Stuck bolt on sway bar body mount

[tbisaacs]

A few weeks ago I set out to replace shocks on my 570 with new OEM AHC units. I got stuck at getting the sway bar loose and couldn't get enough droop to slide my shocks out. I ended up putting it back together and have been sulking ever since.

At first I tried to disconnect the sway bar at the link but couldn't get it. The bolt that holds the sway bar link has a hex key cut in the middle of it to keep it from spinning as you loosen the nut. It's apparently an odd size that I didn't have so instead I tried to loosen the body mount instead.

The body mount was a bear to get loose because of some surface rust on the nuts. The front nut in the bracket came out fine but the back mount got about 3/4 and then just spun freely. You can see that the rear bolt is loose:

I can shine a flash light through the whole and the frame and it looks like there is a nut but the FSM doesn't say anything about it:

I know that KDSS on the TLC is quite different - but was wondering if anyone who had done a relocation had any experience with this mount.


Any ideas?

 

[bloc]

It is a nut that is welded inside the frame, and the welds have cracked loose.

Basically you are going to have to cut the bolt off and find a way of putting an insert in there that you can tighten a new bolt into.

A “nut-sert” might work. Or find a way to attach a wire to a nut and fish it down through another hole in the frame.

 

[tbisaacs]

Welp.

 

[TeCKis300]

This happened to me once on my brothers Prelude. Rear sway bar. Sux. Stopped by a local shop and all they could do was to hit it with an impact to retighten it. Didn't touch it again.

Bloc pretty much hit all the normal options.

If you're only interested in re-torquing everything and can't get the nut to catch. Drill a small hole on the side of the frame where the internal nut is. Then tap it for a screw. Use the screw to jam the internal nut.

Another option... Drill/cut a small window in the frame next to it. Enough to get a wrench on the nut. The window would only need to be ~1" x 1/2", much like that squarish window already there in the frame.

Do what you need to do and re-torque everything.

Then bring to a welder to re-tac the nut in place. And weld in material to fill the window. Then spray paint. It's an easy job for any welder and should be reasonably cheap.

 

[tbisaacs]

Thanks guys!

What do you think about starting with the nutsert route first? That way if it works I don’t have to make any new holes in the frame. If I spin it, I gotta go in anyways.

The bolt head is sticking out enough that I think I can zip it off with a cutoff wheel.

 

[bloc]

The effectiveness and ease of a nutsert seems to depend on a couple things. Is the frame one flat chunk of steel there? If the hole happens to cross where the two parts of the box frame overlap before welding and is uneven on the inside it can pose a problem. I dealt with this installing my sliders, but that is a different section of the frame. Also your nutsert needs to be intended for the thickness of the frame where it will get installed.

Without an actual riv-nut/nut-sert tool ($$$) it can be tough.. I’ve had good luck using a serrated lock washer on the face of the riv-nut against the plate or hold-back nut. Also these things ultimately use relatively soft steel and can’t be tightened as much as a real grade 5 or 8 fastener behind the frame rail. In this application my guess is that should still work though.



A nut with a tab sticking off to jam it, washer, and chunk of wire welded to it as a handle, inserted into an existing hole requires no cutting on the frame and would be my choice personally. Some aftermarket bumpers come with parts like this to slip into the frame rail for solid anchor points. Generally larger hardware than you need here though.

But first you’ll need to get that old bolt out of there to see what you are dealing with. Your cutoff wheel idea is probably best.

 

[tbisaacs]

The effectiveness and ease of a nutsert seems to depend on a couple things. Is the frame one flat chunk of steel there? If the hole happens to cross where the two parts of the box frame overlap before welding and is uneven on the inside it can pose a problem. I dealt with this installing my sliders, but that is a different section of the frame. Also your nutsert needs to be intended for the thickness of the frame where it will get installed.

Without an actual riv-nut/nut-sert tool ($$$) it can be tough.. I’ve had good luck using a serrated lock washer on the face of the riv-nut against the plate or hold-back nut. Also these things ultimately use relatively soft steel and can’t be tightened as much as a real grade 5 or 8 fastener behind the frame rail. In this application my guess is that should still work though.



A nut with a tab sticking off to jam it, washer, and chunk of wire welded to it as a handle, inserted into an existing hole requires no cutting on the frame and would be my choice personally. Some aftermarket bumpers come with parts like this to slip into the frame rail for solid anchor points. Generally larger hardware than you need here though.

But first you’ll need to get that old bolt out of there to see what you are dealing with. Your cutoff wheel idea is probably best.

Thanks for the advice!

My slee sliders came with some heavy duty nutserts and had no problem getting them in. But to your point, it was in the flat face of the frame.

Gotta get the old nut out first...

 

[arich]

This happened to me too. I broke out the plasma cutter, cut a small access hole and cut the bolt with and impact chisel.
We put a new nut and bolt in. We welded a new piece of steel over the hole and called it a day.

I dont loosen the swaybars when I drop suspension. I drop the bottom bolt of the steering knuckle and remove the swaybar endlink.

 

[tbisaacs]

This happened to me too. I broke out the plasma cutter, cut a small access hole and cut the bolt with and impact chisel.
We put a new nut and bolt in. We welded a new piece of steel over the hole and called it a day.

I dont loosen the swaybars when I drop suspension. I drop the bottom bolt of the steering knuckle and remove the swaybar endlink.

Good to know! I don't have a plasma cutter, but know a fab shop near by who might be able to help.

 

[NLScooby]

If I can give you some advice....don't try to loosen anything on these without first spraying some Kroil (by KanoLabs) penetrating oil on it first. In fact when planning for a project, I spray Kroil on it a few times a few days prior to my start. I tried a bunch of other penetrating oils and Kroil worked the best by far for me.

Good luck!

 

[tbisaacs]

Are the frame horns covered? I see what looks like a plate that could be unbolted:

 

[Rigger]

If I can give you some advice....don't try to loosen anything on these without first spraying some Kroil (by KanoLabs) penetrating oil on it first. In fact when planning for a project, I spray Kroil on it a few times a few days prior to my start. I tried a bunch of other penetrating oils and Kroil worked the best by far for me.

Good luck!

This is very good advice.

 

[TonyP]

Are the frame horns covered? I see what looks like a plate that could be unbolted:

Yes, that plate is welded to the end.

There is a small hole from what I remember.

 

[tbisaacs]

Yes, that plate is welded to the end.

There is a small hole from what I remember.

Hey Tony! I actually grabbed this from your bumper build but couldn’t tell if Jason added them it they were stock:

 

[TonyP]

Those are plates bolted down as a base for the bumper build. Here's a pic of the frame horn exposed:

 

[tbisaacs]

Bam, thanks!

 

[chilibit]

Kroil has saved me many times and I am a believer. Also, as a last resort you might be able to weld in studs and use nuts in place of the bolt approach.

 

[tbisaacs]

The answer was plasma cutter.

 

[Rigger]

Heck yeah! Nice going!

 

[KLF]

Wow, whoever did that work did a really nice job.