Vinscully50

I'm trying to replace my battery in my 1986 Camaro IROC Z. The center hold down bolt is stripped. I've tripped taking pliers to it and using a full can of blast and no luck. It's a tight space. Anyone have any other way of getting it out?

T.L.

Heat. Use MAP gas...

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Flame next to battery??? Hard pass.

I can't remember exactly but I'm guessing it's just a weld nut on the tray. Maybe go in from underside with penetrating oil and let it sit for a day.

There are also hand-held induction bolt heaters. Never used one, don't know if you can get it in there,. Just a brainstorming idea.

T.L.

Obviously the battery must be removed first. I used the same method successfully on mine. Since the bolt threads were trashed after getting the bolt out, I installed a nut-sert and new bolt. It's like new now...

Airwolfe

iTrader: (2)

How is he going to remove the battery first to put a torch on the bolt for the battery hold down if he can't get the bolt out of the battery hold down to remove the battery?

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Yes, Obviously

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

If you're spraying from the top then I'm not sure anything is getting down to the seized threads?

Maybe look underneath and see if you can get a better shot from the underside

Vinscully50

My plan for tomorrow is, I'm gonna cut the rubber of the battery hold down out. Then remove the battery and then see about getting that bolt out.

T.L.

There are several ways. Just gotta be a little creative...

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

I would not be surprised if there is a steel core inside that rubber clamp. But I guess you're going to be able to tell us soon....

Vinscully50

Yep...

Not sure what my next plan is. After the storm, I'll have my brother in law look at it. He's a machinist and usually is good with these things.

Vinscully50

This is what I am working with. More than likely, I'm going to have to drill it out somehow. And then come up with a new battery hold down solution.

RedLeader289

iTrader: (2)

Drill the bolt out from underneath, should be able to see it when you crawl under there.

midias

Use a bolt extractor

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

Hi Vin,

That bolt head don't look stripped at all, are you saying the bolt head is slipping in the socket wrench when your trying to turn it, or is it that the socket actually turning the bolt head but the bolt won't come out due to the bolt's threads being presumably stripped?

I ask this because as QwkTrip said there is a nut under there, welded to the battery tray. I've never seen the bolt's threads themselves actually stripped, the far more common failure is that the bolt got rusted into the nut, and when you put the socket wrench to it, the nut was torn away from the battery tray. If you can access it from underneath, I'd try soaking the nut with copious amounts of love lube (give it some time for maximum penetration ) then grab the nut with some vice grips and go after the bolt with your socket wrench.

If it actually IS that the threads are stripped, or ya can't access it from underneath, cover the battery with a bunch of wet rags, then slice the bolt head off with your wizz wheel

Komet

Yep, my vote is slice off the head off the bolt. It'll probably be more like 8 cuts that grind the head into powder but eventually it'll go.

Tom 400 CFI

You guys are good w/sparks....but not OK w/heat...that's under the batt tray??

Heat is the right answer. Heat will get'er done. And not after an hour chopping the head (while throwing sparks), not after an hour of soaking...not after 4 days of soaking....heat will work, RIGHT NOW.

The Concern w/the battery (and ignition sources) is the ignition of hydrogen that the battery gives off....while charging. But....sparks will ignite that same flamible gas too, I've watched it happen. The key here, is to NOT cut/heat/smoke cig's around a battery, while it's charging. Heating the nut on the underside of the batt tray while NOT charging the battery poses a virtually non-existent risk. For a further margin of safety, ventilate the area w/a fan and then ignition is what I like to call, "Worryin' about chit that ain't worth worryin' about". I'd heat the wee out of that nut, spin that bolt out of there, and I'd have it done in less time than it took me to type this post.

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

Tom's post has merit........

UNLESS......

The nut has broken free from under the battery tray, , , which, I've run into on two different thirdgens, as I mentioned in my post........

At that point, heat it all ya want, but somethings gonna need to get cut

Tom 400 CFI

Then you gotta move on to another tactic.

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Yeah, I assumed the bolt head was rounded. Apparently not.
Is it possible to simply back-hold the nut from the underside? My car is too low to get a peek under there to see for myself.

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

I had mentioned possibly holding the nut with vice grips, but I ain't in a position to be able to get under my car now either to see what the access looks like (car is too low, and I think there is a plastic cover under there, the plastic pieces shown here with the ugly spotted orange paint, connected to the air dam)

Tom 400 CFI

I think that you can get to it and hold the nut...IF it's broken free of the tin. I didn't see any mention of that, but if that is the case, that tells me that the bolt was rusted to the nut, and he's still going to need to heat the wee out of that square nut on the underside, then grab it w/vice grips and hurry and spin the bolt out of it from above before it cools too much. If he has access to equipment, he could then weld the nut back to the underside of the tin, anti-seize it and start the life cycle all over again.

gt4373

It's Not Hard To Get To

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

Hi Tom,

Not to belabor the point, but I did mention exactly that in post # 15

Tom 400 CFI

Yep, I got you. I meant, I didn't see it mentioned by the OP. You are right though, that the OP needs to ascertain and/or clarify which "stripped" problem he's experiencing. I agree with you, that the bolt head looks fine, in the pic he posted.

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

The head isn't stripped, I'm guessing a ratchet and extension will get it right out. May need to pry up on the plastic retainer with a prybar.
I'm not really seeing why this would be hard to remove. It's not even the correct bolt so we know it's been out.

Edwardgp

Probably the wrong threads on that replacement bolt.