Running board carriage bolts....

tinmanlsu

tinmanlsu

Member
I am sure there is a secret to removing the carriage bolts both on the upper and lower ends of the support bracket as well as the running board/fender connections? I was able to remove only two of the 14(?) and the rest are spinning....
 
too late now
using heat ,and quenching will always loosen them
squirt with a hose or spray bottle
now you have to grind them off
 
Unfortunately Skrain, the carriage head is too flat and the positions of the bracket bolts are such that no chance for that. I think Mot confirmed my fear... I think the square part of the carriages was rounded off long ago and this car was on the coast of Mississippi for several years prior to me and it has the beginnings of issues if not handled now. We are taking off as much as we can and cleaning what is salvageable for reuse and replacing what we must. I am open to suggestions on the rusty bolt as many more are waiting for me and I am presoaking every day but many are iffy at best.

A side question... Does the salt air turn grease into a thick paste or is this just not doing maintenance for too long? Most moving parts we are taking off to clean have what would better be described as putty rather than grease...
 
Well, as Les Pearson says in his book, sometimes with a stuck bolt, you have 3 choices to get it off; A chisel, a grinder, or a torch!
Sometimes old grease will darn near solidify, salt air or not.
 
Got the driver side off... Thanks guys!
I wasn't sure if there was some secret "A" thing to release them but knowing that there wasn't, gorilla works are my specialty.

As for the heat and cool Mot(Mr Tom), I have used that before, but only as a last resort. I am quite comfortable mechanically, its the "A" and its unique designs and specialty tools for so many things that I seek you guys out about. I know better than to strip out bolts without first seeking help thus the reason why I explained that it had been done long ago. I first try to think my way through any problems, then consult my books followed by the archives on the barn and then send a post. Not sure I want to be fussed at in private messages for things I didn't do in the first place but Thanks for the offer...
 
An oxy/acc torch is almost a must when working with rusty hardware. Use a small tip with a neutral flame and heat the nut orange hot and try to remove it. Don't force the square to turn in the slot. It might take two heats, or a heat and cold water quench to free the nut. If that fails, then the Dremel with a cutoff wheel is your friend. Wear eye protection when grinding. I didn't once and the 10 seconds it took the doctor to remove the spec costs $360.
 
The procedure I have used is to heat the nuts almost red hot and let cool while I use a thin blade in the Dremmel to cut a screw slot in the head. With rust broken on the threads and a good fit with the screwdriver blade you should be able to unscrew them. Then you can weld and grind the screw slot smooth.
 
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