Help w/ P/S bolt. Am I missing something?

1972, 302, mostly stock.

My task is to remove a bolt that holds on the power steering pump and bracket, and the bracket that holds the p/s fluid cooler to the block. Sounds simple enough right?

Setup: From front of engine bay looking back, p/s bracket has four holes: two on the left attach bracket to block through the water pump housing, lower right is the adjustment screw attached to bracket and pump, and the fourth (The Bolt) is a long bolt attaching pump and brackets to the block is the one giving me trouble.

The Bolt: Looking from front it has visible threads on its end and is about 6 inches long, with a 9/16 nut (not a bolt head). After the nut, The Bolt travels through first hole in pump, after which you can see the bolt without threads (here you can see if it is turning), then it travels through second hold in the p/s pump, through a 1" metal bushing, through the cooler bracket and into the block.

Attempts: Obviously, when I attempt to remove the nut closest to the front, the nut moves but the bolt does not, so the nut is free to just come off. To get the bolt to turn, I attach a second nut to the bolt and tighten it against the first nut so it (hopefully) will not move, but the bolt will move instead. It works, but is very, very tight and I can only get the bolt to back out one full rotation before I cannot budge it anymore. Using lots of penetrating oil and I have removed the "adjustment nut" to make sure it was not causing The Bolt to bind. I cannot get The Bolt out.

Stumped: I'm assuming that The Bolt is threaded into the block, so does that mean that it has threads at both ends? (So really a big stud, not a bolt? Why the heck would someone do that?). Are the two holes on the pump itself threaded, or is The Bolt just going through them? Here is the most odd part: I was able to loosen the bolt one full turn, and there is enough play now that the pump can be moved up and down and the pump, the bushing and the cooler bracket are loose enough to jiggle, move and turn freely at the block. It seems like what is "frozen" is The Bolt where it goes through the closest hold in the pump, not at the block?

Thoughts please?

I'll take a stab at this.

Jason72Bronco said:

Stumped: I'm assuming that The Bolt is threaded into the block, so does that mean that it has threads at both ends?

YES, threads at both ends.

(So really a big stud, not a bolt? Why the heck would someone do that?).

YES, big stud not a bolt and you would have to ask the Ford guy who came up with the design. Same on many old 60-70s Ford small blocks.

Are the two holes on the pump itself threaded, or is The Bolt just going through them?

I have to assume you mean the pump bracket. The only hole threaded that pertains to the long stud is the one in the block.

Here is the most odd part: I was able to loosen the bolt one full turn, and there is enough play now that the pump can be moved up and down and the pump, the bushing and the cooler bracket are loose enough to jiggle, move and turn freely at the block. It seems like what is "frozen" is The Bolt where it goes through the closest hold in the pump, not at the block?

Pics would be helpful. So I'm guessing here. The stud will sometimes get stuck in the pump bracket. It can be very tight.

Thoughts please?

Click to expand...

Good luck

Jim

With that front nut removed, can you pull the p/s pump forward enough to expose the non-threaded part of
the long stud near the cylinder head? if so you might be able to get a needle nose vise grip in there to unscrew it.
If not then you may need to remove the radiator so you have room to slide the p/s pump and bracket assembly off of the stud.

Thanks WILDHORSES, you have confirmed that I am not crazy, and this just looks to be one of those "this will be a clean and easy job" that takes up an afternoon. Looks like this is just going to require more leverage and impacts to get "The Stud" (formerly know as The Bolt) out of the block.

Gr8Scott, I cannot quite slide it out enough to get a tool in, but it doesn't matter. If you saw the leverage I put on it so far with wrenches and breaker bars, you'd understand that Man has not yet made a Vise-grip strong enough.

I'm aware that I can remove all the rest and the fan shroud...but man I was hoping to avoid that, just to get one bolt out. (Next thing you know, I'm having to pull the water pump and replace the gasket as penalty from the gasket gods for removing the existing water pump bolts--that are so far happy and leak free.)

So, along these lines, has anyone replaced the The Stud with an actually bolt with a bolt head? It seems that if it is the proper length, it would be a better solution! Assuming I get this sucker off, I'm definitely not putting it back in place, just waiting for me or another person to deal with this again.

Ha, Ha...That kicked my ass not too long ago! Thought I was going crazy also!

on most that I have seen or dealt with, the bolt is just long enough to run two nuts onto it. Tighten them against each other and the using the rear nut you should be able to back the entire (long bolt) out of the block. After you get it out of the truck you can replace or straighten. Hope this helps

Jason72Bronco said:

has anyone replaced the The Stud with an actually bolt with a bolt head?

Click to expand...

I will not use that dumb ass PITA double threaded bolt to do power steering conversions. A correct length bolt with spacers in the proper locations is all I've ever used on the half dozen or so power steering conversions I've done over the years.

Most likely the problem is the rear pump hole and the rear spacer rusted to the stud. The rear pump hole acts threaded and so does the spacer, so backing out the stud is like tightening the two nuts together. I’ve had success getting vice grips on the spacer to hold it stationary and prevent the lockup on some vehicles. Lots of WD-40 and patience.

The worse part is the stud threads are larger in the back than they are in the front. So even if you get the stud loose it wont pull out the front.

Just to follow up on this thread, the stud was seized up to the pump bracket at the hole closest to the block. Had to take the pump out, and with some grinding on the edge of the bracket, I could rotate the entire bracket to unscrew it from the block. Now, I have to get the stud out of the bracket. I think heat will be involved.

a "jam" nut will help you get it threaded back into the black...when you want to put it back together that is...

And if you don't come up with a new-and-improved method to your satisfaction, and your old stud is no longer usable (as it sounds like it might end up!) you can still get them.
We sell ours separately, which works with our kit but I think is pretty close to the original?

WH Power Steering Pump Bolt/Stud

Just in case messing with the same thing is in the cards that is.
A new plated one should not seize up with the bracket anymore I would not think. At least not for the next 30 years or so.

Good luck.

Paul