M1009 bumpers pita to remove...6 hours...

[linx310]

Well I was hoping to have my bumpers, radio brackets, and reflectors removed so I could sand down the body today...but that did not happen...

The bumpers were a complete PITA to remove. The bolts are so rusty that once you get them moving the carriage bolt comes out and you can not keep it flush with enough force to continue to remove the nuts.

And there is no space what so ever to get an impact wrench in there.

It took my 4-6 hours to get mine off.

I had to end up cutting some of them off with a Datco...

I think when I put it back together I will be using regular grade 8 hex bolts....screw carriage bolts...with the hex I can at least get an impact gun on the outside.

Any one ever replace their bumper bolts with non carriage ones?

 

[2deuce]

I took off 3 bumpers last summer and I agree it is a big pain. I used a torch on some of the rear bumper bolts but held the carriage bolt head with a vice grip on most, then used 2 cheater bars and hoped they would break and a few did. I reused the best ones after I smoothed off the edge and put them back on with some never seize on the threads for next time.

 

[67_C-30]

Hex bolts on the outside of the bumpers is going to look like badookie, IMO. You will have to a use good sized washer to make it work. I would have just left then on and painted it if I was not going to put it back like it should be. The hard part is over now. You could go back with stainless carriage bolts so it wouldn't rust next time or maybe even allen carriage bolts, but I would not use regular bolts. Just my opinion...


Carriage bolts at Bolt Depot

 

[linx310]

Yea I think I will just go buy some new carriage bolts from Lowes. I figure that it would not have been a pita if they were not rusted because once I got them loose I could unbolt them by hand. I am glad I got them off. It allows me to get rid of the surface rust that has built up there.

 

[67_C-30]

Yea I think I will just go buy some new carriage bolts from Lowes. I figure that it would not have been a pita if they were not rusted because once I got them loose I could unbolt them by hand.

They sell galvanized ones at Lowe's and that's what I used when I put the bed back on my C-30. I think the galvanized ones with some anti-sieze should do ok, especially in your warmer weather climate. They will make you wanna pull your hair out though. I have got to where I just cut them off to begin with nowadays. It's a lot easier on the 'ol blood pressure level!

 

[docfarmall]

Go get new bolts and on the way home stop by advanced auto and buy some neversieze and then the next time you will not have this problem

 

[dunedigger]

I just replaced mine with grade 8 hex. I don't have a problem with them on there, shooting them green either way. I always use antisieze too. I just pulled two off recently, was able to use a good set of vise grips on one, the other one was a little worse, I was able to get my die grinder in there and in a few seconds cut through one side of the nut, then they come right off when turned. I've taken several of these down to the frame, the bolts I hate them most are bed bolts and bumper bolts, lol.

 

[jimmy-90]

When I took my bumper off I had to cut a couple of the carriage bolts off with an air cutoff tool. I hated having to do something like that because it cut into the bumper a little bit as well. If I had to do something like that again I think I would just grind down the head of the carriage bolts to bare metal and tac weld them to the bumper to keep them from turning while I ran the nuts off and then take a hammer and bang them loose. When I replaced my bumper I didn't have a welder yet so I've never tried tacing the carriage bolts in place but if I had to deal with that maddness again I would try it. It seems like it would work.

 

[Capt.Marion]

Is there space to lock a big pair of vice grips down hard on the carriage bolt where it will stop it from turning while you undo the nut?

I had to do that on the 60 year old carriage bolts that attached the fenders to the axle on my Ford tractor, but there was plenty of clearance. Not sure about clearance on the CUCV.

 

[2deuce]

Mine would loosen some but then would bind up on the rusty threads. I had pb blaster on them too. I used a big vise grips and then ground off the marks on the best ones to re-install. The heads on these bolts are larger than what I could buy at home depot and chevy says they are obsolete so I cleaned them up and reused the ones I didn't break. The chrome on bolts off civy trucks can be removed, they just have a chrome cap.

 

[grayw0lf]

They are definitely a bit frustrating! I had to pull out the Lincoln to get mine out (I was removing mine to make a custom bumper).

 

[k4vem4n]

Oh Lord..... I'm having this issue on my truck right now.... Seeing as I have been working through the daylight hours at my regular job lately, I can't seem to find the time to mess with them. So frustrating, they are the only thing in my way, right now, to making progress in my resto project.
I almost wanna tie it to the deuce and yank em off, then just put a new one on!!!

 

[ODdave]

Well I was hoping to have my bumpers, radio brackets, and reflectors removed so I could sand down the body today...but that did not happen...

The bumpers were a complete PITA to remove. The bolts are so rusty that once you get them moving the carriage bolt comes out and you can not keep it flush with enough force to continue to remove the nuts.

And there is no space what so ever to get an impact wrench in there.

It took my 4-6 hours to get mine off.

I had to end up cutting some of them off with a Datco...

I think when I put it back together I will be using regular grade 8 hex bolts....screw carriage bolts...with the hex I can at least get an impact gun on the outside.

Any one ever replace their bumper bolts with non carriage ones?

Wanna come wrench on some stuff up here???????

 

[Cucvnut]

If you have access to a plasma cuttter or some one who does just burn out the bolts.

 

[k4vem4n]

If you have access to a plasma cuttter or some one who does just burn out the bolts.

Yea, that is my only option right now, no torch but I'll probably try to grind down the heads and drill out the post. I'm hoping they aren't too hard for my bits.

Now, just need a free day to do it.

 

[K9Vic]

Before you try to remove the nuts with a wrench soak them down with JB80 for a a few days before spaying it a multiple times in those few days. It helps, but you still may need to grind the bolts out. If you have a good grinder and cut off wheel it should not take that long and just be careful to not grin into the bumper. Doing this I am usually able to get the nuts off without grinding down the bolts.

 

[txmytx_catahoula]

I had take the front bumper off my M1009 to swap engines......PITA!!! Soaked them good with Penatrol, put a vise grip on the head and a impact wrench on the other. Time and words prevailed! Don't know if it's right or no, but I went back with grade 8 hex bolts. Those I can deal with if needed again.

 

[kassim503]

Carriage bolts suck! I usually put the impact on them in "tighten" mode and attempt to break the bolt rather than backing it out.

 

[Anubis8472]

Grinder/air chisel.

Grind an "X" into the head, then chisel them off.
You can avoid any damage outside the head diameter.

 

[beltfedonly]

If you spray them good with a penatrent and then use an air impact wrench they will usually spin off verses using a ratchet and socket.