NOFX

Apparently sometime in the life of my car the clips which hold the bottom of the rear bumper on were replaced with bolts. No idea why, but nonetheless they're now my problem.

I need to figure out how to cut these off with such a limited space to work in. I can just barely fit an 11mm wrench (size of the nuts) in the top space on the tail of the bolt. I do own a dremel now, I'm not sure how much help it might be now since there's so little room to work in. Not to mention the cut wheels are very brittle and I don't think they'd work even if I could get it in there.

It appears the bolt and nut have rusted together.

Here's a current photo.
<--- BACK OF CAR


Here's the old thread where I first tried to get the bolts off (but was very short on time). I'd like to do this tonight, but I don't see that happening.
This thread also shows the placement of the bolts on the car in case there is any confusion.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=2159840


Modified by NOFX at 9:38 PM 8/5/2008

NACvicSi

I'm in the same boat as you. My bumper is stuck on as well. I think I will try some PB blaster, if that doesn't work will have to pick up some new dremel wheels.

sageuvagony

I'm surprised a post like this is coming from NOFX. I thought you were above Chuck Norris!

If that bottom round thing is really has a flat head slot, I would grip the top with vicegrips, then get a flat metal bar (Like a lawn mower blade) and insert the sharp edge into that slot and loosen. You will have PLENTY of leverage. No screw driver will be able to get that out.

You can sharpen a long piece of metal sideways (longways?) and have a perfect tool. Using a grinding wheel or even the sidewalk (I used my sidewalk the first time lol) Don't make it too sharp or the sharpened area will be too thin. I have run into annoying situations like this and this tool I made has saved my life a few times. I'll make a quick pic in since I'm probably not making too much sense.

If worse comes to worse, drill that fugger out. Make a small hole through the middle, then gradually increase the size of the bit till the screw is very hollow and pry that little **** out till it caves in and collapses (the screw holding the nut)

Edit : Here's that pic. I know it sounds crazy, but the bar could be modified to fit almost any area. Sorry if my idea sounds stupid, but it has worked for me in exact situations. Ohh, and a correction on what I wrote on the pic "You might have to modify sharpness AND/OR angle to fit the area desired."







Modified by sageuvagony at 9:57 PM 8/5/2008

NOFX

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sageuvagony &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm surprised a post like this is coming from NOFX. I thought you were above Chuck Norris!

If that bottom round thing is really has a flat head slot, I would grip the top with vicegrips, then get a flat metal bar (Like a lawn mower blade) and insert the sharp edge into that slot and loosen. You will have PLENTY of leverage. No screw driver will be able to get that out.

You can sharpen a long piece of metal sideways (longways?) and have a perfect tool. Using a grinding wheel or even the sidewalk (I used my sidewalk the first time lol) Don't make it too sharp or the sharpened area will be too thin. I have run into annoying situations like this and this tool I made has saved my life a few times. I'll make a quick pic in since I'm probably not making too much sense.

If worse comes to worse, drill that fugger out. Make a small hole through the middle, then gradually increase the size of the bit till the screw is very hollow and pry that little **** out till it caves in and collapses (the screw holding the nut)</TD></TR></TABLE>
Tried gripping it and turning of course. It doesn't budge.

That sounds totally unsafe though. I'm not willing to slice my arms open just to get some bolts off.

I want to see this photo though because the way it sounds sounds like a bad idea.

I really don't think drilling it out will be as easy as it sounds either. I have maybe eight plus inches of room back there and it's all upside down and out of view when I'm doing it.

So far the bolt has just been slowly chipping away at the head. The problem isn't the tool, it's the bolt is old and rusted and solid through the body but weak through the head of the bolt.

It sounds like you're telling me to use somethign else like a giant screw driver though. As in sharpen something and put that tool into the slot on the bolt and turn.

sageuvagony

I don't litterally mean sharpen as in enough to cut you, just enough for you to get the blade to fit. This all depends on how much damage was already done to the screw though. What I've done in the past with messed up flat head screws is I stick in a flat head screw driver (a durable one) and hammer it in a bit untill the groove/slot is deep enough again for gripping. If you don't see the indent/slot getting deeper, then you'll have to have the screw driver at an angle and hammer it so it starts cutting a deeper groove/slot into the screw.

