I'm trying to remove the body mounts (the rubber bushings) on my 2000 F-150 to make some rust repairs and having a heck of a time.

The two front ones right below the headlights have a bolt that goes the whole way through from the bottom with a nut on top.... got the nuts off, but can't get the bolts out. Tried turning with a socket and the whole mount is spinning with it.

The next two (the ones just rearward of the front wheel openings) are a different design. They have a bolt that goes through from the top with no nut on the bottom... it looks like the bolt screws into the lower metal bushing cap. Peeled back the carpet, popped the rubber plug and tried to turn the bolt, but like the fronts, the whole bushing is spinning right along with it.

Is there a trick to holding the bushing from spinning or do these have to be cut out with a sawsall and replaced? I would like to reuse them and really don't want to damage them. I only want to take them out, then jack up the body a little while I do some rust repair where the bushings meet the body.

Here are some pics so you can see what I'm dealing with... and thanks in advance guys.

 

Try using a pair of channel locks to hold the bushings in place while turning the bolts. I want to say that there is a metal sleeve inside the bushings, but I can't recall exactly. If that's the case, they are probably rusted and you will need to cut them out. You could also try soaking them in a penetrating lube.

 

Fun stuff! I haven't pulled that particular one, but those mount bolts will rust right into the rubber. That's all that's holding it in there, ie corrosion. Don't cut it, that won't do you much good and I don't think they screw into anything. It's just a nut. You can get them out w/heat, -just enough to break the corrosion that's keeping it in there.

I wouldn't worry to much about the nuts or bolts. You can acquire new coated 8.8's @ a Tractor Supply store fairly cheap. That first one in the pic looks like you can get a crows foot or large flat blade between the large flat washer and frame support. You could also put a little jack pressure under the cab at the same time, NOT TO MUCH! Do what you can to get that outward pressure and begin to apply heat. MAP gas will work. Heat it until it pops.

Yea, I don't think your in a good enough position to beat it out. If you could get an air hammer with the correct attachment and are able to get that in position, that may be enough.

If you could saturate it with a catalyst (like PB Blaster) before hand, that would help quite a bit. Give it time to work and re-apply a few times.

BTW - I didn't see Buxton91's post, -so some things were repeated.

 

Yeah, not worried about saving the bolts... can buy them anywhere. And using LOTS of PB Blaster... LOTS.

The nuts on the front ones are out, just have to figure out a way to get the bolts out through the bottom and thought about running the sawsall between the rubber and the body to cut the bolt in half, then jack the body up and try to remove the pieces.

The next mounts back (just behind the front wheel openings) are a bigger problem since I said they don't have any nuts to take off... the bolt MUST be screwed into the metal bushing cup or a sleeve inside the rubber... if that's the case, probably going to have to cut them out also without hurting the rubber.

Unless anyone has done this before and can give me some more insight.

 

Did you even read my post lol?

 

Yes, absolutely I did... however Buxton91 is following what I'm saying a little better..

There is in fact a piece molded inside the rubber that looks like a thick washer attached to a threaded sleeve... I broke one of the bolts on the very front bushing and when the bottom part came out, I could see this piece.

The bushings further back don't have a nut, so this sleeve is causing all the problems.... the bolt is threaded into this sleeve and when I turn it, the whole bushing is turning. I plan on trying to hold the bushing with a large pair of channel locks while turning the bolt, but I know what's gonna happen... the sleeve is going to let go of the rubber and spin inside of the rubber... then there will be NO way to hold it. I'm pretty sure this is all heading toward cutting the damn things out.

 

Are you using an impact gun? When I did my body lift I had to remove all of these and an impact took them out super smooth. Of course I soaked the bolts multiple times and being a FL truck I have no rust. There Is a small rubber square on the underside of the frame below the bushings. That is what the bolt actually threads into. Climb under there and you will see what I'm referring to. The shape of it is designed to not spin, but if it's deteriorated or damaged it easily could. you might need to try actually holding that piece in place instead of the actual body mount.

 

I guess so! Sounds like its more of a PITA than I imagined....

Looks like the fun stuff for you really hasn't begun yet. Hey, at least core supports are fairly cheap.

Good Luck!

 

My large impact gun couldn't budge any of this rusted hardware... breaker bar is what made two pieces out of this front mount bolt.... you can see part of the sleeve I'm talking about that is forever rusted on what's left of the bolt.



This was the bottom piece of rubber with the sleeve/washer assembly impregnated in the rubber. The bolt is threaded up through the sleeve and main bushing and then capped off at the top with a nut and washer.



That was the drivers side... on the passenger side, I got the nut off the top but the bolt is still up through and "might" come out if I turn the whole bottom piece and bolt seperate from the main bushing, but I doubt it.


Here is a pic of the body mount just rear of the front wheel opening on the driver side.



I put an arrow where you say there should be a square piece... I'm seeing no square piece. Just the bottom of the bolt that comes in from the top and is threaded into the same type of metal sleeve/washer set up as the front mounts.

There is no nut... and to hold the rubber piece that the metal sleeve/washer is molded into is probably going to be ineffective because the sleeve/washer assembly is more than likely going to seperate from the rubber and spin inside the rubber leaving me nothing to hold while I try to back the bolt out from the top.


I know you were trying to be helpful and appreciate the effort... and this being difficult for me to explain over the internet doesn't make things any easier.

As far as replacing the rad support, it's not in bad shape except for the corners... so all I plan on doing (after I get the body mounts out) is to plate the corner areas with some fresh steel (welded of course), get it all covered in POR-15 and call it a day.

 

Iduno, after looking at that last pic in your first post, -Id just replace it myself. If you have that ambition, skilled enough and most important,- something worthy of welding to close by, then it's doable. I would agree with you, however that lower corner at the bend with the body mount doesn't look all that healthy. But I can't see it all from here, might be a way to make it solid.

 

You know its completely rusted through directly above the frame? The whole core support should be replaced. Once you start grinding you'll find more fatigued metal across the whole front end.

Remember this is a structural piece in the event of a collision.....

 

I understand everyone's concern, but fortunately the really bad rust is only on the front side and corners... everything behind is solid. So I feel replacing the whole core support is making more work for myself than what I have planned.

Below are a couple of pics showing how I plan on reinforcing the corners with 3/16" plate, then running a long piece of rectangle tubing across the front to tie the corners together. I'm lucky enough to be a certified welder with good equipment and lot's of fabricating experience, so when I'm done, it will be stronger than any F-150 from the factory... and it will never rust again after a good coating of POR-15. I just have to get those pesky body mounts out of the way first, then the rest of the work is cake.

 

Been there done that. It's to far gone to attempt a patch job. Plus the prep involved. It would be less work and much much stronger to fix it proper, -hands down IMO. Even with perfect penetration (you'll need a copper spoon w/crap metal to mig lol), the metallurgy on either side will be compromised, if at all cancerous and with 16 gauge. Dealt with enough of that in the past, unfortunately. Has to be cancer free or forget it.