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.

 

Check out this thread, on post # 16 there is a clamp that you can get that will help you out.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...hts-oh-my.html

 

Thanks for the info. I just went to lowes and picked one up. Will give it a shot. Hopefully I don't snap the bolt.

 

I snapped one bolt off and the other I ruined the mount getting the bolt out. Bought new mounts for like $25 each from the dealer, if I remember correctly. I would think, since these are body mounts, you do need the rubber isolation from the frame.Maybe it would not hurt that much to have it just bolted to the frame without the mount. The dealer calls these things "isolators" so they probably serve a tangible function in isolating the body from vibrations and such. Dont know if not having them would do any harm in the long run.

 

I had to cut my passenger side one in three pieces in order to get it out and then clamp the remaining in a vice to get the rubber isolator off... they are definitely a PITA...

 

Dealer wants $30 for the isolator and $32 for the bolt! Thats $128 to replace both assuming I break them both. $32 for a bolt is a bit ridiculous IMO.

I'm going to give the clamps a shot and see how much I mess up in the process. But so far you guys aren't giving me too much hope that I am saving them.

Nobody knows the length and thread taper on these bolts offhand do you? I am thinking to maybe cut the heads and do what lghtng did and put the isolator in a vice and use some vise grips to remove the rest of the bolt.

 

Let me look at my paperwork when I get home and see if the parts list gives a size and dimension, etc. I have the old bolts, as well, I think, still sitting on the bench.

 

Thanks. I appreciate it.

 

So I tackled this today, bought that clamp after the bushings started to slide...

Then I had another idea.

The middle part of it is a hollow piece of steel, So I took a rectangular peice of light steel (from a garage door) and then ran a steel self-tapping screw into it so it would lock the plate in place. then clamped it.... IT WORKED AMAZINGLY!!!

 

macyver.....i did something similar, drilled a hole in the isolator and put a hardened steel allen wrench in it (kept breaking screws off). figured since i was replacing the bushing it wont matter if i drilled holes in it.