I bought some step bars to install but I can't get the body mount bolts to budge. Am I supposed to be able to loosen them with a regular wratchet or do I have to go buy a torque wrench?

 

Torque wrenches are only for tightening to a specific amount, not for breaking loose a tight bolt.

You could screw up a torque wrench by applying too much pressure to it.

You need a longer ratchet, (at least 1/2") or a breaker bar.

I did mine some years ago. They are big bolts and need a lot of pressure.

 

they are loktited. get a breaker bar

 

you gotta turn them clockwise to loosen. normally it's righty tighty left loosey, but for the body mount it's opposite. I was in the same boat as you i cranked as hard as i could and nothing so i tried the other way and they worked.

 

So you're tellin me that the body mount bolts are left handed threads?????

What-----ON Earth----will they think of next to make these things harder to figure out.

I don't ever plan on removing any of these, but if it does come to pass, at least I know now.

I remember once changing the clutch out in my wifes '93 jeep.
They had 6 bolts in the bell housing---ok, no problem---yah, right----2 standard, 2 metric, and 2 torx. assh!!!s. All with SAE threads. All six standard when it went back together.

They go to extra expense to make it harder for the average guy to work on, and we end up payin for it.

Sorry for the RANT---but some of the **** just pisses me OFF!

 

I dont know why dodge did that but it was pretty frustrating trying to loosen them the normal way. I had both my legs pushing off the frame and i barely budged it, i almost gave up and was going to take into into a mechanics shop until i tried the other way. after the mess with the bolts you should have seen the so called instructions aries sends you with their nerf bars. A kid could have given you better instructions. It took me about 3 hours to do the first one and about 30 minutes for the other side.

 

Invest in an electric impact wrench. I bought a Craftsman model on sale years ago for under $100. It's paid for itself many times over in saved time, expense and frustration over the years.

It zipped out the cab mount bolts in seconds when Iinstalled a set ofNasta oval step bars on my truck recently. Same goes for putting the new bolts in. Why struggle with a breaker bar if you don't have to?

 

Ummm... My 07 bolts were not reversed threaded... You might want to double check on that...

 

im sure because i put my nerf bars on last week. mine's an 06, but i dont see any reason for them to change that.

 

Use a breaker bar.

PS: the moron who came up with the lefty loosey righty tighty saying never thought that this is only true to the top of the bolt or nut if you are looking at the bottom of the bolt ornut it's righty loosey lefty tighty. The clockwise tighten the counterclockwise loosen will never fail unless you are dealing with reverse threads.