Bump stop bolts broke x2

[Grumpy Old Guys Ranger]

My 2019 fx4, with 24k kms, went in to upgrade the bump stops and when ford was taking off the original ones, broke both bolts by hand. They said it looks like the original bolts had red lock tight and were over torqued. Anyone else have issues removing original bump stops?

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[BassRanger]

I had to pull out a breaker bar to get one side off, almost stripped the head off the bolt. Other side came off no issue. Mine seemed to be a rust issue.

 

[66F100]

Yes. They are over tight for no more than they are holding. Mine were the tightest bolts on my stock rear suspension and the smallest bolt.

 

[Whiplash]

I used a breaker bar , and worked them back and forth , small turns at a time. After about 30 back and forths... I finally got to a full turn....replaced with new bolts , blue lock tight...torqued to 50 lbs...

Edit... the bolts supplied by Icon to attach their cup to the frame were too short....made a quick trip to Lowes ....not a big deal, ....

 

[D Fresh]

Yes. They are over tight for no more than they are holding. Mine were the tightest bolts on my stock rear suspension and the smallest bolt.

Mine were the same.

Breaker bar was needed and there was a ton of Ford's thread locker on them.

This was after a quick shot of PB Blaster.

 

[Fritz]

I just broke one off. 2019 truck, not from the rust belt. I got the slightest bit of movement and it fell apart. I never had a chance.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Mine were the same.

Breaker bar was needed and there was a ton of Ford's thread locker on them.

This was after a quick shot of PB Blaster.

Hi Doug,

PB Blaster is no match for the adhesive patch. This patch must go through 5 on and offs and still retain the torque. What is needed is the hammering of an impact tool to keep from shearing off the bolt. Steady torque in these cases snaps off the nut.... My fastener engineer, Steve M was such an education to me in the realm of fastener technology, Torque-Tension, adhesive patches...etc...
Don't have a impact wrench? Well...use a hammer driven impact tool...super cheap and works in many cases. Harbor Freight has them.

Best,
Phil

 

[Fritz]

Hi Doug,

PB Blaster is no match for the adhesive patch. This patch must go through 5 on and offs and still retain the torque. What is needed is the hammering of an impact tool to keep from shearing off the bolt. Steady torque in these cases snaps off the nut.... My fastener engineer, Steve M was such an education to me in the realm of fastener technology, Torque-Tension, adhesive patches...etc...
Don't have a impact wrench? Well...use a hammer driven impact tool...super cheap and works in many cases. Harbor Freight has them.

Best,
Phil

I thought about using my impact but I didn’t think I could fit it between the bump stop and the leaf spring.
I think I’ll try to heat up the threads on the other side to loosen up the thread lock. There might be enough room to get a torch through the hole in the frame rail.

 

[D Fresh]

Hi Doug,

PB Blaster is no match for the adhesive patch. This patch must go through 5 on and offs and still retain the torque. What is needed is the hammering of an impact tool to keep from shearing off the bolt. Steady torque in these cases snaps off the nut.... My fastener engineer, Steve M was such an education to me in the realm of fastener technology, Torque-Tension, adhesive patches...etc...
Don't have a impact wrench? Well...use a hammer driven impact tool...super cheap and works in many cases. Harbor Freight has them.

Best,
Phil

Thanks for the tip Phil. I, too, skipped my impact as I didn't think I could fit it in there. I'll check out the hammer driven tools as a back up.

I thought about using my impact but I didn’t think I could fit it between the bump stop and the leaf spring.
I think I’ll try to heat up the threads on the other side to loosen up the thread lock. There might be enough room to get a torch through the hole in the frame rail.

I really hate to get the torch out, but I think it's the best bet. Unless the hammer driven tool will fit.

 

[Grumpy Old Guys Ranger]

Thanks for the tip Phil. I, too, skipped my impact as I didn't think I could fit it in there. I'll check out the hammer driven tools as a back up.

I really hate to get the torch out, but I think it's the best bet. Unless the hammer driven tool will fit.

Ford wont use a torch on the bolts they broke on mine, they are waiting for a company that removes broken bolts from engine blocks to come and "drill" them out with a tool that has the exact thread pattern as the existing bolt. They said heat might have negative effects on the frames strength.

 

[D Fresh]

Ford wont use a torch on the bolts they broke on mine, they are waiting for a company that removes broken bolts from engine blocks to come and "drill" them out with a tool that has the exact thread pattern as the existing bolt. They said heat might have negative effects on the frames strength.

To me broken off bolts would be a different story. The amount of heat required to sufficiently heat the little nub of metal would expose the frame to some pretty high temps. And in my opinion should probably be avoided as Ford suggested.

But a bit of heat on a full bolt shouldn't cause an issue unless you're going nuts.

I think I'd crawl under there with a drill and an easy out myself before calling in the special forces. But since it's on Ford's dime, I guess it's their call.

 

[tccoastguard]

Waking a dead thread to say that I got an impact in there by taking a hack saw to the factory bump stop to more expose the bolt head with a short impact socket and driver. One came out by hand but the other... if I didn't use the impact, it would have snapped.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

I tried using my little impact but it was getting nowhere. I thought I was getting somewhere by hand.. and then this. Wish I read this thread first lol

 

[Fritz]

I just broke one off. 2019 truck, not from the rust belt. I got the slightest bit of movement and it fell apart. I never had a chance.

I got the other side out with a weak impact. I let it hammer on the bolt for what felt like five minutes. I don’t think it helped but then I put my big impact on and it came out like nothing.
I think the little impact loosened it without breaking it.
I went back to the broke side and drilled it out.
I tried the timbrens and then switched them out for the sumo springs. They’re the same, not super happy with them. Too stiff.
When I had sumo springs on my 2500 you couldn’t feel them. On this truck it feels like riding on the bump stops.
I hooked up to a 8,000lb trailer for fun and it doesn’t squat.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

I got the other side out with a weak impact. I let it hammer on the bolt for what felt like five minutes. I don’t think it helped but then I put my big impact on and it came out like nothing.
I think the little impact loosened it without breaking it.
I went back to the broke side and drilled it out.
I tried the timbrens and then switched them out for the sumo springs. They’re the same, not super happy with them. Too stiff.
When I had sumo springs on my 2500 you couldn’t feel them. On this truck it feels like riding on the bump stops.
I hooked up to a 8,000lb trailer for fun and it doesn’t squat.

What kind of extractor bit/kit did you use to drill out? There seem to be a million options and most of the stuff I've used in the past seems like it wouldn't be able to handle this. I ordered these which should be here today:

I'm going to use my small impact on the other side like you said. Vibrate and shake the ever living shit out of any corrosion etc that is holding onto it.

As for not liking the Sumos, did you try cutting them down to be shorter?

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