Hell, all this job really requires is a L shaped screwdriver which would provide the leverage needed. That's how I modified my bar thingy to look. Sometimes money isn't always around so I improvise.



This pic I just pulled off a website just now. This isn't EXACTLY what you should use but you get the idea, right? I feel like the more I type the dumber I'm sounding

Argh, I also just noticed that you dont have much room to work with. No ramps for the car?


Modified by sageuvagony at 10:20 PM 8/5/2008

sageuvagony

One of these would work if maybe it had a bigger bit (I think that the small flat head bit would break in your situation, or maybe not who knows)



And as far as drilling through, it wasn't as hard as you might think. I almost cried when I was replacing my dad's running boards on hit Nissan Pathfinder. I was loosening one of the bolts and BAM, one of the heads broke off the big *** steel bolt. I attempted to install the running board with 1 bolt missing, but found out if I didn't install a new bolt there, and if anyone were to step on the running board, the whole thing would collapse. I HAD to get that thing out. I went through about 3 drill bits but I finally drilled through the HUGE *** LONG THICK bolt. What sucked is the metal shavings it left on the floor.

I was upside down looking up the whole time as well. This was my first time ever drilling anything out of this nature. Trust me, in the end, you will jump for joy when that fugger comes out. Don't forget you need to swear at it a whole lot too for it to cooperate with your plans for it.





Modified by sageuvagony at 10:22 PM 8/5/2008

NOFX

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sageuvagony &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No ramps for the car?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Nope, no ramps.

It sounds like I'll either have to drill it out or bring it somewhere and have it cut out.

The nut on the other side isn't supposed to be there, so when you try to turn the bolt it just spins with the nut on top intact. It's supposed to be a plastic clip there instead.

redman223

So it sounds like you can hold the top nut with a wrench right? If that is the case, then drill it out, just go to harbor freight or sears, or wherever you want, and get the bolt extracting bits. Drill a small hole in the middle of that bolt, and then put the small extractor bit in there and it should come out while you hold the wrench in your other hand.

But you *could* probably just use your dremel and a cutting wheel and cut the head of the bolt off in chunks. I don't mean cutting the head off cleanly though, as that looks impossible, but you should be able to cut the corners off and keep cutting small bits off until the head is small enough to be pushed through the bottom of the bumper, with a punch and hammer if need be. I don't see why that wouldn't work.

sageuvagony

Yea you'd have to have something gripping the top nut like I mentioned earlier and seeing the amount of space on top, doesn't look too good. What an awful combination of screws and nuts to use for that application. Find the person that created this mess for you and teach em a lesson lol.

Best bet it to take it somewhere. They will have that bolt off in under 2 to 3 min. Sorry I couldn't be more of a help. But you do at least understand the concept/idea of my ghetto screw driver right? I'm just hoping I didn't sound too stupid hehe. Good luck!

redman223

He said he could get a wrench in there, I assumed he meant that he was able to hold the nut with the wrench. If so, he could drill it out, otherwise just cut it and push it out.

NOFX

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by redman223 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So it sounds like you can hold the top nut with a wrench right? If that is the case, then drill it out, just go to harbor freight or sears, or wherever you want, and get the bolt extracting bits. Drill a small hole in the middle of that bolt, and then put the small extractor bit in there and it should come out while you hold the wrench in your other hand.

But you *could* probably just use your dremel and a cutting wheel and cut the head of the bolt off in chunks. I don't mean cutting the head off cleanly though, as that looks impossible, but you should be able to cut the corners off and keep cutting small bits off until the head is small enough to be pushed through the bottom of the bumper, with a punch and hammer if need be. I don't see why that wouldn't work.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I can just barely get a wrench in there. It's very tight, but I have little hands.

My other problem is I'm trying not to even touch the rest of the car. Otherwise I would have just cut slits in the bottom of the plastic bumper instead.

I understand what you're trying to say, sageuvagony. I just don't think I'm strong enough to break the nut off the bolt even if I had a better grip in the bolt.

NACvicSi

$20 dremel will get it done. That's my only course of action as of now

94EG8

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NOFX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I can just barely get a wrench in there. It's very tight, but I have little hands.

My other problem is I'm trying not to even touch the rest of the car. Otherwise I would have just cut slits in the bottom of the plastic bumper instead.

