Originally Posted by dbilik

I own a 2nd gen dakota, but decided to offer help to my friend to install a bull bar on his 3rd gen truck. I started trying to remove the long bolts that go through the existing tow hook and got stuck. They just keep spinning and keep spinning the rubber bushing on top. I am tempted to just cut the off and replace them with a thru bolt afterwards. Is this ok to do? Or does that rubber bushing on top serve some grand purpose?

If I cut the head of the bolt I can probably still remove it from the bushing once I pull it out and replace it if need be.

Hopefully I am looking at this right, but to me it seems this bolt is a body bolt and is needed, but I can replace it if need be.

Originally Posted by ZEN357

I would just go to a hardware store and get some grade 8 bolts to replaced the damaged ones, put some anti-sieve on them to keep them from rusting in case you need to take it apart again.

Originally Posted by philipat

I looked. Hardware store, McMaster, etc don't have anything that long. You have to get them from a parts vendor.

This is an old thread. But, it was helpful when I added my tow hooks a year ago.