Repairing Rusted Broken Bolts for Front Fenders

[BoureeOne]

Just like it reads, looking for suggestions, pics, step by step instructions for removing and repairing rusted broken bolts for attaching the front fenders at the front door post area. Thanks in advance.

 

[Timmy390]

I had one that was broken off. I tried to take it out with an easy out and broke a drill bit off in the broken screw. I had to take a dremel with a chainsaw sharping stone and grind through the dill bit and remaining broken screw

In the end the weld nut on the blind side broke off and I was left with a hole and no threads.

"nutcert" saved the day. Just do a Google search on the word nutcert. You need a special tool but there are youtube videos that show how to use them without the special too. I was able to borrow the tool.

This is the size I used. The stock door screws fit these. I had to drill the hole out to get the nutcert in.

Tim

 

[mattyq17]

I had one that was broken off. I tried to take it out with an easy out and broke a drill bit off in the broken screw. I had to take a dremel with a chainsaw sharping stone and grind through the dill bit and remaining broken screw

In the end the weld nut on the blind side broke off and I was left with a hole and no threads.

"nutcert" saved the day. Just do a Google search on the word nutcert. You need a special tool but there are youtube videos that show how to use them without the special too. I was able to borrow the tool.

This is the size I used. The stock door screws fit these. I had to drill the hole out to get the nutcert in.

Tim

I did the same to all of mine as the original nuts on the blind side were gone. I didn't have the tool but looked at some videos on youtube that show how to use a bolt, washer, and a couple nuts to achieve the same results. Just go slow and make sure the nutsert stays flat and it is easy.

 

[BoureeOne]

Timmy and Matt. Great advice. Looks like the way to go. I still have two of the bolts broken off in the holes, and literally frozen in place by the rust. Do I just drill these out using progressively bigger bits, with the final bit size being a 7/16 to accommodate the 5/16-18 nutserts?

 

[Timmy390]

I had the screw head so mangled I ground it off to give myself a good starting point. With the old fender removed I then center punched the broken screw and went to drilling. That's how I broke the drill bit off. Just going too fast and let the bit get dull. Those small bits snap SUPER easy. In the end after grinding the drill bit out (no easy BTW) I didn't have anything but the sheet metal hole left as the blind side weld nut just fell off. So I drilled that hole out to the size needed for the nutcert.

But to answer your question, yeah, your going to need to start small and in the center of the broken/damaged screw and get bigger and bigger.

I don't recall what size I ended up using for the last hole. I recall not really looking at the stamped side. I was drilling test holes in some scrap sheet metal to verify the nutcert fit. I wanted the initial fit to be snug vs loose. I was very paranoid of screwing it up by drilling the hole too large.

I got my nutcerts off eBay......

Tim

 

[mattyq17]

I think I ended up using 1/2" drill bit for the nutsert hole, but don't quote me on that.


https://www.mcmaster.com/standard-rivet-nuts

This says 17/32, click on steel twist resistant rivet nuts, top left.