Help! Removing fender last bolt stuck!!

Todd M

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I'm replacing my drivers side fender and have off ALL bolts, etc except this LAST one and it's completely rounded off & impossible to gain a hold of. Here's a few pics to help you get your bearings below. This bolt is the closest to the garage floor and is in the channel
That bolts the fender to the main body. There are 4 there. The top two you can get from the engine bay and the bottom two must be taken off from below.
What do you suggest to remove this last one?

Thanks!!
 
View attachment 34655 View attachment 34656 View attachment 34657 I'm replacing my drivers side fender and have off ALL bolts, etc except this LAST one and it's completely rounded off & impossible to gain a hold of. Here's a few pics to help you get your bearings below. This bolt is the closest to the garage floor and is in the channel
That bolts the fender to the main body. There are 4 there. The top two you can get from the engine bay and the bottom two must be taken off from below.
What do you suggest to remove this last one?

Thanks!!
Weld a nut onto it and spin it off.
 
How did it round off? Were you using the wrong size? I’d imagine using a deep proper 6 point socket may be able to catch the deep end of the bolt if that part isn't rounded off.
 
You have to get a 6 sided socket one size smaller than what its supposed to be, line it up on there just right, then pound it on with a hammer. Then give it a turn and see what happens. (Also it would help if you soaked it in penetrating oil a little bit before attempting this).
 
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Heat it with a torch the put a rag between a six point socket and tap it on. Something to take up the extra space usually works
 
Thanks for all the suggestions! There area where the bolt sits is a very tight channel which prevents some hammering and drilling. I don’t have a welder. So it looks like the Harbour Freight extractors are the winners for now! I’ll be picking them up and giving them a shot tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion- I didn’t even know those existed!
 
Fairly sure I did all mine from the top, you just need to pull the battery tray and possibly the bracket first.


There must have been a time
when we could have said no.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions! There area where the bolt sits is a very tight channel which prevents some hammering and drilling. I don’t have a welder. So it looks like the Harbour Freight extractors are the winners for now! I’ll be picking them up and giving them a shot tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion- I didn’t even know those existed!
You may still have to somehow give the extractor socket a whack or two to get it on the bolt head, it needs to be a tight fit, but should work. Good luck!
 
View attachment 34655 View attachment 34656 View attachment 34657 I'm replacing my drivers side fender and have off ALL bolts, etc except this LAST one and it's completely rounded off & impossible to gain a hold of. Here's a few pics to help you get your bearings below. This bolt is the closest to the garage floor and is in the channel
That bolts the fender to the main body. There are 4 there. The top two you can get from the engine bay and the bottom two must be taken off from below.
What do you suggest to remove this last one?

Thanks!!
Can you get a needle nosed vise grip on that bolt ? If so I would use PB Blaster overnight and then heat it with a propane torch before putting the vise grips on it if you can. Good luck pal as I know exactly what you are going thru.
 
Just did both fenders on "Gertie" and after snapping that same bolt reverted to a hand held propane torch and as much penatrating fluid as I could squirt up from the bottom. On my daughters 02 there was/is a piece of foam blocking a channel were you can see the threaded portion of the bolt.
Just watch out for flames. Don't ask me how I know.
Try a different socket or vice grips and move it back and forth to break it free before removed sometimes that helps. But again a propane torch really was my life saver an the project so far. Only one other bolt broke on left side of grill on the entire fron disassemble. Happy man
 
One more thing that bailed me out in a similar situation was that I took a Dremel tool with a wafer wheel and cut a slot into the head of that rounded bolt and used a big screwdriver to back it out. I think the heat from the torch is most important. I really don't know the situation or accessibility of that bolt but I hope my suggestions will help you in some way. Good luck brother.
 
Just did mine.Broke 2 off one side and 1 on the other.Tried heat first but mine was a rusty 2000 so not the first to break off. Got to love all those weak nutserts.Also used penetrating oil overnight first.Drilled and tapped out the broken ones after.Vice grips and heat should do it.If not take a dremel and create 2 flats and try vice grips again.Then grind the head off as a last resort.
 
I Know exactly what you are going thru. Im 69 yrs. old and learned not to accept F---ings like this.I will always go to the most radical resorts like taking a 4" grinder to remove the head of that inaccessible bolt. Remove the fender and then drill and tap that problem site for whatever fastener you chose. Ive learned enough in life to not let things like this get the best of me.Take whatever drastic measures are needed to get the job done. Life is too short to suffer and curse these things that the evil Gods throw at you. Get the grinder going and when the fender comes off, go inside and have a beer or two. I wish you good luck brother.
 
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So here's a thought... Are you removing the fender to replace it? If so then cut away whatever you need to get at the bolt. Or at least drill a hole so you can better access it.


There must have been a time
when we could have said no.
 
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Glad to hear another older jeeper getting it done.I'm 70 and this is my first rusty and also first jeep.I also just get to it with the grinder usually doing it.I have had chrysler products before.There engineering shit never really changes.Almost scrapped it and chalked it up to a bad experience. I have been staying with it and after 2 months under this rusty piece of shit I am finally working above. Another month and I should be done I hope.Best of luck.