Help: Front Subframe bolt broke off!!!

[04HarleyF250]

Dropping the IRS to put new bushings in the rear, everything is disconnected and subframe is supported: I break all 4 subframe bolts loose, take the nuts off the front 2, pull the bolt out of the rear drivers side, go to pull the rear passengers bolt out, and as im loosening, the "tab" mounted on the inside of the frame that prevents the bolt from spinning breaks off and drops to the ground.

Now i just cry as it spins.... Surely this has happened to someone else?

I tried wedging a screwdriver in there, but it cant stop it, it doesnt look like a vise grip will get in there, maybe ill just go wander around sears and hope for the right tool.

 

[04HarleyF250]

bump

 

[04HarleyF250]

I think it was torqued onto the sharp edge and weakened over time.
Ill go talk to a tech at ford tomorrow, that should be fun.

 

[black 10th vert]

you may need to get in there with a mig welder and tack the nut in place. Not sure if there is enough clearance for the tip, though...

good luck!
Brian

 

[hpbyhermann]

If I remember correctly it is a 18 m.m. head tab nut

Just use a wrench to hold it and spin your bolt out.:beer:

 

[hpbyhermann]

OOPS!! Thought you were talking about the FRONT bolts!!

The rear frame nuts have come loose on me before, what I did was cut the bolt off with a cutting tool. After I removed the rear from the car I drilled the hole all the way through the frame rail and used a long bolt that would pass through the frame. Then you can use a wrench to hold the nut on the side of the frame to tighten it up. Hope this helps, Hermann:beer:

 

[04HarleyF250]

Just use a wrench to hold it and spin your bolt out.:beer:

haha, you made me go outside and try to fit a wrench in there. Still didnt fit.

im goin with the low profile bolt from MM, does that reuse the original nut/ washer combo?

 

[tjs98gt]

might have to torch that bitch out. melt the side off u can get to and push it through

 

[04HarleyF250]

might have to torch that bitch out. melt the side off u can get to and push it through

that was a thought... but it cant be pushed out that way for the same reason i cant get to it: the frame is back there

edit: I just read IRS swap, and im curious how you ended up attaching the subframe in the rear? I imagine you cut into the frame a little more than the guys at SVT?

 

[04HarleyF250]

...what I did was cut the bolt off with a cutting tool...

if i cut off the head of the bolt (the portion that would hit the inside of the tire if i ran wider tires), how can i slide the bolt in enough to drop the subframe? Could you explain this process a little more?

 

[jm@ReischePerf]

Maybe he's talking about something like a Sawzall. Not sure what you could get in there because just cutting the head off isn't going to help you.

 

[hpbyhermann]

The tool I used

It is an air powered cutter that is simular to a sawsall that is much smaller and uses jigsaw sized blades. I cut the head off the bolt, lowered the irs subframe out and drilled a hole through to the other side of the frame. Used a longer bolt to attach it with a nut on the far side of the frame and a wrench to hold it.:beer:

 

[04HarleyF250]

i guess ill try to sneak a sawzall in and cut that nut off tomorrow, hopefully ill be able to get the old nut and whats welded to it out

...and then ill take a look at just running a bolt all the way through the frame like hermann is talking about

 

[hpbyhermann]

As soon as the bolt head is cut off the rest will fall out..

It will fall out into the frame rail. Use a magnet and fish it out.:beer: You will then have a hole without the nut welded there. Drill through and go!:rockon: Hermann:thumbsup:

 

[04HarleyF250]

thanks a lot guys, i gotta get back at this thing.

 

[hpbyhermann]

Are you just talking about the bolt that goes through the bracket?

I was talking about the frame mount bolts.....if the bolt that goes through the rear irs bushing is spinning you can cut it off at the backside or simply loosen up all 4 of the framemount bolts and lower it out that way, then cut of hold the spinning part with vice grips and remove and replace.:beer:

 

[04HarleyF250]

Frame mount bolts are good. I didnt realize the bolt going through the bushing only mounted to the bracket, not the bracket and frame. Upon closer look, I took out the four frame mount bolts and the whole subframe came down. With the subframe and brackout out, that piece of the frame didnt block access to the nut, and i was able to get it right off. It seems like ford designed the brackets to be removed from the subframe once all of it is off the car since that tab is so weak, but then why is it there at all?


Thanks again, Hermann.

 

[hpbyhermann]

Glad you got it handled....

Frame mount bolts are good. I didnt realize the bolt going through the bushing only mounted to the bracket, not the bracket and frame. Upon closer look, I took out the four frame mount bolts and the whole subframe came down. With the subframe and brackout out, that piece of the frame didnt block access to the nut, and i was able to get it right off. It seems like ford designed the brackets to be removed from the subframe once all of it is off the car since that tab is so weak, but then why is it there at all?


Thanks again, Hermann.

I was trying to give you solutions to any which way it may have been messed up!!:beer: Hope it helped you out some. :thumbsup:Hermann