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Snapped a 3/8 bolt on a 2019 F-150 bumper bracket and had to get creative
Was pulling the front bumper off a 2019 F-150 last Tuesday and one of the bracket bolts snapped clean off right at the frame. Could not get a drill in there for the life of me, so I welded a nut onto the broken stud and backed it out with a wrench. Took me 20 extra minutes but saved me from pulling the whole front clip. Any of you got a better trick for tight spots like that?
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michaeltorres6d ago
Heat is the angle most guys miss on these. That welded nut trick works great but you can make it even easier by hitting the stud with a torch for maybe 15 seconds first, just enough to break the rust bond, then let it cool for a minute before you try backing it out. The heat cycles loosen things up way more than brute force ever will. On an F-150 frame you got to be careful though since you don't want to cook any nearby wiring or brake lines, so keep a wet rag handy to shield stuff. Your mileage may vary depending on how rusty the threads are, but in my experience a little heat plus the welded nut is about as good as it gets in a tight spot.
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