I understand what you're trying to say, sageuvagony. I just don't think I'm strong enough to break the nut off the bolt even if I had a better grip in the bolt.</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you can get your hands on a nut splitter that should work, or cut it off with a small angle grinder, i don't know if it demel will take care of it. you could try cutting the bolt with a hammer and cold chisel. You don't need to be all that strong to break bolts btw, i definately have well below average strength in my arms and my hands are smaller than most girls hands, but i still manage to break rusty bolts often, you just need to put a pipe on the end of the ratchet for more leverage.

JDM-EJ698

I would use a dremel with a cutoff wheel and cut off the head from underneath the car.The dremel should work well.I have cut off shock bolts with no problem!

Dool_Ohver_Hed_Cam

If you can get an 11mm wrench hooked around the nut and let the wrench spin until it gets wedged on the frame or whatever else it stops against, then you only have to worry about breaking the bolt loose. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but i figure it couldnt hurt to try.

NOFX

The chisel scares me since I don't want to damage the car. The dremel also scares me, but not quite as much.

Most of you who don't think you're very strong are probably still stronger than I am.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dool_Ohver_Hed_Cam &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you can get an 11mm wrench hooked around the nut and let the wrench spin until it gets wedged on the frame or whatever else it stops against, then you only have to worry about breaking the bolt loose. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but i figure it couldnt hurt to try.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Already tried that. There's just enough room and the bumper flexes just enough to let the wrench go under and scrape the bottom of the car.

I'm still not strong enough to break the rust though.

hgem1si

This whole situation sounds like a lot of bloody knuckles and fingers... Well, I guess you'd have to be as clumsy as me for that. lol..

Honestly I know how it feels to want to do something yourself, but I think this one is for a pro (Or someone claiming to be a pro ). Just take it somewhere, you have all these people telling you to buy something you don't usually use. I even read a post in the other thread from someone telling you to get a grinder.. or a dremel... or something.. claiming that you'll need it in the future. Well ****, you got this far right?

If it's going to cost you like 15-20 bucks, you may as well just go for it. Once you get the tools people are telling you to buy, and all the correct gear to tackle the task at hand, you'll be over 30 bucks in.


And screw that, right?


Btw, I got some more car care questions to ask you.. be ready for my PM. LOL

InTheLBC20

Ive always wanted to ask: Are you a fan of the band NOFX?

NOFX

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hgem1si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This whole situation sounds like a lot of bloody knuckles and fingers... Well, I guess you'd have to be as clumsy as me for that. lol..

Honestly I know how it feels to want to do something yourself, but I think this one is for a pro (Or someone claiming to be a pro ). Just take it somewhere, you have all these people telling you to buy something you don't usually use. I even read a post in the other thread from someone telling you to get a grinder.. or a dremel... or something.. claiming that you'll need it in the future. Well ****, you got this far right?

If it's going to cost you like 15-20 bucks, you may as well just go for it. Once you get the tools people are telling you to buy, and all the correct gear to tackle the task at hand, you'll be over 30 bucks in.


And screw that, right?


Btw, I got some more car care questions to ask you.. be ready for my PM. LOL</TD></TR></TABLE>
Already have a dremel. I just don't think it'd work very well in the space I'm working with.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by InTheLBC20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ive always wanted to ask: Are you a fan of the band NOFX?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Of course.

Frozen E

angle grinder + bolt = 10 second job

uoYkcuF

i would like to introduce you to my hand. in my hand is his friend, the impact screwdriver with flat head bit attachment. no red blooded car enthusiast should be without.

B18C5-EH2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by uoYkcuF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i would like to introduce you to my hand. in my hand is his friend, the impact screwdriver with flat head bit attachment. no red blooded car enthusiast should be without.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

The sheet metal that the bolt/screw are passing throiugh is way to flimsy to be beating on an impact driver against it.

I say drill through the flathead screw from the bottom.

davefromPA

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by uoYkcuF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i would like to introduce you to my hand. in my hand is his friend, the impact screwdriver with flat head bit attachment. no red blooded car enthusiast should be without.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

have one of these. gets me out of every situation possible when i got stuck screws

2fastek

good luck wit that

rsx99

id would try drilling it, another option i could think of would call for extream heat and i dont think you have the room for that