timstiles Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 After a mostly careful installation of a new clutch that was fairly straightforward I had a problem with one of the main crossmember bolts. There are 2 that screw into nuts that are welded or otherwise attached somehow up inside the chassis. The driver's side nut broke free of whatever it is mounted to so now I have a free spinning nut and bolt assembly on that side. Even worse the bolt wasn't all the way in when the nut broke free so there is slack. I can move that bolt/nut assembly up and down and rotate it in either direction. : ) I figure I will need to cut the old bolt off and then figure out what to do in terms of replacing the nut it threads into. Hopefully I've written an interpretable description of the problem and someone on the forum will have a great idea on how to get me out of this lovely situation! Tim 1996 Legacy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOthis Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 man.... you and me both brother...i also have a 96 legacy and the drivers side bolt actually fell out on my way to school the other day......i was wondering what the noise was so i threw it in the air and like half of the front crossmember was hanging down....i believe i stripped out that hole.......unfortunately for me i have to replace the trans this weekend and am prob. just going to try to tap the hole to get some good gripping threads.....i dont believe there are nuts on the other end (if were talking about the same crossmember)at least if there are i have never taken them out......i just have the bolt that goes directly into the chassis/body.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reveeen Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Blind fastener in unit body car messed up. It all depends how much room and what you have to work with. I have in the past: 1) cut a slot/hole in the chassis member and used one of those self retaining nuts (the kind with a wrap around spring clip on it, so as not to spin). 2) I have drilled the hole big enough to get a nut in, welded a nut to a piece of flat iron, then welded the flat iron to the frame (nut upwards in the hole you drilled). 3) I have drilled right on up through the floor (after removing the carpet), then welded a carriage bolt (rounded head) to a steel plate, stuffing this downwards, and using a nut on the underside. 4) I have cut a window in the unit body chassis, cut the old crap out, and welded a nut in there, then welded the window up. You do what you have to to get it done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timstiles Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 mine's not hanging down , yet, it just clunks when i shift : ) Reveen - great info in your reply , thanks . I was thinking about approach #3 if its possible on the legacy. Was the carriage bolt/steel plate combo on top of the floor pan or down inside the hole? I suppose from the top I can cut 3 side sand fold a section of the floorpan back so I'm staring down at all this mess. Editorial - this really ticks me off. : ) I did probably one of the cleanest most organized repair jobs in my history and the last bolt (out of probably 100 or so) kicks me in $ss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 These are very easy to cross thread and once that is done its hard to repair the damage. Drilling first up from the bottom with a 1/4 drill centered in the mount hole, will provide the center for the hole saw as you drill down to remove the old nut and then put in a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reveeen Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Was the carriage bolt/steel plate combo on top of the floor pan or down inside the hole? Whatever you have/are able to do. I had to use this method, bolting through the floor, of certain unnamed Toyota models, that there was virtually nothing there to do anything with, the round head not to immediately "eat" the carpet, and the plate to spread the stress. If you could fold the floor back, a bolt through, and tacked to a piece of flat iron, would hold things nicely (from spinning), and you could fold the floor back, welding the window shut. The whole damm thing is more work that the thing really merits but in the interest of "next time" you want to make it nice, or as nice as you can. You have not "lived" until you get in someone's "toy", with full belly pan, to work on, and you go to drop the belly pan, and every damm fastener breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timstiles Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 I definitely want to take the time to do it as nicely as possible. That extra amount of time spent to do things the right way pays off in the end. I started threading this one by hand and thought it was tight because the crossmember hole wasn't 100% on center. Still thought I had it so I hit with the snap on cordless impact. I never thought that tool had enough mojo to snap a weld! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2X2KOB Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 3) I have drilled right on up through the floor (after removing the carpet), then welded a carriage bolt (rounded head) to a steel plate, stuffing this downwards, and using a nut on the underside. Yep, I vote for #3. If I was in this predicament, that's what I'd do, for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reveeen Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I definitely want to take the time to do it as nicely as possible. That extra amount of time spent to do things the right way pays off in the end. I started threading this one by hand and thought it was tight because the crossmember hole wasn't 100% on center. Still thought I had it so I hit with the snap on cordless impact. I never thought that tool had enough mojo to snap a weld! The nuts are kind of edge welded to a piece of 1/16 plate, that is in turn spotted to the sheet metal, throw in a bit of rust, and the vigorous application of a 1/4 drive ratchet will break them free sometimes. Before pulling this type of thing apart I like to soak the thing with good penetrating oil for a couple of days (or a diesel/auto tranny oil mix), I just spray in all holes close by flooding the thing. Something to think about doing if you are not in a hurry (next time). After disassembly I soak it again. Then when attempting re-assembly, if it won't go easy by hand, I run a tap through the hidden fastener. The whole broken bolt in blind panels makes me cringe. Hindsight is always 20-20, you will be a bit more careful next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timstiles Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 Got this fixed today. I first drilled a small hole from the bottom up to get an idea where this infernal blind nut was located. It's basically underneath the floor directly below the right edge of the brake pedal. I cut the top, right, and left edges of the floor with an air grinder, peeled the metal back with screwdrivers and pliers, and the nut was right there. This nut is only held on by 3 pimple sized spot welds, there is no rust on my car so that wasn't a factor of it breaking loose. I got the broken nut out and replaced it with a bolt inserted from the top, the reverse of the factory config. I like it this way better. I hammered the floor back down into place and went for a test drive. 100% fixed and so nice not to have the engine/trans assembly clunking when I shift. I have enough thread left to put a locknut on so that's next. And later when I'm hanging out with someone with a welder I'll get them to weld the bolt head in place. Thanks for all the advice! Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2X2KOB Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Those threads hanging down are likely to get buggered up by road debris blowing by (rocks & stuff), so maybe put a couple nuts on there to cover them and protect them. I'm glad you got it fixed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 This happened to me yesterday.. it was like 1 inch from being flush.. but the funny thing was I was careful to make sure it was not going to crossthread.. Mine is on the passenger side.. this is the only thing that has me pissed off.. it really clunks during the 2-3 shift. So what's the thing to do drill a hole with a hole saw and replaced the nut? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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