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front clip problem

8

84gmcjimmy

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Dec 3, 2003
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okay I tried finishing taking the front clip off today, and got most of the bolts off. the 2 3/4" bolts at the front underneath the coresupport wont come out here is what happens: I turn the bolt as if it is unwinding, but I look underneath and I see the rubber thing, and metal cup (the bottom part) spinning, and the bolt not doing anything... what can I do? It frustrated me so much!
and here is an even bigger problem... I cant get my fawking front bumper off... the bolts are on there so tight, and combined with quite a few years of rust, they wont move, I way 180 pounds, and I tried kicking the cheater bar (an ratchet) to try to get it lose, and it wouldn't move (I know I shouldn't kick it, but I was furious /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif) and I can only get the impact onto 1 of the 5 bolts per side.
Can the front clip be taken off with the bumper there? It looks like if me and a friend can lift it high enough, I can get it over top of the bumper...
also, in the wheelwells, there is a few bolts that look like they are attached to the body somehow, but they are just spinning in place, and there is no way I can see to access the back part of it...

Also, sometimes I just want to get rid of this blazer, I love it, and have so many plans for it, but the last 2 days have been hell. wrenching is supposed to be fun, and I sure wasn't having fun, I was mad enough to throw some things that I regret, etc. I know there are some guys on here that could careless what I do etc, because they dont like me, but for the guys on here, that like me, could you give me some encouragement. I know in the long run I will keep the blazer, but sometimes its unbareable and things.

Thanks, and if anyone can help me with the front clip, that would be excelletn!
 
i just took the front clip of my 73 came off alot eaiser than i thought, if the bolts are just turning, than the back nut has rusted loose, you will probally have to cut it, fix the rust and tack weld a nut on the back to repair it, just always think of what you can do with your rig when its done, thats what i did and you swaw the pics of mine, worked for me
 
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the 2 3/4" bolts at the front underneath the coresupport wont come out here is what happens: I turn the bolt as if it is unwinding, but I look underneath and I see the rubber thing, and metal cup (the bottom part) spinning, and the bolt not doing anything...

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Are you turning the bolt from the top of the bottom? The head of the bolt is up top and there should be a nut on the under side. You'll need to hold one and turn the other or you won't get anywhere.

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cant get my fawking front bumper off

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Get a bigger breaker bar /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
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Can the front clip be taken off with the bumper there?

[/ QUOTE ] Yes

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also, in the wheelwells, there is a few bolts that look like they are attached to the body somehow, but they are just spinning in place, and there is no way I can see to access the back part of it...


[/ QUOTE ] You may have to break out the /forums/images/graemlins/grind.gif
 
The two 3/4 bolts you are talking about are the body to frame bolts...you need to put a wrench/ratchet with socket on both sides in order to get them off...as for the other bolts that are turning and you have no acc. to the back...you will probably need to cut/grind/brake the heads off.......as for the bumper bolts that are rusted up try usind a penitrating oil/lube...not sure if you have a john deer tractor place neer but they have some stuff in a spray can that is green that works great....if you don't have a johndeer neerby try another farm/ranch supply place...I'm sure you could pull the clip with out taking the bummper off...just watch out for the bolt in the very front on the bottom that may snag up on ya......if the blazer keeps pissin ya of you could always take a road trip to Tx. and leave it with me and I'll give ya a ride to the airport..... /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
 
I dont have a bigger breaker bar... the small one I am using is about 1 ft long, and the next one I have is about 10 feet long, and I cant swing that one without hitting the shed.

sounds like tomorrow or friday I'll dig out the gridner and take off those bolts in the wheelwells then. once I get the front clip off, I will have more room to work with the bumper, if all else fails, I will just cut it right off.

I do realize I have to have a wrench on the bottom on the nut, when i have the ratchet on the top on the head of the bolt, but there was no one there to help me, so I tried just from the top by my self.
Tomorrow, or whenever I work on it next, I;ll see if one of my friends will come out and help...


Thanks for the help! /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
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I dont have a bigger breaker bar... the small one I am using is about 1 ft long, and the next one I have is about 10 feet long, and I cant swing that one without hitting the shed.


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Just dig up a piece of pipe of tube that is about 3ft long that will slip over the 1 ft bar and that should work...If not then you no the rest /forums/images/graemlins/grind.gif to get them off..

Also don't forget the 2 bolts that are at the bottom UNDER the corner of the door jamb area..(just lay under and look in that general area and you will see them)

and for this..

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Also, sometimes I just want to get rid of this blazer, I love it, and have so many plans for it, but the last 2 days have been hell. wrenching is supposed to be fun, and I sure wasn't having fun, I was mad enough to throw some things that I regret, etc. I know there are some guys on here that could careless what I do etc, because they dont like me, but for the guys on here, that like me, could you give me some encouragement. I know in the long run I will keep the blazer, but sometimes its unbareable and things.


