Help! I cannot remove soft top frame pivot bolts/screws!

[Jim Donati]

Trying to remove and replace the soft top frame pivot point bolts/screws after one fell out and was stripped.   I purchased replacement bolts from www.sls-hh-shop.de/.  My plan was to remove and then replace one bolt/screw at a time.

It appears that the threaded end of each bolt has been struck with a center point punch and swealed the ends so much that I cannot back them out to replace them.  I do t know if this is how they came from the factory, or if a previous owner took matters into his own hands to prevent the bolts from backing out.  Whatever the cause, I have had no luck trying to remove them, and am afraid if I apply too much force, I will end up with one twisting off.

Has anyone run into this problem?  Does anyone have any advice on how to best tackle the removal of the bolts?

Thanks in advance for any ideas, suggestions.   

Jim

[Larry & Norma]

Mine are the same so pretty sure it was from the factory.
A crude way of preventing them un screwing.

[mmizesko]

It is crude, but effective.

This will be tricky, but you'll have to grind off as much of the mushroomed end of the bolt/screw as you can with a metal cutter/grinder disk. Lots of sparks.

Then, you'll have to get a very big screwdriver, and work the bolt/screw out using the original thread, without damaging it.

Then, you'll have to put the new bolt/screws in, and use a punch to mushroom the end of the new bolt/screw so it will not back out on you while using the soft top.

The clearances do not allow a nut to be placed on the mushroomed end to lock it in.

It does work, but you need to hold up the frame, put the head down on an anvil, then hit it with a punch and a sledge.

Good Luck.

Mike Mizesko
Columbus, OH

[mbzse]

.../... you'll have to grind off as much of the mushroomed end of the bolt/screw as you can.../...

Yes, in addition one can drill into the bolt/screw end to remove material and ease backing it out

.../.. the new bolt/screws in, and use a punch to mushroom the end of the new bolt/screw so it will not back out on you while using the soft top

perhaps a drop of Loctite or similar would serve the purpose, an alternative to punch/mushroom and sledge (?)
/Hans in Sweden

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[Jim Donati]

I was hoping to replace the bolts with the soft top on the vehicle.  I wonder if I can drill out some material  and use my Drumel to grind down some material without removing the top?

I also like the idea of using locktite instead of the the center punch method.

Jim

[mmizesko]

Jim,

Worth a try!  You may want to protect the fabric from the sparks with a wet towel.  If that doesn't work, you can always pursue the laborious route.

Mike

[RonB]

I have a late 70 (August) and the screws are with  locktite. The hardest one to find is the one behind part of the frame with a flat head and recessed so the frame passes by it. The rest are all oval head.

RonB