c66vet

The captured nut in the #4 Body Mount (located under the carpet in my 66 Coupe) was cross threaded. Can this nut be replaced easily or should I use a flat washer and nut on top of the mount to secure the bolt? The bolt can be screwed in the nut, but the bolt can not be torqued, bolt spins in the nut.

I also thought of bending out the tab on the mount to remove the stripped nut and install a new nut. Has anyone encountered this problem.

Thanks

JohnZ

You're lucky the bolt turns in the nut - most are corroded solid. I'd replace the nut.

DansYellow66

The capture nut attachment rivets are hidden underneath the bent metal mount plate on the other side. To replicate the assembly line process you have to remove the mount plate, rivet in the capture nut assembly and then rivet the mount plate back on. Unfortunately that probably means having the body off of the frame. It might be possible to remove the bolt and force the body up high enough off of the frame to get the mount plate out but it would be a real pain trying to get everything riveted back in propely with the frame rail in the way - but maybe possible. As noted above, it's best to just substitute a regular nut for the caged nut until such time as you, or someone else, plans to do a frame off on the car.

c66vet

Thanks for the quick response. My current plan is to replace the nut (As JohnZ stated) with a new one (ZIP Corvette has them). I'm hoping that I can bend the cage tab up without much difficulty and replace the caged nut. If I am unable to bend the tab and remove the old nut. I will place a flat washer with a Nord lock washer and nut on top of the cage.

Thanks, there is always something that slows down the restoration.

PaulUptime

Getting my rear mount bolts apart was one of the most brutal parts of my restoration, as they were exactly as JohnZ noted, corroded solid. Since mine was a body-on resto, I bent the cage tabs up and using breaker bars, alternately lots of penetrating oil and heat, constantly a lot of effort and patience, they came apart.

The new nuts and bolts were liberally coated in anti-seize as I will still need to readjust the shims on my car. When I got my '65, the original shims had been removed. Bubba had replaced them with triangle cutouts of old bias ply tires. Sheesh.

Zip Corvettes

I doubt you are going to bend the tab, that is spring steel. It has to be or when you torqued the bolt it would bend the tab for you. I my suggestion would be to try and repair the thread if you do not want to replace it yet. You can heli coil them. Another short term solution would to get a new square nut and then thread it over top the bolt, it will sit flat on the top of the cage and just tighten it up with a wrench.
Justin

c66vet

Thanks everyone. This morning I ordered the square nuts from ZIP. appreciate the response from ZIP, Justin. I will probably place a washer on top of the cage and use the square nut with a lock washer.

c66vet

I liked the heli coil suggestion, but do not know how I could heli coil the nut.

Corbrastang

The bolt and cage and nut on my 65 were rusted together and i had to cut the bolt in half just to remove the body. When i reassembled the car I put a new nut in place without the cage assembly and had someone tighten the bolt while i held the nut with pliers. You might be able to get a dremmel tool into that spot to cut the rivets lose from the top half of the cage. Then you can simply replace the nut like i did.

c66vet

Thanks everyone for the help and ideas. I used a Dremel tool with a cutting wheel and cut off the flap on the cage. Removed the stripped nut and replaced with a new nut from ZIP Products. Slid the new nut in and tighteded everything up. Good as new!!

PaulUptime

Justin, you may be right on that. It was 11 years ago and I haven't looked back at it since. The area was repainted with a black tremclad primer and paint, then carpeted. I'm sure we persisted with just about every "minimal damage" option until something worked. As such, it wouldn't have been my preferred option to have bent up the cage tabs. Perhaps it was some a combination of various needle nosed vice grips and a wedge between the tab and the nut.

To the OP - I'm glad it worked out for you! Now perhaps you too will be able to put this experience behind you after over 10 years LOL!