- This topic has 8 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 6 months ago by
.
-
Topic
-
I have a 1997 Acura Integra LS. I was removing the second of the 2 bolts from the lower driver’s side motor mounts, and while doing that welded nut inside of the sub frame rails broke loose and now the bolt just spins. Now I can’t finish unscrewing the bolt and I can’t re-tighten it. I suppose that I can grind off the head of the bolt, but how can I reattach the new motor mount without being able to thread in a new bolt?
-
Replies
-
It’s a stupid but common design. The repair is not easy. Either you cut a hole in the frame so that you can hold the nut, have it welded back in place and the hole welded up or buy a new subframe – maybe find one in a yard. So, yeah, not what you wanted to hear.
If it were me I’d drill a hole on both sides of the bolt then tack weld through the holes so the nut would stay in place.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Okay, after much local consultation the current plan is to grind out the head of the bolt and then drill out the hole large enough to remove the welded nut.
Next I’m going to get another piece of metal and drill a hole in it. I’ll weld a new nut over the hole and place the metal plate up against the frame rail with new nut going up into the same hole that the old nut was removed. Then I’ll have the plate welded to the sub frame.
I’ve chosen to do it this way to minimize mutilating the frame rail any more than I have to. Thanks for all of the input that everyone provided and feel free to let me know if I’m missing something.
Well this saga has come to a close. I followed through on my plan and Dremel tooled out the bolt hole large enough to remove the loose welded nut and reinsert the new plate with the nut welded to it. I then took the car to Meineke and had the plate welded up for $152.00.
It felt like a lot of money but I just didn’t have the tools or the skills to weld the place in properly on myself, and I figured that the car was worth it to be done right.
I had a similar problem with my Dodge Neon. Chrysler’s official solution was to drill a hole in the floor board to get to the nut. Since I had to make hole I didn’t worry about re-welding a nut back on. In the picture, the floor board was strong enough to hold the wrench in place while I tightened the bolt from under the car to 120 ft/lbs.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.