Cadillac Owners Forum banner

Cradle Bolts...uh oh

1K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  dkozloski 
#1 ·
While installing my cradle bolts last night, I started them by hand and then hit them w/ the impact. Turns out that one of them was started wrong and the force of the impact broke the bolt loose inside of the frame rails...I've got 5 holding it to the car but I don't know if thats going to be good enough and I sure can't see any way to get inside of the frame and fix it...any ideas?
 
#2 ·
Cut the bolt off with a hacksaw or a cutting torch. If you have to remove the whole shooting match for access so be it. Use a hole saw to get access to the bloody stub and the captive nut. Remove same. Put the cradle back in place and fish a nut and washer through the access hole with mechanical fingers. Plug the hole to keep the mud out.
 
#3 ·
If the bolt is securely in the nut plate you may want to try cutting the head off of the bolt, cut a thread on the remander of the bolt and install a nut with locktite. Or cut the head off lower cradle enough to drill into the plate from below and tap into the plate for a pair of flat head screws remove remainder of bolt clean threads with a tap assemble with a new bolt.LOL
sts96
 
#4 ·
I was in such a hurry the night I typed that post and I didn't explain things right. The bolt crossthreaded and the nut thats up in the plate broke loose. I was able to get the bolt out by forcing the washer on the bolt down while removing w/ the impact. The bolt is out but I can't imagine any way to fish a nut down into the frame rail while the cradle is in place enough to start the bolt into it.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top