Need help, can't remove a bolt from my k-member

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magnumdust

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Today was day 2 in my attempt to replace the power steering box that had begun locking up on right hand corners.

Well today's work ended in a fit a frustration after i was unable to remove a steering box mount bolt. This is the single bolt closed to the driver side LCA. I whipped out my boroscope and with a little maneuvering found that the "welded" bolt had broke and was spinning with the nut. Likely caused by the last genius owner who must have put on all the bolts with an impact gun.(took two people to break loose the other two bolts)

So now what do i do? There doesnt seem to be room to get any wrench in to that nut. :banghead:
 
Blow it out with a torch. The nut is already spinning and you will have to tack one back on. By the way, what's wrong with an impact? I would have used an impact on those bolts and all bolts that need to be tight and not torqued.
 
Torch, cut-off wheel, or tack a weld on the bolt are all good ways if you can get to it, but if they where able to put an impact on it, you should be able to get a torch to it.
 
Blow it out with a torch. The nut is already spinning and you will have to tack one back on. By the way, what's wrong with an impact? I would have used an impact on those bolts and all bolts that need to be tight and not torqued.

I dont like impacts for tightening. Too easy to over-torque bolts and break stuff.

Anyhow, i dont have a torch and no friends that have one. Is it feasible to drill a 3/4" hole in front of where that bolt is and access it that way?
 
I work in a shop and I can tell you there is nothing wrong with an impact. But to answer your question, you can cut a hole to access the nut. You will have to have it welded back up afterwards, though. It will be very easy to weld another nut in once you have a hole drilled or a piece cut out.
 
It was common for those 3 bolts to loosen and woller out the holes in the early A steering gear and screw up the K members too. Chrysler Corperation provided the majority of funding to develop thread locking chemicals especially for these 3 bolts.
To fix it right you would have to cut out that plate, weld 3 new nuts on it and weld it back on the K member. Check the holes in the steering gear too. If they are egg shaped the gearbox wont stay tightly positioned for very long.
 
Blow it out with a torch. The nut is already spinning and you will have to tack one back on. By the way, what's wrong with an impact? I would have used an impact on those bolts and all bolts that need to be tight and not torqued.


the problem is if your using an impact on a fixed nut you best not be the one taking it back apart, it almost always beats the crap out of them especially if they have been there for 30-40 years
 
It was common for those 3 bolts to loosen and woller out the holes in the early A steering gear and screw up the K members too. Chrysler Corperation provided the majority of funding to develop thread locking chemicals especially for these 3 bolts.
To fix it right you would have to cut out that plate, weld 3 new nuts on it and weld it back on the K member. Check the holes in the steering gear too. If they are egg shaped the gearbox wont stay tightly positioned for very long.

Well the steering gear is being replaced anyways. I just wish i could get the box off, then this would be easier. Just cut out the top area and re-weld that nut.

The other two nuts arent broke. Its just one single nut in the worst area.
 
Ok so discussing this topic in a car chat earlier tonight and i've come up with a few unpleasant ideas(simply because its a pita)

1. Completely remove K-member, cut out a the top rectangular area to try and get a wrench on that bolt, remove the pump, then buy some replacement plate steel of appropriate thickness. Run the piece over to my buddy to have him weld the hell out of all 3 mounting nuts(for peace of mind) and weld that rectangular area back in place.

2. Basically same as above minus removing the K-member. Though i'm skeptical as to if i can even get a cutting wheel into that area with the pump.

3. Cut the pump at the remaining bolt area and the K-frame and do as above

4. Buy a replacement K-member and save the headache.(really don't wanna do this b/c the new ones arent cheap and a used one could potentially put me back to square one if/when i need a new box.
 
Well a little update now. I couldnt find a way to cut into the top of that piece to weld it. So i removed the K-member. Which turned out to be a good thing. The piece that the power steering box connected to was cracked in the middle all the way through. And there were several smaller cracks in various spots in the K-member.

I took it to a friends shop(no welder or welding skills) and he welded a new nut, seam welded the K-member and welded all the small cracks we found.

Oh and i learned that the broken nut wasnt due to an impact gun after, its due to a moron. That stripped bolt was cross threaded and the last person who wrenched on that bolt just kept cranking down until those spot welds broke.
 
We had this problem with my 340 car. John cut a small window in the frame rail and welded the nut back down. Then after he got a good weld on the nut and we got the bolt cut out, he welded the piece back in and ground it down. You can't even tell and I doubt that but will ever break again
 
I dont know where all these welds are or what they look like now but I do know the steering gear needs to be mounted on a flat surface. I wouldn't want to go back and re tighten those bolts and I sure wouldn't want to crack a bolt ear off the steering gear.
In any case, good luck with it.
 
I dont know where all these welds are or what they look like now but I do know the steering gear needs to be mounted on a flat surface. I wouldn't want to go back and re tighten those bolts and I sure wouldn't want to crack a bolt ear off the steering gear.
In any case, good luck with it.

Thanks for the heads up. the weld for the crack in the mount was in the center of the mount at the lowest point. Before i put the box on, i ground that weld flat.
 
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