Changing subframe bushings - a nut broke free

[bobc455]

I have an '04 NA GP, 267k miles.

I was going to change the subframe bushings today, but on the driver's side (rear bushing) it appears that the nut broke free. I think there is supposed to be some kinda tab that keeps the nut from spinning. Now the bolt (and nut) just spins.

There is a little square plastic access panel, but I couldn't seem to get a wrench in there.

Do I need to take the car to a body shop so they can cut & weld some sheetmetal there? Or is there another way to grab that nut so I can remove the bushing?

Thanks,

-Bob C.

[Scottydoggs]

its not a nut, it more like a square plate with a threaded hole. try a pry bar under the bolt head while you ratchet it out. maybe you'll get lucky and it comes out.

[bobc455]

That explains why I couldn't get a wrench on there.

It was seized up pretty good, which is why it took my biggest impact gun (the one saved for rare occasions) to break this free. I guess I was hoping for the bolt to come loose first, before the mount started to break. Oh well.

Anyhow, I assume the bolt is seized in this square plate thing. I had already soaked it with PB blaster.

I don't understand where to put the pry bar - since the bolt is still tight, obviously there is no room to put a pry bar under the head. Do you mean to put a pry bar on the square plate thing? I can't really access in there at all (maybe if I pull the engine/tranny, remove the brake lines, etc...)

[Scottydoggs]

i had to use my floor jacks bar an a breaker bar, then pulled like a bull on it.

[bobc455]

Maybe I didn't explain clearly. Or maybe I don't understand.

I got the bolt to spin - but instead of the threads spinning in the square plate thing and the bolt coming out, the square plate broke loose and the bolt just spins now (along with the square thing). I don't know how to hold the square thing still so I can get the bolt out.

(It took a lot of torque to get it to break free- but instead of the threads breaking free, the square thing up top broke free)

Any idea how to hold the square thing still, so I can remove the bolt?

-Bob

[Scottydoggs]

maybe a screw driver wedged in there from the small hole, find it hard to believe the plate is spinning tho. its got very little wiggle room and it like a 4x4 plate.

is the bolt loose enough where you can push the bolt up and feel it move up and down?

keep in mind the bolt is like 3 inches long too. last time out one of mine took the jack handle on the breaker bar for more then 1/2 way out. some very long 1/2 turns i tell ya took a while to get out.

[bobc455]

I see what you're saying with the screwdriver. I doubt it will work, though, the bolt seems to be pretty seized into whatever it's threaded into (despite a near flood of PB Blaster).

Although it's nearly impossible to see in there, it looked like there was about a 1" nut spinning around. This is what I thought you meant was square - hex or square, it's nearly impossible to see. But what I saw was nowhere near 4" x 4".

I have a feeling the only way to get it apart now is to cut the sheetmetal near the end of the bolt, and to have a body shop reconstruct the body mount flange/corner thing. Ugh.

[Scottydoggs]

im sure theres a better way. like cut the head off and drill it out.

i never tried to take the plate out. not sure if you can or not once the frame is off.

[BillBoost37]

You can't..its up in the structure of the car body... usually takes a body shop to fix it.

[CrazyGuy03]

I do recall a Regal member having this issue and they had to cut an access hole
Maybe it was George?

[bobc455]

Resolution:
1) Buy welder
2) Pull up carpet underneath the brake pedal (and remove the gas pedal for extra clearance)
3) Mark with a punch from underneath, plan where to cut
4) Grind away sound insulation on floorboard (wire wheel on a drill works best for this)
5) Cut 3 slots in the floor, lift up "panel" we made
6) Hold the nut from the top with a socket & breaker bar
7) Remove bolt from underneath with breaker bar and a pipe (no impact gun was going to stand a chance with this one... even "big bertha"...)
8) Replace bushings as "usual"
9) Weld the sheetmetal thing on the top nut back in place and do some touch-up
10) Weld the floor back together, putting out the occasional fire (2nd set of eyes watching underneath the car is mandatory for this step)
11) Seam Sealer
12) Put back carpet

Much better now.

-Bob C.

[Scottydoggs]

success!!! congrats.

[BillBoost37]

Bob.. where you on hand for Derek breaking the one bolt on the back of the trans in the Riv when the trans was in a W body case instead of an H/G/C case?

[bobc455]

Bob.. where you on hand for Derek breaking the one bolt on the back of the trans in the Riv when the trans was in a W body case instead of an H/G/C case?

Nope! In fact a few months ago when we were swapping a tranny in a different GP, he warned me about how difficult that particular bolt was. He had obviously been scarred.

[bobc455]

By the way - Derek can't get back on this site... He no longer has the email address associate with this site, and he doesn't remember his password - so he has no way to reset. Do you know how he can reset his account?

-Bob