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It will be a road long traveled and in a state on never ending change,repair,upgrading, so on and on..No hiding that fact, But then end result will be worth the cussing,hitting,tossing of tools
Just wait till the VERY first time you get to drive it,(even if it happens to break down..I know that one..) ( I moved one street over and had to drive mine around the block and pulled out the garage made it to the corner and blew a rear u-joint...lol so I walked back the old house and grabed a new u-joint and then fixed it there...lol)
But the end result will be worth it in the end..Just keep plugging away,If you feel like it is getting the best of you , just step away for a while ..resume when the urge is there..Mike /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Hang in there. I have broken many bolts in my day and that's something you may need to do. I've almost always had to break bumper bolts that were rusty. Get tough on them.
Just remember to clean and maybe paint every bolt you put back on so next time it will be cake. That's one thing I love about my truck, almost all the bolts are clean and come off easy. It makes it much nicer to work on.
Remember, if it's not your blazer, it will be some other truck you buy so just make it nice and you'll never sell it.
 
Shawn , Dave , and I just ripped the core support off the project the other day . This was superduty Ohio/PA rust . I figure I can get a core support later ( or narrow the front /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) . The bolts broke on one side , the other side took some working and they broke too /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif
 
Dont give up--I too have become discouraged with working constantly on my trucks,then have to borrow my mothers 93 caravan to go anywhere more than 50 miles away--but I'm 46 and you are too young to be getting discouraged!.I would get some torches if I were you--even a propane torch is better than nothing,heat is your friend when it comes to rust--and a good set of cutting torches will make quick work of a bolt you wou otherwise waste an hour trying to remove--the bumper bolts you can grind the heads off carefully,and punch them out with a punch--I dont even bother to try to unscrew them anymore,life's too short!.
Above all,supress the desire to smash the winsheild and sell it for scrap--someday you will be wheeling it and having a blast,it takes a lot of sweat and cussing,but you'll get there.I know it seems like it takes forever,but time passes by quickly when your working on it--and no one can say you bought it,not built it!. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
thanks for the encouragement guys.
yeah I will just grind off what I can reach, and then try 2 people for the coresupport bolts.
I was having a bad day the other day when I wrote this, so I kind of made it sound worse than it is (about wanting to give up, and sell it) I also will try some heat with the bolts. there shouldn't be anything that will catch on fire around there right?
Thanks!!
 
Keep a hose or at least a spray bottle of water handy if you use a torch--the fuel pump hose is not too far from the passenger side mounting bolt for the nose,so be careful!.
I too have had a lot of bad days putting my C10 back together,its like re-inventing the wheel--you dont realize just how many things are different for a six cylinder VS a V8,til you try putting one in it--it hasnt been much fun so far--a few minites ago I found out the Y-pipe I wasted an hour welding back together(because I had to sawsall it off to pull the motor from the van)wont work because it hits the shifter linkage--of course I didnt notice this until the last ballbusting nut on the pipes flanges were installed! /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif--now I must find another way to get an exhaust system on this PITA truck--I'm about out of money,dont want to buy a new y-pipe,or make it dual exhaust right now--looks like I'll be pulling that Y-pipe I saw at the junkyard last week on a flipped over chevy truck--hope its still there--and still on its back!.I hope I get to drive this truck once before the snow flies--been paying for insurance for it,the last two months it didnt even have an engine in it--if I dont finish it soon,the inspection sticker will be expired!. /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif
I do most of my repairs alone,so I know how much it sucks trying to hold two wrenches,or pry something like a stubborn y-pipe into the right position,then have no third hand to put the nut on--makes something that should take minites an hour long ordeal.I often use vise grips to hold the "other side" you cant reach.Put a peice of pipe over the handle so it will butt up against something,and clamp them tightly,then you can use both hands to try and loosen it.Sometimes utter destruction is nessasary--cutting with a sawsall or torches or grinding things off is often the only way,after rust has taken over! /forums/images/graemlins/grind.gif /forums/images/graemlins/weld.gif /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif
 
yeah, you sound like me sort of; I do alot or most of the work on my trucks alone. It's definitly a P.O. when I cant do something because I need 2 people.
I have a few pairs of Vise grips, so I will get the biggest one and try to clamp the nut on the bottom, and do like you suggested with the pipe.
okay if I do use a torch (thats will be plan B) I will make sure I have the hose an arms reach away (the tap is about 10-20 feet away) so I have lots of water.
Someone mentioned to paint all the bolts so I dont have to struggle next time I go to work on it. Yeah, I plan to use all new bolts where I can, and then somehow clean them and paint them so they wont rust.
 
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and then try 2 people for the coresupport bolts

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If the blazer has tow hooks up front do what I did..
Put the closed end of the wrench on the lower nut and wedge it up against the tow hook then use the BAB big arse breaker bar on the top of the bolt.. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

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I also will try some heat with the bolts

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if you are talking about the fender bolts more then likely the fender nut is rusted away from the sheet metel and the heat wont help if that is the case.. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif Good luck though either way /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
thanks, I never thouht of that idea of using the tow hooks... thanks! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Have you ever heard of PB-Blaster? I can get it down here at any walmart, but it is the best penetrating oil for rusty bolts /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif Just soak the bolts with it and let them sit and it will make things alot easier the next day.
 
No I have never heard of it, I will look for it next time I go to walmart. Thanks /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
a good sharp cold chisel is the best way to remove rusted nuts
split them and they will loosen their grip
 
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