Body mount nuts???

[NO BS]

howdy again, last time ya'lls help was top notch so here goes another problem.
out of the the 6 bolts ive found on the 66 for body mounts none have nuts on em but i see the replacement set on the graveyard does.and the front passenger side mounting bracket,behind the grill, isnt there at all.is it any harder than finding a bracket and welding it up?do i need to level it to anything in particular?thanks for any help
bs

 

[shamu]

Any pics? It cost like ? $'s but it sure would help me with the problem. I know money is tight but give it a shot.

 

[NO BS]

the lights bad i cant get a pic of the missing mount.what about the bolts are there supposed to be any nuts?ill try getting some light on it sat.

 

[DirtDonk]

Don't know of any variations on the '66, but the factory mounts did not use nuts as we know them.
The bottom plate/washer is actually the nut. It has an extension that's threaded, and when the bolt is threaded in and tightened down, the two halves (upper and lower look similar, but no threads on the upper) are drawn together in such a way as to literally "mushroom" out one half and lock together.
Very tight, very secure, very much a pain to remove. And that's if there's no 40 years of rust welding them together.

That's why you hear so many curse words coming from the general direction of body lift or new cushion installs going on.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Forgot to mention, the basic removal method is multi-faceted. You can simply unscrew the bolt half way up the threads, then pound the living daylights out of it to try to push the lower flange apart from the upper. This usually works on three or four mounts.
If that doesn't work, you pull the bolt all the way out and get a big drift or punch, put it in and wail the crap out of it. That usually works on two more.
When that fails, you get out the reciprocating saw and three new 10-packs of blades. Prepare to bend most of them, dull most of the rest, and just as you're about to use your last blade, and are almost toxic from the burning rubber in your lungs, it comes apart. Mostly.

And when none of that works, the trick is to drill vertically, from underneath, into the lower flange and basically eat away at the lower portion until the pieces that matter fall out.

Of course, this doesn't work for the two mounts behind the front seats, as they're straight above the frame rail, fully surrounded by metal, hidden behind body structure and gas tanks, and laughing at you the whole time.

That's when you pull out the Dynamite...

Paul

 

[73azbronco]

and whatever you do, keep the youngins out of earshot or they'll be learning a few new words.

 

[frenchy]

Dirtdonk thats funny as hell LMAO, but ohh so true! I have done my share of body mount replacement on many a bronco and that describes it perfectly.

frenchy

 

[ElkhartBronco]

OMG...... True and Hilarious!!
Don't forget the busted knuckles from the sawzall bashing your hands into the frame

Forgot to mention, the basic removal method is multi-faceted. You can simply unscrew the bolt half way up the threads, then pound the living daylights out of it to try to push the lower flange apart from the upper. This usually works on three or four mounts.
If that doesn't work, you pull the bolt all the way out and get a big drift or punch, put it in and wail the crap out of it. That usually works on two more.
When that fails, you get out the reciprocating saw and three new 10-packs of blades. Prepare to bend most of them, dull most of the rest, and just as you're about to use your last blade, and are almost toxic from the burning rubber in your lungs, it comes apart. Mostly.

And when none of that works, the trick is to drill vertically, from underneath, into the lower flange and basically eat away at the lower portion until the pieces that matter fall out.

Of course, this doesn't work for the two mounts behind the front seats, as they're straight above the frame rail, fully surrounded by metal, hidden behind body structure and gas tanks, and laughing at you the whole time.

That's when you pull out the Dynamite...

Paul

 

[KS.76Sport]

When I did the ones on my 76 I got lucky and got all of the stock bolts out cept one in the rear which broke in two half way down in the hole. Sawzall and two blades for just that one, my eyeballs were still shaking for 10 minutes afterwards.

The front four I tapped the stock plates from underneath with a 1/2" tap. Threaded a 1/2" bolt in about a half inch, put a punch in from the top and hit that bolt with a 3lb sledge. (Use a couple 12" extensions and a deep socket to hold the punch for the front ones). About 3 good whacks and they came right out. Dont know if you need to go through all that but it worked really well for me.

Also when you go to do the ones behind the seat. (At least on my 76) there is a hole in the frame directly in line with the hole through the floor. Check to see if yours is like that. If it is, before you do anything put some duct tape over that hole. Getting those new nuts threaded on the new bolts is tricky in that spot. You should use a box end wrench taped up on one side with the nut in it while you turn the bolt up top to get it started. The tape over the hole in the frame is for if you do what I did and push to hard and shove the nut through the wrench and "clank" it goes down in the frame. Luckily I was able to fish it out through the bolt hole up top with an magnetic wand.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yep, the nut-in-the-hole story has come up a lot lately.
Looks like I have to revise my instructions to include the mashed and julienned (like the fries) knuckles and duct-tape.
Hmm, maybe the duct-tape first, on the knuckles instead of the wrench. They'll still get mashed, but at least all the parts will still be in one place when you show it to the Paramedics.

And another word of caution, never EVER use one of them big-boy Milwaukee-type 43.5 horsepower Sawzall or it's sister tool, the 140 rpm 4000 ft-lb electric drill (especially the right-angled kind!!!) with 1" keyed chuck, on it's "Low Speed" setting!
If the drill bit or Sawzall blade catches on something? You can say Sayonara and Adios to your shoulders, your forehead, AND the aforementioned knuckles. And for good measure, it'll break the other knuckles too.
You know, the cast-iron Dana steering type knuckles.
Those things will even rip a Bronco right out of the pull of gravity and flip it on it's top!

Similar to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spSfTkUfF6A

Paul

 

[NO BS]

fucking hilarious. thanks for the info once again.will let ya know how it comes out.

 

[Steve83]

I used an 11mm deepwell 3/8-drive socket & a BFH to separate the ones on my '76 frame. But I didn't have a body in the way...