track bar bolt cross-threaded - HELP!

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I was installing a front receiver hitch today (draw-tite) and four of the mounting bolts replace the 4 mounting bolts that mount the front track bar to the frame. Problem is two of the bolts were cross-threaded (gotta love those air tools at the factory!). I got one of them out but on the other one the head of the bolt just twisted right off. The nut is welded to the inside of the frame in a pretty inaccesable place. Two questions - first does anyone have any idea how to get the bolt out of there and the 2 cross threaded nuts removed? I cut a slot into the bolt and screwdrivers bits will hold but they are just breaking (already tried penetrant). Seconds thing is I've disconnected the track bar so that I can drive it to someone if I can't figure it out. Anyone driven their trucks without the front track bar connected? Is it going to be all over the road or what? Thanks in advance.

 

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Steve
I am no expert on the track bar but I believe it is the only thing that locates the axle side to side. When mine was pretty worn it was wanering alot, especially around corners.
Larry

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Ram Rod
'96 2500 club cab 5speed 4x4 3:54 pacbrake combo gauge and most all factory options
35' holiday rambler 5th wheel

 

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(Larry, are you trying to say you're no expert?)

Steve, if you got room, try a screw extractor, they gottem in BIG sizes. Drill out the center 80% of the stud and give it a try with the EZ-OUT. If it won't budge, continue drilling progressively larger diameters until you just begin to cut into the nut treads. Pick out the remains then chase the whole thing with a tap. My bet is the nut will be fine, in a crossthread, it's usually the bolt that gets damaged (just don't crossthread the tap in the nut).

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'00 2500, 4x4, QC, Cummins ETC/6spd, 3. 54, Camper, Trailer, SLT, 4ABS, BD E-brake, Pullrite 20. 5K 5th hitch, Tekonsha Envoy-SX Tbrake, Flame Red/Silver, Agate

 

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Ooops - my mistake. It is the stabilizer bar bolts not the track bar.


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-Steve St. Laurent
'98 Quad Cab Long Bed (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, Prime-loc remote fuel filter,
boost & pyro gauges, Permatech spray in liner, Grizzly stainless nerf bars,
BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's
http://my. voyager.net/stevest



[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 08-30-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

Steve, is there enough room to get up there with a Dremel tool with a small cut off wheel? Maybe you can cut through the welds on the nut. You shouldn't have any problems driving around with out the stabilizer bar. Just remember it will lean in the corners a lot more than if it was connected.
Larry, you can delete those excess posts by clicking on the third icon above each one (the one with the paper and pencil). Enter your password and put an X in the Delete box.
Andy

 

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Andy
Thanks for helping me remove the excess posts. I didnt know I posted all thoses times and still dont know how that happens.
I guess when I have as many years on the computer as I have fooling with vehicles I may figure it out.
Larry

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Ram Rod
'96 2500 club cab 5speed 4x4 3:54 pacbrake combo gauge and most all factory options
35' holiday rambler 5th wheel

 

[Archive]

Steve, As long as you have the stabilizer bar out, now is the time to upgrade the bushings to Polyurethane. I prefer Energy Suspension. The bar bushings are greaseable. You get the endlinks & Bar bushings and new bar brackets in the kit. Junk the OE rubber bushings...
http://www.energysuspension.com/products1.html

Call or E-mail them for your application part # #ad


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1994 Dodge Ram SLT Cummins 5 speed 4x4,3. 54 gears, Scotty Air System,PIAA Platnum Super Whites,Optima red top batteries, manual trans filter,Turbo&Exhaust blanket,Magnaguard rear diff cover,Edelbrock IAS shocks,muffler removed,Borgeson steering shaft,Trailmaster steering stabilizers,Rancho upper & lower links,Polyurethane sway bar bushings,Skyjacker 2" leveling springs(front),Fabritech Stage II Traction Bars,Denman Coyote A/P LT305/85R16(36" Tall) tires on Stock Dodge Chrome 16x6. 5 wheels,Bushwacker Street Flares,Back-off saftey brake light,Bugflector II bug shield, Royal Purple ,Amsoil& Red line lubes throughout.

1970 Plymouth Cuda (under construction)
1968 Hurst HEMI® Dart , Nah its just a screen name ;-)

[This message has been edited by 1968 Hurst HEMI Dart (edited 12-07-1999). ]

[This message has been edited by 1968 Hurst HEMI Dart (edited 12-07-1999). ]

 

[Archive]

Well guys, I finally got the bolt out. I tried the EZ-out - man what a NIGHTMARE!! The tool broke off in the the bolt!! I ended up have to use a dremel tool with one of those bits like the dentist uses (you know the one that vibrates your entire skull!) to grind down the bolt around the tool and then drill into the center to pry it out. I finally ended up drilling out the entire bolt. Then tapped it. Now for the problem (you knew it was coming!), the bolt was fused to the nut so I decide to try to rethread what was there. Some of the remnants of the bolt came out and now the bolts won't thread into the nut. Has anyone used heli-coils before? I've heard of them but never used them. Can they hold 35 ft/lbs on a 10mm bolt? The torch and welder ideas wouldn't work very in this case btw as the nuts are welded into the inside of the frame rails and it's a boxed section with the closest access about 4 inches away and it's only a small slot. The receivers all bolted up and so is the stabilizer bar except the one bolt is missing. I'm going to drive very carefully tomorrow until I get it fixed tomorrow night! BTW - the truck was pretty squirrely without the stabilizer bar. The front end of these bad boys are awfully heavy!

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-Steve St. Laurent
'98 Quad Cab Long Bed (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, Prime-loc remote fuel filter,
boost & pyro gauges, Permatech spray in liner, Grizzly stainless nerf bars,
BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's
http://my. voyager.net/stevest



[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 08-30-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

The helicoil should hold fine. You'll need the kit to tap for the larger threads.

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99 2500 QC, LWB, 5spd, 3. 54 limited slip, Intense Blue, 275HP Injectors
Tow Lite trailer
96 KTM 360 EXC
99 Durango 4x4 360cid

 

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Have you consided using longer bolts and flag nuts?

FWIW: Easy(?) outs ALWAYS break off in a tough job. Then the damn things are so hard that the job turns into a real pain just to get back to how bad it was to start with!

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Joe G.

'95 2500 CC auto 4X4,Combo EGT/boost guage,PacBrake,Torque plate,BD valve body,Automatic motorhome steps on both sides,Foldacover hard bed cover,Cummins chrome kit,Black steel grill guard,Front hitch receiver

 

[Archive]

The trucks back together!! Woohoo, I'm a happy camper again. Now if I could just find out who the assembly guy was that cross threaded those bolts I could go on a hunting trip and be really happy! #ad
The heli-coil worked great and took 35 ft/lbs no problem. Joe, I had thought of using a flag nut and longer bolt but the problem was that the nut was totally inaccessable inside of a boxed frame member. Thanks for all the help guys.

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-Steve St. Laurent
'98 Quad Cab Long Bed (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, Prime-loc remote fuel filter,
boost & pyro gauges, Permatech spray in liner, Grizzly stainless nerf bars,
BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's
http://my. voyager.net/stevest



[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 08-30-2000). ]