[kuhlryde]

Anyone have any good ideas for removing those blasted under-side bumper bolts? I can get them turned until the square part under the head losens, but then the <insert explicative of your choise> bolt keeps coming out and wont grip so I can turn it anymore...just keeps turning and turning and they are in a hard spot to cut them out.

[Philo]

I just went out and looked under my '79, but do not see the bolts you are referring to. Where are they, and are you saying that the bolt and nut turns or that you cannot keep the wrench on the bolt head? Is there a nut on the bolt, or a special fastener? Can you wedge a flat screwdriver in the space to keep the bolt tight while you are turning it?

[kuhlryde]

I tried the screwdriver. There are 8 bolts that hold the bumper frame to the body. You can reach 4 of them from inside the trunk. You have to look under the car to see the bottom 4. The only thing that holds them on is a nut. They have the flat head that is about the size of a half-dollar. It looks almost like a washer. On the underside is a casted square that kind of locks it into the body and the nut holds it from the other side. I can get the nut off about 3 or 4 turns and then the square part comes out and it is hard to hold in while you try to turn the nut.

...I guess it is like a carriage bolt:
http://www.boltdepot.com/carriage-bolts.aspx


I found out Craftsman has really thin wrenches, so I may try to get on to hold onto the sqaure part. I just dont know if they are thin enough.

[Philo]

Ok, I did see the carriage bolts. I call them Stove Bolts, but same thing. If you can put an expanding clamp (like the kind used for clamping wood - some have a reversable head so they can clamp or press two objects apart) to press the bolt in from the rounded part with the square shank, it will keep it locked in the square hole. Or, when the rounded head comes out allowing the bolt to turn, maybe you can get a Vice Grip on it.

[kuhlryde]

Thanks! I will give both a shot, but I think the Vice will slip...it doesnt hurt to try though. Thanks for the ideas!

[kevin.1]

Are you using any heat, such as propane or map gas? Makes a world of difference.

-Kevin

[kuhlryde]

No I wasnt but that too is an idea. If none of this works, I just got an 80 gal air compressor that I am itching to play with. Now which means of destruction to use...

[kevin.1]

No heat?!?! Try map gas until the threads red hot. The nuts should move fairly easy after that.

Otherwise, have fun with the compressor!

[10874477]

I just finished removing my rear bumper on my 81 and when the head started to turn I put a pry bar between the bumper and the body brace to keep the head og the stove bolt in the hole. This helped a lot and it should work for you as well. Good luck.

[takid455]

I just removed my rear bumber tonight and had 1 guy spin. I had a helper hold a vise grip in teh head of teh bolt and used a sawzall to cut teh bolt between teh bumper and tail panel. this wil only work if teh bumper is loose.

[Colin]

Use a nut buster(nut splitter) and bust the nut. You will have to replace it with a new one but sometimes its easier than messing with it forever.