Suggestions for removing frame ground bolt that spins but won't unscrew

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m1949

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Please share suggestion for removing a grounding bolt located on the frame near the driver side front wheel that spins but does not unscrew or even loosen from the threaded connector welded to the back side of the frame.
 

Joseph Garcia

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So, are you saying that the threads of the bolt and/or nut appear to be stripped? Can you get the blade of a small thin screwdriver between the bolt head and the frame? If so, perhaps using that screwdriver as leverage, you can again try unscrewing the bolt from the nut. If that still fails, you may need to cut the head of the bolt off and drill through the remaining piece of bolt, in order to remove it (and hope that the threads on the bolt are stripped, but the threads in the nut are still OK.
 
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m1949

m1949

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Please share suggestion for removing a grounding bolt located on the frame near the driver side front wheel that spins but does not unscrew or even loosen from the threaded connector welded to the back side of the frame.
The nut is a threaded connector that appears to be welded to the frame. The bolt spins in the connector but will not unscrew. Bolt is too tight to use a flathead screwdriver for leverage. Evidently this is a common problem as GM issued a service bulletin to dealers to replace the connector with a bolt, washer and nut. The problem for me is the ground wire it just loose enough to occasionally cause a "service stability system" warning to flash on and produce a U1041 code. Not a big deal, but irksome.
 

OR VietVet

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Gonna have to cut at least the nut out of there and then hopefully the bolt drops out. If not then drive the bolt out. Then use a through bolt nut and washer. Clean the ground and mount surface thoroughly before reinstall. Sounds like vehicle may have spent some time in a rust belt.
 

Fless

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A couple of options... if you can hammer a forked metal pry tool, like a brad or nail remover, underneath the bolt head, you could exert pressure on the bolt to remove it.

- cut the ground wire off, solder on a new eye, and use the bolt that's right next door (I assume you have two bolts there on the body mount).
- on mine the bolt came out but the nut was stripped. I drilled out the hole and used a bolt, washers, and a nut.
 

Marty_S

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The nut is a threaded connector that appears to be welded to the frame. The bolt spins in the connector but will not unscrew. Bolt is too tight to use a flathead screwdriver for leverage. Evidently this is a common problem as GM issued a service bulletin to dealers to replace the connector with a bolt, washer and nut. The problem for me is the ground wire it just loose enough to occasionally cause a "service stability system" warning to flash on and produce a U1041 code. Not a big deal, but irksome.
If you can get a drill to it put a hole through and attempt to pry or crack the nut off. Alternately drill a hole close to this one and move ground to new bolt in new hole. Something I did on a John Deere loader/scraper (1975 and runs great) was add 2 new grounding points. Cleared up the, 'turn key hear click' issue. And that reminds me I need to pick up a couple of LED spots for top of ROP.
 

Doubeleive

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The nut is a threaded connector that appears to be welded to the frame. The bolt spins in the connector but will not unscrew. Bolt is too tight to use a flathead screwdriver for leverage. Evidently this is a common problem as GM issued a service bulletin to dealers to replace the connector with a bolt, washer and nut. The problem for me is the ground wire it just loose enough to occasionally cause a "service stability system" warning to flash on and produce a U1041 code. Not a big deal, but irksome.
maaannn, take a THIN flathead screw driver and a HAMMER and pound the edge in there, if there is room for the bolt to spin there is room to get a screw driver in there.
then stick something else on the other side of the bolt and then push and remove the bolt at the same time.

if you can't possibly make that work, then stick some vice grips on it and then take a drill to the center of it.

i've stripped a ton of crap, there is always a way
 

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