Bolt Removal

[jchooper12]

I have an issue. There is a bolt holding my skid plate on and it is only screwed in about 3/4 of the way and it is just spinning in place, I cannot tighten it anymore or losen it to take it off. How in the heck do I get that thing off? It just spins in place.

 

[jchooper12]

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[droopey]

What kind of jeep? Whch skid plate,and is it factory or after market?

 

[jchooper12]

It is a factory skid plate. I am probably just going to take it to the dealer but would like to know how to fix this issue myself in the case I run into this issue ever again.

 

[redrooster]

Grinder.

 

[diverdr]

There is a recent thread I started on this, do a search under spun nut on skid plate. Sawzall or grinder to cut bolt, then several options from there that are in that thread. Let us know what you end up doing or what your dealer does. Thanks I think I am going to drill a hole directly above in the top of the frame and pass a longer bolt upm thru.

 

[jchooper12]

great ideas, only problem is that I do not weld or even have a welder
I am going to take it to the dealership and let them deal with it, it is under warrenty and I was not the one who messed the bolt up in the first place. I am planning on changing out my muffler and tail pipe and am now worried that removing the other bolts could cause the same problem. Does anyone have any suggestion on how to prevent the welded nuts from popping the weld??? I was able to break the bolts loose from the threadlock already and I know I can get them out, but when I put the bolts back in, how do I know if they are tight enough? I dont want to break a weld.

Also, the bolt that is messed up is the center bolt of three bolts holding the skid plate on, if I just never fixed this issue and had the bolt cut off, would that really make a difference, right now the plate is being held on by the two outer bolts and there does not seem to be any issue.

 

[redrooster]

The only fix I can think of is to replace the bolt with studs and loc tite them in. Then all you have to do is remove a nut. That doesn't mean the weld won't break though. I guess if it did then you could try to get a stud like a lug stud and fish it through. They have splines that pull down intor the metal to keep them from spinning. It might work.

 

[jchooper12]

I got the bolt out!!!

I loosened the other two bolts and let the skid plate hang on the bolt head and add some weight to it. I was then able to take the bolt out. I did see that in the hole in the frame, there is something that looks like a rivit that the bolt screws into, it was threaded and there was a larger flange on the outside of the frame. Is this a different setup then having the welded nut inside the frame or is there still a nut inside?

I think it is this so I might be ok.