Help: stubborn bumper bolt won't release?

[DShoes]

I feel a bit silly asking such a basic question, but I am at my wits end with this last front bumper bolt on the driver's fender. I'm trying to remove my bumper and this last bolt is spinning with its housing, so it won't release. I had my wife try to put pressure on the housing using a flathead screwdriver positioned outside the fender while I unscrewed it from inside, but that didn't do a thing.

 

Anybody have any tips / tricks / suggestions? Maybe try to soak it with some anti-lock spray to help release the bolt's bind on the housing?

 

Photos below for reference. Note the rubber front bumper grommet obscures the view a bit.

[Turbinator]

Well, From what I see I would take a cut off wheel and cut off the head of the bolt . Once the head is off the bolt take a punch/drift pin and use a hammer and the drift pin to punch the bolt out through the other side. If you don’t have a cut off wheel use a reciprocating saw with a short blade for metal. Use goggles. Eye Glasses are not enough protection for me.

 

if you had an acetylene torch you could burn it off, but sparks and fire around a gasoline tank is risky.

i gave you my approach.

 

Turbinator

[DShoes]

Thanks Turbinator. Good thoughts. I'm hoping to explore less destructive options before going to the reciprocating saw. 

[telriv]

   The only other thing you could do is use a propane torch using map gas as it's hotter.  Soak the nut end with PBlaster or WD40.  After it gets warmed up, not red hot, spray it with the liquid & wait to give it time to wick into the threads. You may have to do it 3-4 times, BUT eventually it will come loose.  Be careful of the paint on the fender.

   I NEVER re-install them because if you or someone taps the bumper in the pointed part the results are a bent fender also.

 

Tom T.

 

[Barney Eaton]

Like the others above,  gets some penetrating oil on it......it looks completely dry.

[RivNut]

Trying to cut it out will just exacerbate your problems.  That large of a bolt is not going to be able to be punched through anything.  There's also a sleeve in there that is lost 50% of the time if it's been removed.  That sleeve is what centers the fender with the bumper.  DO NOT destroy it.  I've been looking for one for a long time for my 64.

[Turbinator]

1 hour ago, RivNut said:

Trying to cut it out will just exacerbate your problems.  That large of a bolt is not going to be able to be punched through anything.  There's also a sleeve in there that is lost 50% of the time if it's been removed.  That sleeve is what centers the fender with the bumper.  DO NOT destroy it.  I've been looking for one for a long time for my 64.

Ed, the bolt that is there now is the only bolt in the world that will hold the bumper? I cannot see the problem in the pics very well. There is more than one way to do some jobs. I’d still cut the rascal out and find or make a facsimile of the original fastener.

i will not say you are not correct, but I wouldn’t make love with bolt for long before I’d have to get it out. If burning it out is what it would take I’d shield the tank from the sparks.

Turbinator

[Turbinator]

3 hours ago, DShoes said:

Thanks Turbinator. Good thoughts. I'm hoping to explore less destructive options before going to the reciprocating saw. 

Sir, In all cases I hope it comes out for you with less destructive means. There are always new and better ways to do things without tearing stuff up.

TurBinator 

[RivNut]

IF you can get that rubber spacer out of the way, you might be able to saw the bolt in half.   Think that would be easier than trying to cut the head off.  If you get the head off, you'll still have a long ragged threaded piece of iron to try and work away from the fender.  If you saw it in half, you'll get the bumper off that way, but you'll still need to get what's left of the bolt out of the number then affect a repair so you can refit the bumper (unless you do like Tom T. does and just don't use those corner bolts.)  Good luck, be careful with the paint.  

[Turbinator]

8 hours ago, RivNut said:

IF you can get that rubber spacer out of the way, you might be able to saw the bolt in half.   Think that would be easier than trying to cut the head off.  If you get the head off, you'll still have a long ragged threaded piece of iron to try and work away from the fender.  If you saw it in half, you'll get the bumper off that way, but you'll still need to get what's left of the bolt out of the number then affect a repair so you can refit the bumper (unless you do like Tom T. does and just don't use those corner bolts.)  Good luck, be careful with the paint.  

Ed, looks like an aggravating job getting that rascal out without tearing up your car. 
Thank you

 Turbinator 

[DShoes]

19 hours ago, RivNut said:

IF you can get that rubber spacer out of the way, you might be able to saw the bolt in half.   Think that would be easier than trying to cut the head off.  If you get the head off, you'll still have a long ragged threaded piece of iron to try and work away from the fender.  If you saw it in half, you'll get the bumper off that way, but you'll still need to get what's left of the bolt out of the number then affect a repair so you can refit the bumper (unless you do like Tom T. does and just don't use those corner bolts.)  Good luck, be careful with the paint.  

 

Bingo. After the penetrating oil failed to do the job, I was able to move the rubber  bumper enough to expose the bolt  threads. Reciprocating blade might light work of it. 

Thanks Ed!

 

[RivNut]

If you have an air compressor with large enough capacity to run air tools, get a small air saw.  The blade length and stroke length will keep yo out of big trouble.

 

This one is $20 @ Harbor Freight.