Need to replace seat belts. Bolts a problem.

I need to replace the seat belts in my CJ. Those torx head bolts that hold them hav been in place for 28 years and don't begin to budge. What has been your experience in removing those bolts to be able to reuse the threaded holes in the floor? Thanks!

 

Just did this a few days ago. Hit it with a BFH then heat the bolt from underneath till it gets red hot. Put some torque on while it's ho and should come out. The heat should expand bolt and break the rust/crud in the threads. Doesn't hurt to put PB blaster or brake fluid to soak the stuck bolt first.

 

Give 'em a long, long soak with a good penetrating oil. Like 2 weeks worth of soak with new application of oil every day. Then put the Torx bit on an impact. Believe it or not, a Torx is less likely to strip and more likely to break free with an impact.

That said, neither soaking nor impact worked on my CJ-6. I wound up welding a 1/2-inch nut to the top of the Torx bolt head and I used a 3/4-inch wrench to spin 'em out. The heat of welding helps break the bolt free. I cleaned up the threads with a tap and used new bolts for the new seatbelts.

 

ya those torx head bolts are a pain in the rear end!! i ended up breakin 2 bits trying to get em out good thing im pals with the snap-on guy!!!

 

I ended up having to heat them up with a torch to get mine out. Took ALOT of heat but they finally broke loose.

 

Is there enough surface area on the bolt to weld a nut to it??? Try this with the soaking and heating methods mentioned here and you may get them out.

 

lol just DONT soak them THEN heat them up... its not fun...

 

I agree 100% but before I use a torch I'd wack the hand held impact a couple times to TIGHTEN the bolt and use Kroil oil as my penetrating oil, amazing stuff. Sometimes tightening the fastener actually allows the oil to reach the threads.