Front turn/parking housing stuck bolted to vehicle

[JND]

Unfortunately, my front housing has become stuck to the vehicle, with the bolt from the housing-side molding stripped, and the retaining nut corroded to it at a stronger bond than the torque to twist the bolt.

Any advice on the most humane way to do this? I think I’m in the market for a new housing…

[Jlc]

Could you cut if the nut using a Drexel tool and cutting wheel? You could then look at options to replace the bolt/stud.

[RossDinan6]

When you say stripped, do you mean the stud is rotating in the housing, or did the nut round when you tried to remove it?

If the stud is still secure in the housing you need Kroil: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=kroil+penetr ... -doa-p_2_5

Spray it on and be patient. Attack it with vice grips if the hex is toast. Tighten slightly before trying to loosen. If you get it to start moving, do not keep removing it. Tighten it a bit and loosen it again. Keep working it back and forth until it starts to move freely. Be patient. Do not force it! Trust me, I have fought way too many stuck fasteners over the decades (Yep, I'm old and deal with salt water).

[JND]

Could you cut if the nut using a Drexel tool and cutting wheel? You could then look at options to replace the bolt/stud.

I did grab the tool and briefly size up the job. I wasn’t able to get the wheel behind the nut to the bolt as the nut is most of the way to the fastened position.

But you’re talking about going after the nut itself? I hadn’t thought about that.

It’s also tough because you have to be flawless (unlike me) to get it done without buzzing into the fender etc.

When you say stripped, do you mean the stud is rotating in the housing, or did the nut round when you tried to remove it?

If the stud is still secure in the housing you need Kroil: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=kroil+penetr ... -doa-p_2_5

Spray it on and be patient. Attack it with vice grips if the hex is toast. Tighten slightly before trying to loosen. If you get it to start moving, do not keep removing it. Tighten it a bit and loosen it again. Keep working it back and forth until it starts to move freely. Be patient. Do not force it! Trust me, I have fought way too many stuck fasteners over the decades (Yep, I'm old and deal with salt water).

I unfortunately do mean that the housing side where the bolt originates appears to be the stripped end. It’s a shame because I didn’t really put much stress on it, and the other 3 on the car had no difficulty at all.

Thank you for this information though! It won’t go to waste. I also live in a coastal area. Perhaps I will try again to break it free if I can stabilize the bolt from the inside at the same time; it really is just a limited-space area for general tools.


I was anticipating that the safest way to do this for the car would be to destroy the housing from the outside until I could free the bolt from the housing side, and then replace it. But if anyone thinks—and like JLC mentioned—that there may be ways to just re-seat a bolt into the old point, then perhaps I should attack it from the inside.

Thanks for the help so far!

[Ralph in Socal]

Unfortunately happens all the time. No access, small fasteners, and no way to hold the stud in place

Maybe drill out the head of the stud from the lens side.

Once removed you can epoxy a new bolt in place or replace the housing if it gets damaged. Let me know as I have a replacement. Good luck

Ralph

[Jlc]

If the other suggestions don’t work and a cutting wheel won’t fit, try using the Dremel to to drill between the stud and nut. Start real small and increase drill bit size until you can peel apart the nut.

[jps635]

Is there room to dremil a slot in the end of the bolt to accept a flat blade screw driver

[bpoliakoff]

There is a tool, not expensive, that is a "nut cracker". You just put it over the nut and tighten it until the nut splits. If you have room that's. the way to go. Once the nut is off, you willl be able to re chase the threads on the bolt with a proper sized die. You can then save the stud that way

[RossDinan6]

I'll wager there is not space to use one. The nuts are small and the area tight.

[Jubilados]

For the upper nut there’s a decent amount of room to work.
There’s any number of ways to get that loose without destroying it, several have been mentioned here. Just need to try and see what works.