Body Lift Bolt Trouble! Help!

[ozziemo27]

Hey folks, I'm having a big problem that is preventing me from completing my body lift. Problem: the 2 front bolts that mount the cab to the frame are totally and completely rusted stuck. i broke the head of the drivers side bolt accidentally, I didn't even wrench on it that hard at all! what should I do concerning that one? I don't think the nut is welded on..... Or is it? Its the only damn thing that is preventing me from continuing. I live in michigan so, yea, rust is a major problem! I have doused it in liquid wrench and it still won't move at all!
-Jordan

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I used an impact wrench on mine, they came right out. You might have to just break it, then jack the truck up out of the way and try to remove it.

Then break out smokey the blue flame wrench to get it apart out of the truck... fwi at least on mine the nut was part of the bushing so if you ruin it you will need new ones.

 

[ozziemo27]

i wailed on it for at least 20 minutes with an impact wrench. I cut the other head off of the bolt and exposed the rest of it. I am going to drill both out, shouldn't ruin the nut if i center it perfectly, appreciate the input

 

[Joe_Roofer]

is it a nut or a clip? I just replaced the bed on my truck...Allready had a body lift. The bolts are metric m12 1.75 coarse thread (but you probably have new bolts) Just kill that bolt and get it out.

 

[ozziemo27]

they are definately nuts, by what do you mean, "kill it"? drilling it out or....?

 

[Joe_Roofer]

Just kill 'em.... No, serioulsy,
I've never done a body lift on the cab but 3 of the six
bed bolts were so rusted/busted when I took mine off that
I lifted the bed out of the way (once the heads were off) cut 'em off flush with the frame
and hammered them out with a drift.
Hope this helps.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

is it a nut or a clip? I just replaced the bed on my truck...Allready had a body lift. The bolts are metric m12 1.75 coarse thread (but you probably have new bolts) Just kill that bolt and get it out.

The bed has clips, and bolts right to the frame with no rubber bushings.

 

[ozziemo27]

Just kill 'em.... No, serioulsy,
I've never done a body lift on the cab but 3 of the six
bed bolts were so rusted/busted when I took mine off that
I lifted the bed out of the way (once the heads were off) cut 'em off flush with the frame
and hammered them out with a drift.
Hope this helps.

I drilled one all the way through today after I found a few of my dad's really good bits, went through so damn easy it was amazing, I am going to get some more of the right size so i can finish drilling it out, then I have to drill the other side out! hopefully i can get it as straight as i did the first time, eyeballing it, its kinda tricky with a 4-5 inch bolt!

 

[kozak]

Same thing happened to me with my Explorer body lift. Funny thing is, my Explorer has literally no rust underneath, and is a 93. I ended up having to take a torch to both the front mounts. Every other mount was easy. Then after I got the front to ready to go, the bolt holes wouldnt line up, so I had to break out the come a long. They can be a big pain in the ass, but well worth it in my opinion.

 

[robmurt90]

When I did my explorer which has virtually no rust underneath, I soaked them with PB Blaster for two weeks. Then when I did the body lift I used an impact gun. Even with 500 ft/lbs a couple of the s.o.b.'s wouldn't budge.

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

1st get new bolts and clips.
i used regular nuts with washers,i had dropped the tank for fuel cell in the bed so the one over the tank wasn't a problem to tighten.
grind the heads off the old bolts and remove the bed.use a razor blade (brand name of cutting wheel)on a 41/2 inch grinder to cut it off at the frame.
replace with new hardware.use lots of anti seize.

 

[ozziemo27]

Update: took the truck over to my buddies a while back and got them out with a torch, we broke an extension on one of the sockets so we just TIG welded a socket to the snapped extension, worked like a charm!

 

[oughtsix]

I just did mine a few days ago. No rust on the frame, but the front two were one mass of rust. Stuck a sawzall between the top rubber piece and the steel mount and cut them off. had to rig a nut to a stack of fender washers since the bolts were NOT coming out.

 

[BLOODBANE]

Both my Ranger and my Explorer gave me fits. I just cut the head off the bolts and threw all the stock junk away(pick the body up enough to pull everything out). I used a hockey puck and then my new lift blocks(with the new, supplied bolts) and no problems. Heres a pic.....

This is my Explorer. I still need to do the fix to my Ranger.......

 

[ozziemo27]

I just did mine a few days ago. No rust on the frame, but the front two were one mass of rust. Stuck a sawzall between the top rubber piece and the steel mount and cut them off. had to rig a nut to a stack of fender washers since the bolts were NOT coming out.

haha nice