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[Zibi]

Was installing the skids I got from Trainman today only to find that the two front boltholes in the crossmember have bolts snapped off in them and I don't have the tools to drill them out. Bah.

 

 

</rant>

 

That is all.

Edited November 25, 2008 by mzxtreme

[Precise1]

What size are the bolts and do you have a hand drill?

 

B

[Trainman]

But other than that they will fit?

 

That would be good to hear although it sucks about the snapped bolts.

[silverlion]

I can hear you now..."GODD..SONOFA...MOTHERF..PIECE OF SHI..." Yup, been there too.

[BowTied]

and I don't have the tools to drill them out.

 

Do you have access to a welder? thinking weld a nut to what is left...

[Zibi]

It should be a realtively easy fix, I just don't have very many tools at my disposal right now namely a jack and jack stands. Hopefully it wouldn't be too hard to drill out if I could get some room to work under there.

 

They're the little bitty bolts that hold on the front of the stock plastic guard, and they look like they've been snapped off for a long time. They're fairly worn, lot of dirt packed around them, and fairly corroded. There isn't enough material to weld anything too either. Funny, my whole stock skid was only being held on by 4 of I think 8 bolts, not that it really makes a difference.

 

And Will, I haven't tried putting the rear one on yet I was just going to start up front and work back so I haven't really looked at where the cross member has to mount too. The two skids are seperate so I at least wanted to get the front one on. I also see what you meant about the front mounting location....if they hadn't tappered in the front edges they could have used the stock beefier threaded holes which would have provided a lot more strength...to use them now would require welding plates on.

 

Worst comes to worst I'll just drill new holes in the cross member. Zap straps always work too

Edited November 27, 2008 by Zibi

[nige]

2 of mine were snapped off when i installed my skid plates. I drilled out one of them, but on the second one, i broke off a drill bit in the hole and there is no way i can get it out of there now. My front skid is held on with 2 instead of 3 bolds until i can drill and tap new holes.

 

You should clean out the other mounting hole threads with a tap and some oil. It makes it way easier to thread the mounting bolts in by hand.

 

I have these rhino ramp things that you can pull the truck up on top and it gives you about 8" of extra room to work under there. I lay down on the crawler and balance the skid plate on my chest or knees while i bolt it up.

[Zibi]

My skid only has two bolt holes on the front of it, I should drill a middle one since there is no reason not to. Thanks for the idea

[MY1PATH]

2 of mine were snapped off when i installed my skid plates. I drilled out one of them, but on the second one, i broke off a drill bit in the hole and there is no way i can get it out of there now.

@ work breaking a drill bit or easy out inside a screw is not an excuse for leaving a bad fastener in a plane;

using a scribe or hammer an chisel we try to rotate the bit counter clockwiese.

or

place a socket larger than the dirll over it and beat w/ a hammer or rivet gun, the piece may fall out into the socket because of the surrounding impact w/ no direct force on the drill itself

and my favorite;

use a 1/4" ball rotary file (can be found @ harware store) and a High speed air tool (slower tools work to just not as fast lol)to grid the drill /easyout out untill there is fresh metal to try dirlling again. (a dremel tool will work fine here)

 

if a screw head his broken and the protruding threads are clean enough sometimes (use some pb blast or heat to losten it) the force of the drill on it will cause it turn untill threads itself thru and out the other side.

Edited November 27, 2008 by MY1PATH

[Precise1]

They're the little bitty bolts that hold on the front of the stock plastic guard,

 

Ok, I'm going to guess M6x1 bolts then...

 

@ work breaking a drill bit or easy out inside a screw is not an excuse for leaving a bad fastener in a plane;

Plane, car or tricycle, the same principal applies.

 

The reason I asked, is that I can make you some carbide left handed 140 degree spade drills that work wonders for removing bolts, I just need to know the minor diameter of the threads... The heat/vibration/left hand torque often backs the piece out, and if not, it cores it well enough that removing what is left is like pulling out a heli-coil.

 

You should clean out the other mounting hole threads with a tap and some oil.

Always use a roll (cold form) tap for this, cut taps just weaken what is left of the threads...

 

B

[adamzan]

I have these rhino ramp things that you can pull the truck up on top and it gives you about 8" of extra room to work under there. I lay down on the crawler and balance the skid plate on my chest or knees while i bolt it up.

Are those the plastic ramp things? I see those at Canadian tire, TSC and princess auto. I don't know if i'd trust driving my truck up onto them :S