Bumper bolt issue

[Scotty]

Here’s a fun one for y’all (not for me tho lol)

So one of my bolt towers at some point got crushed in and the po wended it together and until now seemed fine, it would hold a bolt but not tighten all the way. I’m using 1/2-20 and upped it to 1/2-13 to help grip better but even that’s when it feels like it. Is there a slightly larger bolt I can use that’ll fit into the bracket or some other idea that I can use before I break out my helicoil gear?

Thanks in advance!

 

[DanR]

If you are extremely fortunate go with the helicoil first.

Hope you don't break the threaded nut loose. I have done that, not wanting to do that again.

 

[Toyanvil]

helicoil or tap it to 14mm.

 

[Scotty]

If you are extremely fortunate go with the helicoil first.

Hope you don't break the threaded nut loose. I have done that, not wanting to do that again.

Thank you for mentioning the last part. I checked just out of paranoid and its welded pretty good in there. You made me think of something similar that I had to deal with years ago and the thought almost gave me a panic attack lol.

How 'deep' is this nut?

helicoil or tap it to 14mm.

I thought about switching to a metric but would a 14mm bolt fit through the bracket? a 9/16ths one won't. Plus, I have a slight affinity to keep this car as uniform as possible.

 

[sunalp]

It's just a 1/2" nut welded inside the frame horn. Be very careful if you tap the hole as , from my
experience, it's only welded on one side, and not very well. They tend to break off with too much
twisting.

 

[Barry]

Thank you for mentioning the last part. I checked just out of paranoid and its welded pretty good in there. You made me think of something similar that I had to deal with years ago and the thought almost gave me a panic attack lol.

How 'deep' is this nut?

I thought about switching to a metric but would a 14mm bolt fit through the bracket? a 9/16ths one won't. Plus, I have a slight affinity to keep this car as uniform as possible.

A 14 mm bolt is just a smidgen (0.011") smaller than a 9/16" bolt, so ..... it's a definite maybe.