Help! Stopped by Bolts

[Drew Bru]

Well sh** now I'm worried! Have spent days getting these things out and they might be structural!? What do you guys think, are these structural?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eXcwqkJkw-cHuzp3cm9mtsg65GCZTIqu/view?usp=sharing

That metal piece on the wall that runs the length of the bus, where the seat belts are attached to....that's the chair rail.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Well sh** now I'm worried! Have spent days getting these things out and they might be structural!? What do you guys think, are these structural?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eXcwqkJkw-cHuzp3cm9mtsg65GCZTIqu/view?usp=sharing

The wc anchors?

nah

 

[KevinDarcy11]

Realized after posting and reading how dumb that question was bahahahh thanks guys

 

[firebuild]

If all else fails, try a longer ratchet. I've used various things over the years to give a mechanical advantage ("cheater" bars, pipes and such). I've *Stood* on tools to loosen stubborn fasteners (but do so carefully, don't want any injuries).


I wouldn't start with the grinder if I haven't managed to break loose the bolts (or round them off), but that's just me.

I ended up tabling this last night, as it was already 2AM. It was making me crazy and I make a point of trying to stop being crazy before 3.

Anyway, every time I try to get more leverage with a longer ratchet, the ratchet ends up just coming off the bolt. I know you can't see it in the picture, but it really is a shallow bolt, not like normal, more like a round-topped carriage bolt with hex edges.

 

[firebuild]

Why not just go to a shop and have them remove it with an impact driver?
10 minutes and you are gone.
Grinders can hurt anyone, especially someone without the feel for using one properly.



John

Yeah, I am not inclined to have this be basically my first angle grinder project.

But I don't think I'm going to have much luck finding a shop to just pop these off; my attempts to do anything like that around here always end with somebody using the word "liability."

I am going to see I can rent an air wrench at Home Depot.

 

[ChiliChzPoopTart]

Or you can get a torque multiplier. They come in handy, specially for suspension work

 

[PNW_Steve]

Firebuild,

I have seen bolts similar to what you are describing. I had the proper size socket but it had a bevel right at the opening and I could not get good purchase. A gent on the job saw my struggle and loaned me a socket that worked.

His socket started out as a regular deep socket then he cut it in half. That eliminated the little bevel and gave me good purchase on the bolt heads.

 

[firebuild]

Or you can get a torque multiplier. They come in handy, specially for suspension work

Ooh, never heard of that. I'll have to research.

 

[firebuild]

Firebuild,

I have seen bolts similar to what you are describing. I had the proper size socket but it had a bevel right at the opening and I could not get good purchase. A gent on the job saw my struggle and loaned me a socket that worked.

His socket started out as a regular deep socket then he cut it in half. That eliminated the little bevel and gave me good purchase on the bolt heads.

Yeah I'm thinking a shallower socket would work, and I didn't even think about that bevel. I am going to pick up an impact driver shortly at Home Despot. I've never used one but I gather it's basically like a drill driver with more torque? If anyone has any tips for me on that let me know. I will see if they have any shallower sockets while I'm there.

 

[o1marc]

Yeah I'm thinking a shallower socket would work, and I didn't even think about that bevel. I am going to pick up an impact driver shortly at Home Despot. I've never used one but I gather it's basically like a drill driver with more torque? If anyone has any tips for me on that let me know. I will see if they have any shallower sockets while I'm there.

Shallow socket does the exact same thing as a long socket. Probably won't find shallow sockets.

 

[TJones-SKO]

Yeah I'm thinking a shallower socket would work, and I didn't even think about that bevel. I am going to pick up an impact driver shortly at Home Despot. I've never used one but I gather it's basically like a drill driver with more torque? If anyone has any tips for me on that let me know. I will see if they have any shallower sockets while I'm there.

Make sure you are using a 6 point impact socket of the correct size.

Ted

 

[firebuild]

Well now I feel pretty dopey. This afternoon I tried using my driver for a little project that should certainly have worked and found it was stripped. I don't know if it broke as a result of trying to get those bolts out, or if it being broken was why I couldn't. Either way, I went to Home Depot and bought a new DeWalt impact driver and the bolts came out like butter (well, not like butter, but you know what I mean!). Moral of the story: make sure the tool is not broken. It was a cheapie Walmart special to begin with.

Thanks for all your input and help! This is yet another chapter in the "Idiot's Guide to Bus Conversion" I seem to writing in my compiled posts here.

 

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Glad you got it sorted.

 

[Gdog 5651]

That beveled area on a socket is called a broach on some bolts I have found it necessary to grind the broach off the face of the socket I usually find one of my "diposable" sockets as a Matco or snapon would be pretty pricey to take off the few of those bolts you are likely to encounter in one's lifetime.


Gene

 

[Gdog 5651]

Well now I feel pretty dopey. This afternoon I tried using my driver for a little project that should certainly have worked and found it was stripped. I don't know if it broke as a result of trying to get those bolts out, or if it being broken was why I couldn't. Either way, I went to Home Depot and bought a new DeWalt impact driver and the bolts came out like butter (well, not like butter, but you know what I mean!). Moral of the story: make sure the tool is not broken. It was a cheapie Walmart special to begin with.

Thanks for all your input and help! This is yet another chapter in the "Idiot's Guide to Bus Conversion" I seem to writing in my compiled posts here.

Believe me when I say even though I have been doing these kinds of things most of my life you may have written a chapter but I feel I wrote most of the book. Gene

 

[Native-SKO]

Glad to see you were able to conquer the bolts! (... and the broken driver)

 

[queen_bee]

OK, here it is. IN the second picture, you can see something i didn't even realize, which is that one of the bolts is already missing. As you can see, it attaches to the wall, starting at the edge of the side door and running until where the hand rail is next to the front steps.

You can't really tell in the photo but the bolt is shallower than the hex bolts I'm used to, and rounded on the top.

View attachment 30086

View attachment 30087

View attachment 30088

Doesn't look structural but i used mine to frame to without having to put a ton of holes in the bus. Just something to consider..

 

[firebuild]

Doesn't look structural but i used mine to frame to without having to put a ton of holes in the bus. Just something to consider..

I have a vague memory that that's why it was left in, because I had the idea that I would use it as a rail to frame to, but it just turned out to be in an awkward position for me, not useful to my configuration. Now that it's gone things have come together much more neatly.

 

[MrBoogie]

When I can't get a bolt out I use a grinder or a drill & drill them out/ Usually a grinder. I would however make sure this isn't a major part of the the bus, if so build around it.

 

[firebuild]

When I can't get a bolt out I use a grinder or a drill & drill them out/ Usually a grinder. I would however make sure this isn't a major part of the the bus, if so build around it.

This problem has already been solved.