out. I stopped using drills and screw extractors a long time ago and only use a carbide burr, 1/2 the diameter of the screw, on a dremel now. It always works.

This is a welded stud though isn’t it? I believe it’s welded to the body.

 

[Malleus]

I had to check mine to make sure; I thought I knew the answer, but I wanted to know I was right before I wrote it. The studs are attached to the inner face of the rocker panel, using the same weldnuts as the screws.

 

[andcunning]

I had to check mine to make sure; I thought I knew the answer, but I wanted to know I was right before I wrote it. The studs are attached to the inner face of the rocker panel, using the same weldnuts as the screws.

So I can just use an easy out?!

 

[Malleus]

You can try, but the dremel is the easier way. BTW, it's best if you keep all your questions in one place, for the benefit of the group. That's why I answered your other post.