Sear belt removal

[Bradley D.]

I removde the seats and then removed the seat belts. I ran into trouble with the retractor side (passenger). The large allen head bolt was forzen.

To make a long story short, its still in there less the head. I cut it off.

Now what?
One suggestion is to weld a nut on the stub and the use a box-end wrench on it.
On a more drastic note, I thought of cutting/drilling out the remaining bolt.

Any special concerns at this point?
Anyone out there that's been through this? FYI: body is still on the frame.

Thanks, I appreciate your guidance.

Brad

[Edward J.]

Re: Sear belt removal

Brad, is it the inboard bolt or outboard( next to rocker)? those seat belt brackets on the outboard are no problem but the inboard are.

[Donald O.]

Re: Sear belt removal

Brad,
If there are any threads showing in the bracket beneath the car, and you can get a good grip with a stout pair of Vise-Grips, soak the remaining bolt with Kroil or PB Blaster. Give it a shot every day for a few days. THEN try to get it to turn CCW as you look it from underneath. This would be tightening from inside the vehicle. It should crack free, then just send it back up and out through the interior.
Don

[Bradley D.]

Re: Sear belt removal

Outboard. But not easy for me unless I'm missing something...

[Bradley D.]

Re: Sear belt removal

I have not gotten it up on a rack to look underneath. I've used lots of liquid wrench (two types) form the inside, but still canot budge.
Before I get to a welding I will try your suggestion, thanks. Probably sometime in Feb.

[Edward J.]

Re: Sear belt removal

Bradley, I mixed up the last part of my post. the out board ones are tough on a mid year. the next step would be to drill out the old bolt carefully. If the penatrating oil has not got you any where, this is about all you can do. the most important part of what you are doing when drilling out a rusted broken bolt is center punch the middle of the bolt, as close as possible, there is reason for this, when you start drilling try a 1/8 bit first and work you way up one step at a time with the bits, once your about 1 or 2 steps from the diameter of the actual size of the bolt try to remove whats left with a nice pointed center punch , the the punch will break apart whats left of the bolt. and if its still not removing try one more step of drilling, the trick is try and not drill the threaded portion of the nut. If the most of the old bolt is removed chase the threads with a tap or thread chaser. And if a this point no luck a heil coil will likely work but do this as a last resort.

I think the real trick here is patenice. I have removed many broken bolts in my life being in the rust belt of the Northeast. I think that welding a bolt would work on some bolts, I think that its in a area that you'll find that a torch would not work the fuel line in on the pass. side so heating the welded nut would not work. and the fiberglass would not like that much heat.


Edit- lastly good sharpe drill bits will be needed ( Kobolt, titainum) I believe that bolt maybe hardened.

[Bradley D.]

Re: Sear belt removal

Bradley, I mixed up the last part of my post. the out board ones are tough on a mid year. the next step would be to drill out the old bolt carefully. If the penatrating oil has not got you any where, this is about all you can do. the most important part of what you are doing when drilling out a rusted broken bolt is center punch the middle of the bolt, as close as possible, there is reason for this, when you start drilling try a 1/8 bit first and work you way up one step at a time with the bits, once your about 1 or 2 steps from the diameter of the actual size of the bolt try to remove whats left with a nice pointed center punch , the the punch will break apart whats left of the bolt. and if its still not removing try one more step of drilling, the trick is try and not drill the threaded portion of the nut. If the most of the old bolt is removed chase the threads with a tap or thread chaser. And if a this point no luck a heil coil will likely work but do this as a last resort.

I think the real trick here is patenice. I have removed many broken bolts in my life being in the rust belt of the Northeast. I think that welding a bolt would work on some bolts, I think that its in a area that you'll find that a torch would not work the fuel line in on the pass. side so heating the welded nut would not work. and the fiberglass would not like that much heat.


Edit- lastly good sharpe drill bits will be needed ( Kobolt, titainum) I believe that bolt maybe hardened.

Thanks for the suggestion. Sounds like a good approach. I don't think the bolt is hardened. I removed the opposite side and it does't look hardened, and I did cut the head off with a dremel. In any case I will need strong drill bits.