How to remove carriage bolts that spin

AbandonedBronco · Sep 25, 2022

Hi all,
I'm working on my brother's Bronco, which has a damaged front bumper.

Yesterday at the junk yard, I saw this one in really nice shape and tried to pull it off. However, the carriage bolts just spin. It appears that they rounded out the square hole in the bumper that's supposed to hold them in place.

If I was at home, I'd just use a grinding wheel to take the heads off.
However, the junk yard has a rule that the only powered cutting tool allowed is a Sawzall.

I feel like a sawzall blade would just slide off those rounded heads and be fruitless. And I'm looking for options that obviously won't damage the bumper.

Looking at his, it doesn't look like it'd be too difficult to cut the frame, but I have never done anything like that and don't know if I'd be there all day with a sawzall, or if it'd make quick work of it.

Any thoughts, ideas, pointers, or tips? I'd love to go grab this thing.

JScatt · Sep 25, 2022

I cut off the core support perches with a sawzall and with good blades it sliced right through in no time. Yeah, you can wack through it pretty quick with a sawzall

AbandonedBronco · Sep 25, 2022

Thanks, just hearing that gave me the confidence I needed to at least go out and attempt it. I didn't want to go buy a bunch of blades, and go all the way out there, if it wasn't even worth the effort.

packagerjr said:
I cut/ground/nut split the nuts holding my bumper on. Had the same issue with bolts spinning. Total PITA.

I agree, they're a poor design. Nice when being put together at the factory, but that's about it. A few years down the road, and they're a nightmare to get off when they rust up a bit.

para said:
A cordless skinny wheel might not be a bad tool....or, get the junkyard to bring the torch over to help you get it off?

A Sawzall is the only cutting tool they allow, and they provide no assistance. It's a 100% pick-and-pull, but them not helping keeps the prices way down. I don't complain, the prices are amazing. For example, I got my ZF5 from them for $175.

Apparently, the sawzall is allowed because it doesn't generate sparks. Anything that produces sparks is not allowed, which is why grinding/cutting wheels are a no go.

fodder said:
Hammer and chisel might be able to form a phillips-like cross to the bolt head, or flatten off the edges of it enough to get vise grips on.

Not a bad idea. Although I think it would take forever with the smooth chrome dome of those bolt heads.

I ended up going the Sawzall route and it wasn't too bad. Went through two blades. I also drained two batteries doing it, so I'm really glad I brought a spare. Overall, it was about 15 minutes a side. It was made a lot more difficult since it was an F-350, and it had leaf spring perches up front that really got in the way. I probably could have done it a lot faster otherwise.
Then, when I got it home, I got the bolts off in about 30 seconds with my grinding wheel and it was ready to go.

Also grabbed the hood off the same truck and tossed it on.

Cleaned up that front end really well for $100 and a few hours worth of work.

packagerjr · Sep 25, 2022

I cut/ground/nut split the nuts holding my bumper on. Had the same issue with bolts spinning. Total PITA.

para · Sep 25, 2022

A cordless skinny wheel might not be a bad tool....or, get the junkyard to bring the torch over to help you get it off?

fodder · Sep 25, 2022

Hammer and chisel might be able to form a phillips-like cross to the bolt head, or flatten off the edges of it enough to get vise grips on.

How to remove carriage bolts that spin

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