One of those ARGH moments.

[AtlantaSteve]

Just needing to vent.

I was installing my 1-piece export brace with those reinforcing plates I showed recently. As everyone knows, putting on an export brace is not exactly easy, but mine was actually going pretty well. I got it bolted to the cowl, and then started bolting it in at the towers. I still had my funky carriage bolts with the curved heads, so I started putting them in. I'd put one in, tighten a bit, then use a big ol' screwdriver to manhandle the brace around, then put in another bolt, snug it down, then try the third. Kept having to back off and re-tighten sorta like a puzzle, but finally got one side done, and the other side close. Then I started backing off one of the bolts on my driver's side tower, and the square collar rounded, and the bolt was apparently boogered, so it was stuck. I love those kinds of problems. I tried adding some tension by hammering a screw driver in to hold the head in place, but it was a no-go...Tried using a chizel to put a little detent on the head, so I could use the screwdriver to catch on that detent and wedge it as the head turned...and it worked...until I started torquing and a nice piece of metal flaked right off the head, right where the detent was, as it sheared across the screwdriver.

So I finally put a cutting wheel on the angle grinder, plunged dead center until I got down close, and the nut was weak enough at that point that a solid hammer blow pushed the bolt right through it.

I just hate those little unplanned things that set you back a couple of hours.

 

[cecil671]

Yep,Mr Murphy at his best.
He and I are on a first name basis.

 

[johnpro]

Probably too late now, but is is FAR, FAR easier to connect the 2 shock towers first, and THEN connect the firewall. At the firewall, you just use a couple punches of the right size to align 2 of the holes, by just pounding the punch in with a BFH (watch that you don't slam the punch into the firewall). This automatically aligns the other 2 holes, which you then shove a bolt in each and put a nut on each.

Then when you knock the 2 punches back out, your bolts keep the previously punch filled holes lined up, and you shove bolts in them.

Much, much easier!

 

[tarafied1]

also when you cut the front-end off forward of the firewall and weld all new stuff on, use the MC bar and export brace as a guide for welding it all back together, then they are easy to take off and on!

 

[cmayna]

Probably too late now, but is is FAR, FAR easier to connect the 2 shock towers first, and THEN connect the firewall. At the firewall, you just use a couple punches of the right size to align 2 of the holes, by just pounding the punch in with a BFH (watch that you don't slam the punch into the firewall). This automatically aligns the other 2 holes, which you then shove a bolt in each and put a nut on each.

Then when you knock the 2 punches back out, your bolts keep the previously punch filled holes lined up, and you shove bolts in them.

Much, much easier!

+1

That's exactly how I have done it with both Red and Shag

 

[sigtauenus]

Probably too late now, but is is FAR, FAR easier to connect the 2 shock towers first, and THEN connect the firewall. At the firewall, you just use a couple punches of the right size to align 2 of the holes, by just pounding the punch in with a BFH (watch that you don't slam the punch into the firewall). This automatically aligns the other 2 holes, which you then shove a bolt in each and put a nut on each.

Then when you knock the 2 punches back out, your bolts keep the previously punch filled holes lined up, and you shove bolts in them.

Much, much easier!

That was not an option for me. With both shock towers lined up, the rear side of the export brace was rubbing on the cowl. To push/pry the export brace down into position would have scraped paint off the cowl in the process.

I started with the driver side shock tower, then did the cowl, then got the passenger shock tower into position.

 

[buening]

Sam I had the same experience. The export brace rubbed the crap out of my cowl. It now looks like shiat

I've found that jacking the motor up with the motor mount bolt loosened will move the shock towers out. This may help align the holes in the export brace.

When I removed my export brace, I had a similar situation as you Steve. While loosening one of the nuts, the carriage bolt was spinning. Rather than the square collar being rounded, it bent the shock tower metal that holds the carriage bolt in place. I took a Dremel tool with a cutoff disc and cut a DEEP groove in the end of the bolt. Then using a large screwdriver and a wrench, I was able to remove the nut. A little tip for those that want to pretty things up, you can buy these carriage bolts in stainless steel at your local hardware store. You will have to take a grinder to the head surface, as they are too thick. This doesn't show though. Stainless bolts and nuts and you don't have to worry about rust or painting them