Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: dad machine on 06 February 2013, 15:52:09
-
I have managed to snap off half the seat mounting bolt! Unfortunately the bottom half of the bolt is stuck solid in the floor. Having tried to drill it out it is now even worse!!
Has anyone got any suggestions as to how to sort this? I'm trying to avoid another garage bill.
My only idea at the moment is to remove the other 3 bolts, take out the front seat and somehow try to fit a new nut and bolt.
or, is 3 bolts as good as 4!!!
-
Sounds like you're going to need to pull the seat out and remove whatever is left... I wouldn't want to chance it with 3 bolts :o :o
-
So one bolt removed/broken and not holding the seat...?
Then just remove the other three, remove the seat as planned, then wind the stud out with pliers, or mole grips etc. no?
-
Remove the seat and hopefully there will then be enough protruding to remove it.If not,get someone to weld a nut on top of the remains and then wind it out with spanner/socket etc.
-
The bolt is stuck down inside the floor. There is no way I can get to it to get it out. The only way is to drill the whole thing out. This will mean wrecking the thread inside. The problem is how to get a replacement bolt to fit in.
-
Easy outs? Needs a smaller pilot hole in the remaining stud.
-
Thanks for the advice. Tried the easy-out route but I just made the bolt worse and have taken out the thread above where it snapped. Is there any self-tapping bolts you can buy or would these not be strong enough?
-
Mmm.Theres a captive nut in there,if youve knackered that you have a problem. It might be possible to drill the remines of the bolt out and clean the thread with a tap once the seat is out. If not,the only thing I can think of is to cut the end of the raised part the seat sits on open,so you can get the nut out (probably with a magnet on a stick).
If you can get the nut and remains of the bolt out I can send you a replacement nut and bolt.
-
Thanks for that. I think that may be the best way to fix it. It would only need a small cut out of the raised section the seat sits on so that I could either get the old nut out or fit a new one, holding it with a small pair of pliers. Does that sound sensible?
-
if its stuck in solid would drilling it out and creating new threads with taps not work??? a set of taps going to be cheap compared to hefty garage bill
-
Easy outs? Needs a smaller pilot hole in the remaining stud.
:y :y
-
if its stuck in solid would drilling it out and creating new threads with taps not work??? a set of taps going to be cheap compared to hefty garage bill
:y :y
-
I think the captive nut is probably buggered so I will need to fit a new nut under the hole.
It's not all bad news. I've fixed my rattling exhaust so at least my omega sounds a lot better now.
-
Thanks for that. I think that may be the best way to fix it. It would only need a small cut out of the raised section the seat sits on so that I could either get the old nut out or fit a new one, holding it with a small pair of pliers. Does that sound sensible?
I would slice down through the end with an angle grinder,bend the metal out to allow access to the nut.When the nut has been replaced,bend it back up into place.For the sake of structural strength od the seat mount it would probably be best to get the cut section welded.dress the weld with grinder and paint it,job done. :y
-
If access to the tools mentioned above is not possible... you could always drill down through the floor pan and use a longer bolt with a spreading washer and nut below the floor ?? Then cover the bolt end. spreader and nut with a decent underseal to ensure no tin worm gets in ?? The existing "raised section" will ensure that no "crumpling" occurs ???
Not the perfect solution by any means .. but would ensure that the seat was secured with all 4 bolts ....
-
Might work,but I would have reservations about what an insurance assessor might say in the event of an accident ? :-\
-
We use Blind Nuts at work for this very purpose. They come in various sizes but we've got a tool to put them in. You may be able to do it without the tool.
Type Blind Nut in to You Tube if you're not sure what they are or how they work. They are designed for when you only have access to one side. :y
If you drill out the old bolt, get a Blind Nut of the right size, insert it in the hole and then tighten up the new bolt. Do this with the seat out, just to get the nut to grip. Our tool does it fast so that it doesn't spin but you may get away with cutting the head off a bolt, putting the thread in a drill and try it that way. :y
This should demonstrate how they work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zzOU0-ULs0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
-
The ultimate bodge is definately entwoods! but access to a welder would be a definate advantage otherwise, YZ250's idea is good although i don't know how much success you would have pulling a steel rivnut without the correct equipment although i did find this on the tube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYPnL5yv_kw
-
mission accomplished!
cut through the side of the raised metal section the seat sits on and managed to replace with a new nut. Just need to repair the hole in the metal but my seat is now fully secured with 4 bolts. Thanks for all the advice. Going away at half-term so was really trying to get it sorted before then.
Looking forward to a long drive with my recently added cruise control. So useful in those pesky average speed zones on the motorway.