silver79

i am getting ready to install a SHARK-BAR the only think is that the bottom bolt that hold the seat belt to the frame is seized, one is stripped the other is stuck too but not stripped.......what should i do??

Clams Canino

If need be - drill and heli-coil. Not fun.

-W

kingkohlmn

Spray it with penetrating oil, go have a beer, go back spray again, go watch TV or have another beer. Go back and spray again and try to work it back in so the oil penetrates better. Let it sit for awhile and hopefully it will come out tomorrow. Otherwise drill it out and and helicoil it.

Good Luck

scottyp99

It's stuck, and stripped? Do you mean the head is stripped or the threads?


Scott

silver79

Scott, One of the Torx head is stripped, the other is jammed, i sprayed them both with penetrating oil. I guess, I have to wait.
The access to the bolts under the car is very limited, even to spray them.
Maurice

pik

Try a small pipe wrench, you are obviously not worried about reusing them. I have a very small pipe wrench that is about 5 inches long, it's small enough to get into tight places. Use a cheater bar over the handle for more leverage if necessary.

srs244

that will work if the threads are still good and the bolt works free. if not more likely than not it will break and you will have to resort to drilling it out, etc as previously suggested. don't ask me how i know, lol. if the bolt is really locked in there, be careful applying pressure with a handle extension. my suggestion would be to heat the area surrounding the bolt to see if you can break it loose first (i didn't). if that fails at least you tried not to break it, lol.

C3Dave

Had the same problem on my 79. One of my bolt heads was stripped out. I used a lot of patience and kept hitting it with blaster for about 3 days. I was able to get it out by putting a vice grip on the head REAL tight and then tapping the vice grip handle with a small hammer. The torch was gonna be next if that didnt work.

Good luck

silver79

I didn't think about the pipe wrench. I am not worried about the bolts outside condition, I can switch them with ones that are behind the trim, that hold the retracting housing at the shoulder level. I will try the wrench

hunt4cleanair

Had the same problem with my 78 seat belt bolt. Water had sat in the passenger side (long ago) and the bolt had seized. I broke the torx bit, cracked my knuckles when it slipped, swore than got out the heat! It took the torch to loosen it up.

Do the heat first so you only have to mess with it one more time.

75+78 Corvettes

Had my passenger side one seized up and stripped. ended up taking it to a shop and got it torched out. The heat does wonders but be careful around the fiberglass

Fast81

PB Blaster 2X/day
3 days
12 pack of beer

then get after it with an air rachet or 18+V drill with torx bit
Got all mine out that way during a carpet install

wrmcmaha

I know this is an older thread but I am having the same issue with my seat belt bolt and didn't think I needed to start a new thread. I have tried penetrating oil, a torch, a long cheater bar and have only broken a few tools in the process. How exactly do you drille the hole out for a helicoil? Do you drill with a bit of a similar diameter of the bolt itself?