Removing frozen bolts in bed - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

68 GMC Stepside · 06-03-2011, 10:31 AM

Looking for some ideas to remove the bolts in my truck bed. I have soaked with PB blaster, but the bolts spin when I try to remove the nuts. Any way of keeping the bolts from spinning or should I try nut splitters etc. Don't really want to grind the bolt heads and damage the truck bed.

Thanks for any suggestions.

LooseCannon · 06-03-2011, 10:35 AM

Not sure if you have a welder but welding a hex nut to the top of the bolt works well.

faribran · 06-03-2011, 10:46 AM

Loose... good idea..

JORGIE95961 · 06-03-2011, 10:55 AM

And on the rest of em just tighten and break off trust me its quicker ..

darkone · 06-03-2011, 10:57 AM

sawzall was the only way i could manage

**leddzepp** · 06-03-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JORGIE95961

And on the rest of em just tighten and break off trust me its quicker ..

Best way to do it. Overtighten and snap them off. You will be done in minutes as opposed to hours.

cdowns · 06-03-2011, 12:18 PM

i take my small cutoff wheel and grind the tops off

Dano69c10 · 06-03-2011, 05:41 PM

The easiest way I found to remove frozen bed bolts are with a 4" or 3" cutting wheel.

I crawl underneath and cut vertically through the nut and bolt. Sometimes you only have to cut halfway through and the nut will come off with a wrench or socket. This prevents you from messing up your bed.

If you're good at cutting, you can cut through the nut it will split off the bolt.

**too much stuff** · 06-03-2011, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JORGIE95961

And on the rest of em just tighten and break off trust me its quicker ..

The only way to go. Its not like you are going to reuse the bolts anyhow...

Duncan and son · 06-04-2011, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JORGIE95961

And on the rest of em just tighten and break off trust me its quicker ..

x2

68 SHORT-STEP'N · 06-04-2011, 01:25 AM

I had to use a catspaw & a sawzall

68 GMC Stepside · 06-04-2011, 10:21 AM

Thanks for the posts. Awesome ideas. If I can get the truck to my buddy's, I'll weld. If not, I'll cut. Thanks again. This was a ton of help.

dan42 · 06-04-2011, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vectorit

I wouldn't want to be removing frozen bolts in my bed, since all the metal chips and rust gets into all the bed sheets which get itchy on me. So, I typically work on stuff like that in my garage.

Yeah, and the fact that they're frozen makes your bed cold as well!

eightbanger · 06-04-2011, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdowns

i take my small cutoff wheel and grind the tops off

x2

68 GMC Stepside · 06-06-2011, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dano69c10

The easiest way I found to remove frozen bed bolts are with a 4" or 3" cutting wheel.

I crawl underneath and cut vertically through the nut and bolt. Sometimes you only have to cut halfway through and the nut will come off with a wrench or socket. This prevents you from messing up your bed.

If you're good at cutting, you can cut through the nut it will split off the bolt.

BTW, I couldn't get to the welder, so I cut like you suggested and it worked beautifully. Only took a few hours and the box was off. Thanks for the tip.

06-03-2011, 10:31 AM	#1
68 GMC Stepside Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Millarville, Alberta Posts: 5	Removing frozen bolts in bed Looking for some ideas to remove the bolts in my truck bed. I have soaked with PB blaster, but the bolts spin when I try to remove the nuts. Any way of keeping the bolts from spinning or should I try nut splitters etc. Don't really want to grind the bolt heads and damage the truck bed. Thanks for any suggestions.

06-03-2011, 10:35 AM	#2
LooseCannon Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Boiling Springs, PA Posts: 391	Re: Removing frozen bolts in bed Not sure if you have a welder but welding a hex nut to the top of the bolt works well. __________________ Bagged 05 Suburban Bagged Baby Blue 68

06-03-2011, 10:46 AM	#3
faribran Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: AL Posts: 1,828	Re: Removing frozen bolts in bed Loose... good idea.. __________________ "

06-03-2011, 10:55 AM	#4
JORGIE95961 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: OLIVEHURST CA Posts: 570	Re: Removing frozen bolts in bed And on the rest of em just tighten and break off trust me its quicker ..

06-03-2011, 10:57 AM	#5
darkone Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: none Posts: 239	Re: Removing frozen bolts in bed sawzall was the only way i could manage

06-03-2011, 12:18 PM	#7
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	Re: Removing frozen bolts in bed i take my small cutoff wheel and grind the tops off __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

06-03-2011, 05:41 PM	#8
Dano69c10 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ontario, Kali Posts: 2,427	Re: Removing frozen bolts in bed The easiest way I found to remove frozen bed bolts are with a 4" or 3" cutting wheel. I crawl underneath and cut vertically through the nut and bolt. Sometimes you only have to cut halfway through and the nut will come off with a wrench or socket. This prevents you from messing up your bed. If you're good at cutting, you can cut through the nut it will split off the bolt. __________________ '69 Fleet It ain't yours, if you didn't build it! Last edited by Dano69c10; 06-03-2011 at 05:41 PM.

06-04-2011, 01:25 AM	#11
68 SHORT-STEP'N SLOW POKE Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Tyro, VA Posts: 1,208	Re: Removing frozen bolts in bed I had to use a catspaw & a sawzall __________________ 68 SHORT-BED-STEP-SIDE piece by piece , day by day , I will restore this truck , before the 100th anniversary !!!

06-04-2011, 10:21 AM	#12
68 GMC Stepside Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Millarville, Alberta Posts: 5	Re: Removing frozen bolts in bed Thanks for the posts. Awesome ideas. If I can get the truck to my buddy's, I'll weld. If not, I'll cut. Thanks again. This was a ton of help.



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