Wheel Chair Tie Down track removal advice

[Stovebolt-SKO]

I've got about half of the floor up in my project but the tie down tracks are making for slow going. Just wondering if anyone has a better way of getting those tracks out -- So far, I've tried a sawzall with a metal blade, an oscillating saw with a metal blade, angle grinder with a metal cutting disc, and the angle grinder with a regular grinding wheel. So far, the angle grinder with the cutting disc works the best but a single $5 disc only gets 3 or 4 bolts before it shreds (is there a better cutting disc to use than the fiber ones that shred?). I'm about to break out the Big Effing Angle Grinder with the grinding wheel on it and just go at it but I'll need to rig a curtain so I don't shower the front of the bus or any of the windows with molten metal... but that just seems ... less than elegant.

Some of the other methods I've seen on this site won't work because these bolt heads are round and recessed into the bottom of the track.

Has anyone found a better way to do this, or is this just how it goes? I *am* retired and so long projects are ok, but .... it just feels like the Sun is going to burn out long before I ever finish this part ...

Thanks,
John

 

[nikitis]

The tracks are the most annoying part for many.

One trick that sometimes works is if you can get like the back of a hammer under it, or in the middle and apply upwards pressure on the track near the bolt head, then try to unbolt it while applying heavy upwards pressure on the track it will hold the underside nut still and then allow you to unbolt it. This may work on some or most of the bolts, but occasionally you'll get a stubborn one and have to grind it.

Alternatively have a second person with long skinny arms to worm around anything under the bus and hold a socket to the nut while you above unbolt it.

 

[fo4imtippin]

Do you have a partner? My son was 6 at the time and held a hex bit in the top while i unbolted. There were many hidden fastners that i pulled on the bolt from the top as i unscrewd it. For a few i had to drill off the head the bolt and punch it through. I saved all my track and used it in cargo areas of my bus as well as put it on my utility trailer for tie downs.

 

[Rucker]

They are truly difficult to remove by design. I was lazy and left mine in.

 

[Mr P]

I drilled several. Bought a bit sharpener. Kept bit cool with water to prolong life. Some did unscrew, used a SnapOn 4mm for mine. Broke that hex bit 3 times.

 

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

the few i have done i used an angle grinder and cutoff wheel and cut across the track at each bolt head and in the middle of the track between bolts and popped it up with a flat bar then you pull the flooring under it and cut the bolts off.

 

[Stovebolt-SKO]

Thanks for the input, all. Nikitis -- I wish I could get the hex head driver in, but they are all filled with crud. Unbolting them under upward pressure to hold the bolt is a trick I've used many times. IF I could get the driver bit in the bolt ... but the other thing is that many of the ones Ive cut so far have been under upwards tension. So much so that I make sure I am not in the "line of fire" when I'm cutting them.

I am working alone so having someone assist with unbolting isn't an option. Also mitigating against that option is that the lower ends with the nuts have a lot of rust on them.

Jolly Roger -- I have tried a little of your method. That's probably the way to go.

Thanks for the input!
John

 

[Shortbusjohnny65]

Use air compressor with blow gun get crud out.

 

[hcarter951@gmail.com]

I fell your pain. My 9 window was a accessible bus. Airplane seat track everywhere. 10 strips on the floor, 4 on the ceiling. I tried all your tricks including a carbide sawzall blade. Nope. the best was to saw thru the rubber/wood flooring on each side of the tracks. Pry up the flooring. Cutting it in 4' sections made it easier. Then a 7" banjo grinder with a 7" cut off wheel ( HF-Hercules) Holding to almost flat, cut thru the plywood and bolts right at the metal floor. Took 10 seconds a bolt. Wrong angle cuts a smile thru the floor. I hammered a nail puller under the track to apply pressure and let me know when the bolt was cut thru. At the end of the day I had over 300 holes from seat bolts, plywood anchors and seat track.

 

[peakbus]

I've got about half of the floor up in my project but the tie down tracks are making for slow going. Just wondering if anyone has a better way of getting those tracks out -- So far, I've tried a sawzall with a metal blade, an oscillating saw with a metal blade, angle grinder with a metal cutting disc, and the angle grinder with a regular grinding wheel. So far, the angle grinder with the cutting disc works the best but a single $5 disc only gets 3 or 4 bolts before it shreds (is there a better cutting disc to use than the fiber ones that shred?). I'm about to break out the Big Effing Angle Grinder with the grinding wheel on it and just go at it but I'll need to rig a curtain so I don't shower the front of the bus or any of the windows with molten metal... but that just seems ... less than elegant.

Some of the other methods I've seen on this site won't work because these bolt heads are round and recessed into the bottom of the track.

Has anyone found a better way to do this, or is this just how it goes? I *am* retired and so long projects are ok, but .... it just feels like the Sun is going to burn out long before I ever finish this part ...

Thanks,
John

It's been awhile, but as I recall the ones that I couldn't loosen, I used a grinding disk on an angle grinder. Ground down from the top through the bolt head in a x pattern. Then just tapped the bolts out.

 

[Mr P]

Partly drilling the head, then using a small punch and a large hammer to break off the head as the bolt is driven out the bottom also worked for me.

 

[Studedude]

I used a circular saw with a metal cutting blade to cut through the top of the screws and then punched them through the floor.

 

[Stovebolt-SKO]

Just circling back to close the loop ... Based on all the good input above, I settled on switching to my big angle grinder with a 10-inch cut off wheel. I made one crosswise cut through each bolt, going almost all the way through. After all the cuts were made, I used a wrecking bar and the BFH to pop each section out. Worked pretty good and fairly quickly. After all the sections and plywood were out, I went back through and cut the remaining bolts with the angle grinder.

Lesson learned: Go big early -- The small corded angle grinder, and the cordless cut off tool were too small for this job. Switched to the "Crew-Served Weapon" (AKA the 3.5hp angle grinder) and I was done in no time.

So thanks again all for the useful input!

 

[Stovebolt-SKO]

One last note: I wore my full face respirator because of all the smoke coming from the linoleum and plywood I was burning through.