Rusty Seat bolts will NOT come out, no matter what I do

[sauceman]

Nothing seems to be working. I have two of these bolts to remove. After lots of work, I was able to remove one. The second bolt will not come out at all. Below is a list of what I have tried:

- Welding a nut on top (broke off each time)
- Hex socket (stripped into a circle)
- Pipe wrench (kept slipping off)
- grinding the head into the shape of a nut for socket (rounded off, didnt work)
- Notching the side of the head, and hitting with pneumatic Chisel (did nothing at all)
- Heating the bolt
- Lots of deep creep lubricant
- Vice grip (keeps slipping off)
- Drilling with different size bits, ( these bolts are hard, the drill did not appear to be able to get through the bolt)

So far, I have managed to destroy an almost perfect condition carpet on my 1992 ford ranger xlt, I have to replace it now which I will probably have a hell of a time finding in Canada. Which I am pissed about. I have to remove the carpet to install some insulation, and hide a few wires for my sound system and lights. My mechanic said he couldn't help me since the head is so damaged. What the heck do I do now?

 

[Roert42]

I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to drill it out.

Other then that, the next step would be to grind off the head, but you are still going to need to drill the bolt out and weld on a new nut.

 

[snoranger]

I deal with rusted crap all the time... if you can get to the bottom, grind head off, weld a nut on the underside, and take it out from the wrong direction.

 

[pjtoledo]

go to a machine supplier and get hardened drill bits.
cobalt??
those bolts are really nasty to remove.

or go down below with a mini grinder and split the "nut".
if yours has the cable that isn't any fun either.

when fighting with Torx bolts I find it helps to use a long extension so I can steady the tool.
just a bit on a bar or ratchet gives too much side load and the bit "tips sideways" and pops out.

fyi, those are self tapping bolts. they go in real tight then rust in place.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

If you can do it without setting the interior carpet on fire, heat the underside as close to cherry red as you can get it. Then quickly cool the head of the bolt with a can of compressed air turned upsidedown. It should shrink the bolt enough to cleanly break the rust-bond. I use this trick a couple times a year if/when necessary.

It's also a great technique for installing pinion bearings that are normally a press fit. Heat the bearings lightly in the bbq grill and shrink the shaft in the freezer/use canned compressed air turned upsidedown.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

prepare the grinder

 

[qbnlykwhoa]

Just had to do this. Heat the shit out of it from the bottom of the car. The bolts are exposed through the cab floor. I heated it for about 3 minutes and then sprayed it with rust penetrative. Torx on a breaker bar and got it to break loose. A pain but was able to get it. If the head is messed up try an bolt extractor socket.