i've noticed some noises coming from the back of my car every time i hit a bump and turns out that my front crossmember bolt is loose.
Now the problem comes: i've tried to tighten it and noticed that the bolt and the nut is stripped completely, bummer. is there a way to replace this huge bolt or any way to fix this????????????????????? its one of the 4 bolts that holds the rear crossmember and this bolt is attached to the frame. any help please.

 

I would probably just forget about the stripe, or perhaps paint over the stripe if it really bothers you that much. Or you could just draw a stripe on every other bolt.

But seriously, take it to someone who can pull the bolt for you. Unless you have the tools to do it yourself.

 

sorry its sripped then lol ( im new in U.S. so is english). i think its welded to the body, no way to replace it.

 

got a pic? not sure what you're talking about.

but you might be able to chase the threads with a thread chaser set, it looks like a bolt and nut with cuts across the threads, similar to a tap and die. This will work if they are damaged but still got some meat left on them.

If they are completely gone and it's a captured nut that's weleded to the body then you could retap the hole one size larger and replace the bolt. or if it's deep enough you could use a helicoil on it.

 

i dont have access to the car right now to snap a photo but its that big bolt thats holds the whole subframe (crossmember). The bolt and the nut are both stripped out of thread so i cant retighten it. what is helicoil?? i was thinking to use the tread chaser but man i have to take the whole crossmembr off so i can get in there. wow lots of work

 

a helicoil kind of looks like a spring. You drill out the damaged nut and insert the helicoil into the hole. it allows you to reuse the same size bolt as before where as if you tap it you will be going to one size larger.

 

oh yeah? i didnt know there was such a thing, i think i should try that first and see if that works. will that work on the nut even though the bolt is stripped as well??

 

it's for the female side. The nut.
You will need to get a new bolt.

 

oh i see... The thing is the bolt is welded to the frame Man, i'll have to figure something out. Hey thanks for your help

 

weld the nut to a socket and spin it off. Then hit the bolt with a tap and die and rethread the bolt.

 

can you explain it more clearly?? thanks

 

If i understand correctly you have a stripped nut on the end of a stripped bolt. Is the nut stripped so its rounded on the outside too? If it is, get a socket that will fit on top of the stripped nut. Weld the nut right to the socket (u will need to sacrifice this socket) This will allow you to spin and pull the nut off the bolt. Once that nut is off get access to a tap and die set and use a thread chaser to re-cut the thread on the bolt. That is the best advice i can offer with no pictures. If you can take a picture of the bolt I will have a better idea of whats going on. Either way...its not broken or a total loss. Just a real som'abitch. Once you have spin that nut off go to home depot and get a new one.

 

yeah that's what happened. now the other problem is that the bolt is stripped as well. the bolt is welded to the frame so i cant replace it. what should i do, rethread and go a size smaller on a nut?? i've never done this.

 

yes re-thread but you shouldn't need a smaller nut. You should just be able to clear out the original thread with the thread chaser.

 

i looked it it this weeend and it looks like the thread on the bolt is all messed up as well . oh and hey thanks for the tips