DShoes Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Gentlemen, I'm trying to remove a damaged grill from my 65 Riv and getting tripped up on the studs that hold it place on the bottom. I saw in a previous thread (sept 2019) that Ed / Rivnik suggested using a jam nut approach to remove the studs. I got the center stud off using this method with some pentrol but the remainder don't have enough clearance to get both of my wrenches on there. I need the studs for the new grill so damaging them on removal is not an option. Am I doing something wrong? The grill needs to come out (not repairable) and the replacement is waiting. It will not lift straight up off the studs as the inner lip of the driver's fender prevents it from lifting out. It seems the only way is to remove the studs and slide the grill out forward. Appreciate your thoughts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telriv Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 I agree, it is a hard area to get at. Again patience is a virtue. Try double nutting it again. Since your not gonna use the old grill again is it a possibility you can use some heat from a propane torch??? WITHOUT harming the paint??? Tom T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShoes Posted September 29, 2020 Author Share Posted September 29, 2020 44 minutes ago, telriv said: I agree, it is a hard area to get at. Again patience is a virtue. Try double nutting it again. Since your not gonna use the old grill again is it a possibility you can use some heat from a propane torch??? WITHOUT harming the paint??? Tom T. Maybe its my wrenches but I physically cannot get two wrenches on the double nuts. The studs are somewhat recessed beneath some flanged sheet metal (if that makes sense) making it an awkward angle to reach at with mostly straight wrenches. Heat is a thought but if I can't grab the studs to begin with... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telriv Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Looking at the pic posted if you use the box end of the wrench with the heat above in the approx. area of the stud it may just be enough to get the stud to start & move. Some PBlaster or WD40 or some other penetrate & let it sit overnight. Or try some heat 1st. & then spray. While things are expanded maybe the penetrate will wick it's way down/up the threads. Then try the heat again BEFORE you try again in the am & more spray. Maybe get a piece of sheet metal to kinda protect the painted areas. Tom T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans3 Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 Removed all of mine with ease ... no torch required. Try using two jam nuts or a jam nut and locknut (on the bottom). Then try with a mini combo wrench (6-point). On reassembly just use short bolts w/anti-seize for the next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazdaz Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 Did you hit them with some penetrating fluid first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShoes Posted September 30, 2020 Author Share Posted September 30, 2020 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockinRiviDad Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 For lack of a better term, we will call the sheet metal attached to the bottom of the grill a “bumper filler”. There are bolt/screws to the left & right of the bumper filler to the hold it to the fenders. Take those out & the bumper filler will come off with the grill. Then u can take the whole thing to your work bench, take off all the nuts on the stubs u are fighting, pull off the bumper filler & kick those studs asses 😬 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKRIV Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 After using a penetrate like WD40, I find that if you Freeze the item that does the trick. This works every time with brake connections. Tom K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShoes Posted September 30, 2020 Author Share Posted September 30, 2020 Great suggestions on the removing the bumper filler and freezing. I’ll give those a shot and report back. Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShoes Posted October 7, 2020 Author Share Posted October 7, 2020 Success! Grill studs defeated and old grill removed. Thank you, gentlemen! Of course now that the bumper filler is off and headlight motor fully exposed, that's going to need a deep clean and re-grease... The trip down the rabbit hole continues! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 While you're in the hole that deep, you might as well pull the fender/inner fender an go all the way. You'd be surprised what might be lurking between the fender and inner fender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShoes Posted October 7, 2020 Author Share Posted October 7, 2020 Ed, Next up is pulling the clamshells. Fenders will need to come off and be replaced, but I was going to leave that to the pros down the line. Out of curiosity, what sort of things do you find lurking between the fender / inner fender? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 (edited) A bunch of wet moldy leaves stuck between the fender and the fender brace. Nothing for them to do but collect water and start rusting the fender from the inside out. Or in my case, eat away the brace. Edited October 7, 2020 by RivNut (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShoes Posted October 7, 2020 Author Share Posted October 7, 2020 Yikes. Not good. This car has been living inside for the last year or so, so hopefully there's no gunk in there, but we'll see here soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockinRiviDad Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Where was it living for the last 54 years? 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 (edited) Can you clarify what you did to remove the grill? May I assume you unbolted the valence on each end then removed the grill and valence as an assembly? If so how did you access the valence end bolts? Did you remove the park lamps and go through that hole, or are those bolts accessible from underneath the car? Edited October 8, 2020 by Seafoam65 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShoes Posted October 8, 2020 Author Share Posted October 8, 2020 5 hours ago, Seafoam65 said: Can you clarify what you did to remove the grill? May I assume you unbolted the valence on each end then removed the grill and valence as an assembly? If so how did you access the valence end bolts? Did you remove the park lamps and go through that hole, or are those bolts accessible from underneath the car? Sure, Seafoam. You're assumption is correct in terms removing the grill + valence as one assembly. There are three valence end bolts on either end and four that run across the span - two either side of the radiator. Two bolts of the three bolts on each end also serve to anchor the pivot point for the clamshell actuator arm. The valence end bolts are accessible from underneath the car, but I did have both front bumpers removed for other reasons which helped with access. Going through a hole left by removed park lamps wouldn't work because you would not be at the head of the bolt. Hopefully the photos below help illustrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 So basically the disadvantage to removing as an assembly versus getting the studs out on the car is that you have to remove the upper bumper bar to remove the whole assembly, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShoes Posted October 8, 2020 Author Share Posted October 8, 2020 My upper bumper was already off, so I can’t say for certain one HAS to have it removed. If yours is on, you might see what access to valence side bolts looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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