When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
If the cage nuts break you are screwed and your job just got a lot bigger.
BEEN THERE...EXPERIENCED THAT!!!!
That is if you are dealing with the #2,#3 body mounts. The #4 body mount bolt more than likely will spin in the caging, but can be removed much easier than the others....for coupe's that is...convertibles are a bit tricky...but still do-able.
IF #2 and #3 body mount bolts will not come out and it feels like they are seized....or the heads were rusted to the point that a six point socket was still not effective in getting these bolts out. I cut the heads off of these bolts and then lift the side up and then will have access to getting the bolts out by using heat and or penetrating oil. The time I spend removing the heads of the bad bolts is worth it instead of the alternative of repairing a spinning caged nut....which is a ROYAL PAIN IN THE....BACKSIDE.
"DUB"
Great idea to cut head off and lift to gain access. I am a little spoiled living in CA. Not a lot of rusted parts and siezed nuts/bolts. Do you think this is the reason CA/AZ/NV cars sell at a premium?
I just replaced the body mounts on my 74 coupe. Oh man, what a job. Big thanks to hdpete98 for this write up. Here's a few things i would add to this. I'd also consider making this thread a sticky. My response below assumes the reader has read hdpete98's post already.
I did not do a complete frame off, but almost. Two #4' (or #4 & #8) broke the cages. No worries, nut and bolt with big washers did the trick.
Both #2's had to be cut. In case I could save the cage nuts, the body had to be lifted high enough to access the shafts with a pipe wrench to remove them. If i couldn't save them, the body still had to be high enough to weld new ones in. Good news, I could save both #2 cage nuts.
In the process, i painted the frame and replaced the foam shields in between 1 & 2 on both sides.
Important notes about additional body lift clearance:
Disconnect the wire to the brake balancer/manifold thing under the brake booster.
Triple check clearance in fan shroud. Additional height can bend a fan blade or worse.
Read hdpete98's post 5 times before even starting this job. Better yet, be sure to have the 1974 shop guide on hand too.
Disconnect parking brake. Its needed if raising body high enough to access broken cage nuts/bolts i Positions 2 or 3.
at a minimum, wire-wheel the a-frame and paint the area around position 2. I sure dont intend on removing those again in my lifetime. Remove bottom two bolts of door hinges before painting. Just in case door servicing is needed in the future. :-)
There's two orange plugs in the door sill. Remove them. These holes are alignment holes for the Body. I used long screw drivers/shafts when setting the body back down.
when raising and lowering the front, go slow slow slow. Unless you an on painting the car anyway, which is what happened in my case. This flexing will expose every 40 year old weak spot in the entire front clip.
replace the ground straps with new ones. Add more ground straps. These cars cant get enough grounding.
I hope this helps anyone considering taking this epic journey.
The way I was able to replace the mounts, the gas and brake lines on my 72 coupe was to raise one side of the body with this tool I made. Basically a 2x4 with 2 custom brackes made and a jack.
This provided enough clearance to replace all 8 body mounts, (4 body mounts on each side) and all Brake and Gas lines.
See the attached pictures.
Does anyone know whether you need to remove or loosen any of the radiator support bolts when replacing the body mounts using this process. I have a 69 convertible and it seems some write-ups reference this step, while others don't.
Does anyone know whether you need to remove or loosen any of the radiator support bolts when replacing the body mounts using this process. I have a 69 convertible and it seems some write-ups reference this step, while others don't.
Short answer is yes, the rad support attaches to both the body and the frame.
Short answer is yes, the rad support attaches to both the body and the frame.
Which bolts? And do you loosen or remove?
I realize the radiator support is bolted to the front cross member via the two bolts that thread upward into the radiator support, but the cross member is bolted to the frame extensions which are unbolted from the frame as part of the process. So I would have thought that leaving the radiator support bolted to both the front fenders and front cross member would be fine, and actually add support to the front end when lifting.
I have a 75 and am going to be doing body mounts 1 side at a time. It would appear that the only reason to remove the front bumper on a rubber bumper car is to get at the bolt/nut that holds the bumper bracket to the front bumper support. The bracket must be removed in order to access the fourth bolt holding the frame extension the frame, thus separating the entire front end of the car from the frame. My front bumper was changed from rubber to fiberglass prior to my ownership. On my car, it appears that I can remove just the cover/grill that holds the turn signal housing and will have full access to the front of the bolt. I believe that with a socket universal joint, I can access the nut at the back. This would prevent me from having to remove the bumper. Has anyone successfully freed up the bumper bracket in this fashion?
I have a 75 and am going to be doing body mounts 1 side at a time. It would appear that the only reason to remove the front bumper on a rubber bumper car is to get at the bolt/nut that holds the bumper bracket to the front bumper support. The bracket must be removed in order to access the fourth bolt holding the frame extension the frame, thus separating the entire front end of the car from the frame. My front bumper was changed from rubber to fiberglass prior to my ownership. On my car, it appears that I can remove just the cover/grill that holds the turn signal housing and will have full access to the bolt. The nut appears welded to the bumper support. This would prevent me from having to remove the bumper. I have to take the radiator out to get the frame extension bolts and would support the front end under the core support. Has anyone successfully freed up the bumper bracket in this fashion and are there any drawbacks to not removing the front bumper?
08-18-2009, 07:12 PM
