snapped studs; Heater Flapper Box
 

Replacing the Heater Flapper Boxes appears not that easy. I snapped two out of the three studs that mounts the boxes. What can I do to properly attach the other boxes?

Ok, I found a thread about it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88272&highlight=heater+ box

Contact Christian "a quiet boom" he is a great guy and sells a great product. Recently saved my butt with his product.

Curious what this "product" is...?
I will be replacing my heater valves in the spring (my heat is permanently on) and am worried about breaking the studs...

Wonder if theres enough room to get the smaller version of a nut splitter on the nuts. Might be a lot easier to break the nuts off the stud , remove the valve box, cleanup the threads and then use new nuts than it is to fix a broken stud

Eventually I used a dremmel tool for the lower two. You only have to touch the threads a little bit. Afterwards you able to split the nuts:). Unfortunately I already broke two before I got the idea. The upper one is hard to reach so you should find something else for that. I'm also very curious about that special product.

He's not talking about exhaust studs, which is what Christian's tool is for. He's talking about the small studs that the heater flap boxes mount on.

Ok, that's good to know. Don't have to contact him any more:). What would be a perfect solution is a hollow stud with thread inside of it. 'Bolt' that on the remainder of the the broken stud. Increase the holes in the heater flapper house and use bigger bolts to fixate the whole thing. Is that a good idea? Should we start up a start up company or is there already something on the market?

Pelican lists the nuts and washers as NLA....
What are you guys using in place of the original parts?
Also...Is the gasket required or can it be reused?
What other parts are needed while replacing the heater boxes?

TIA

:)

The nut and washer are just standard mm-hardware. A new gasket is recommended.

I snapped 2 studs on each box.
I just drilled 2 new holes next to the holes with the snapped studs and used pop-rivets...

After reading this thread and others re: the heater box studs I think my game plan is going to be taking a Sawzall to the rusted boxes (they're toast anyway, right?) so that I'll have room for a nutsplitter to take the nuts off, clean the stud threads then replace everything but the studs. Why risk all the trouble of snapping the studs if you don't have to?

THE solution
 

Gentlemen, I think I got THE solution for broken/snapped studs, given there is still some left (5mm or so). The beauty of it is it may not require much effort:). I found a "slam" bolt that normal is used for wood to have a flush result. You have to modify the "slam" bolt: flat out the flaps and dremmel a slot for screwdriver operation. Check it out.

"slam" bolt:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1185485504.jpg

after mod (don't worry about the rust I'm gonna treat it):
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1185485563.jpg

keep it wet w/PB Blaster for a week if extremely rusted.

Another option is a rivit with a threaded insert, not sure what they are called in english.
Looks like this and they are installed like a pop rivit, just grind the stud a way and drill a hole.
http://www.clasohlson.se/Archive/ima...-3029_hi_S.jpg

RobinLB, is PB blaster a kind of rust dissolver? And will it dissolve the remaining paint too? What's left of it, that is:).

"Safe", that's a bloody nice part as well. Was not aware of such thing and it is even better. However, I better use that in the same manner as I proposed. That way you don't have to grind, drill holes, and buy expensive tools the install the rivstud (the male side of that).

www.mcmaster.com

on right column about 5 headers down is "Fastening and Sealing".

hit "Rivet Nuts"

Rivet nuts! I gonna misuse them:).

not if you use the rivet nut installer.

The installer looks like the standard rivet tool but has threaded pins to thread into the rivet to pull it back and causing the rivet expansion into the hole. Different threads on different rivet nuts need different install pins.

from the limited space up in there at the flapper box studs it might be a problem using the routine install tool? I used PB Blaster then antiseize on reinstall.


i use rivet nuts for mounting all kind of things on the car. From headlight relays to engine compartment stuff. I love it.