Seat removal - help please

[RacerX1166]

Should I ever get my hands around the neck of whoever installed the audio system in my 89 coupe, they shall be taking the big dirt nap shortly after....

Anyway, not only did they not fasten the power amp properly (using ball point pens to shim the installation) but they over torqued the hell out of the right rear hex bolt that holds the seat in place, dishing it out in the process. So, in trying to remove the seat to reinstall the amp, I've been unable to remove said bolt and have only dished it out more than it already was. Needless to say, I can't even get to the amp to fix it at this point.

Any advice on how to get the lone bolt out, now that it's dished? I'm not even sure I could get to it to drill it out due to clearance around the seat.

Help please!

[tomphot]

Have you tried using powdered Comet scrub? wet your hex bolt and dip into the Comet and see if that gives you some grip.

[pete3799]

Can you get a dremel tool on it and cut a slot in it then turn it out with an impact driver or a screwdriver.

[ShakinJoe]

You can use a chisel to pound more material into the hex part, then use your 6mm allen to remove.

[Rob B]

If you can get to it with a chisel or a drift punch, you can often get stipped bolts out by striking the outside of the head at an angle to begin the unthreading. I use a chisel first to get a slot started then the punch to loosen the bolt. Rob

[nineball]

i have a set of these and they have worked great for me over the years.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952166000P

[James Brown]

Nineball, I don't think there is enough room in there to get thoese on the bolt head. A slot is your best option. When replacing the seats, get some allen head bolts to replace the stock bolts that are in there so the next amp. repair or DME troubleshooting, the seats come right out.

[nineball]

if it was above 20 outside and the car wasn't put up for the winter i could go check clearance but these are really not much bigger than a normal socket, and i know they fit in there just fine with a swivel.

[Kevinwilliams]

I have not seen anyone mention vice grips..... They always work, if they won't work who about a cut off wheels and just cut it off?

Kevin

[jhnmso]

I used same medthod as pete3799 a month ago. Use BIG flat screwdriver with hex between blade and handle, that way you get good leverage pushing down and a box-end wrench on the hex should brake it loose. Replaced with Allen screws all the way around

[tharbert]

+1 for pete3799

I dremmeled slots into one of the rear bolts for one of my seats. Worked like a charm. Headed off to my local Ace Hardware where I found identical metric bolts. I was AMAZED they had them.

I might add, out of 8 bolts, only one gave me a problem. And after 38 years, one gives me a little hesitation but relinquishes at the end...I just sayin'.

[nineball]

home depot has the bolts as well. the front two on my driver's seat stripped out so i got the same bolt only longer with lock washers/nuts.

[Thrlls]

Originally Posted by Kevinwilliams

I have not seen anyone mention vice grips..... They always work, if they won't work who about a cut off wheels and just cut it off?

Kevin

Yep, vice grips have always worked for me.
If you can, try squaring the head a little just enough to have 2 flat sides and then use the vice grip or a wrench that will fit...a little kroil may help also.

[billytan]

Originally Posted by nineball

home depot has the bolts as well. the front two on my driver's seat stripped out so i got the same bolt only longer with lock washers/nuts.

Be warned that in my 1972 911E, the upholsterer used a LONGER bolt (by only about 3-4 mm) on the LEFT SEAT (passenger seat in my RHD) , Right Rear bolting point (next to the transmission tunnel) and damaged the fuel line that was running right below that mounting point.
Massive petrol leakage immediately upon starting the car. That needed a lot of work to make good. SO for that particular mounting point, please use the exact size bolt. I dont know whether later cars have the same arrangement of fuel line. Wise to but in a probe to measure the space available before bolting in a longer bolt in any case.

[175K911]

I had a similar problem with one of the passenger side bolts on my car, looks like someone really cranked down on the allen bolt at one time and instead of an allen it was now a big round cavity. I tightly clamped a pair of my needle nose ViceGrips to the head, one jay inside the allen and the other outside. Then put a screwdriver blace through the jaws for leverage and gave it a wack with my rubber mallet to break it free. Took a few tried but came free. I used needle nose for more movement when turning the head of the bolt, coulcn't get the regular ones to fit in there and still allow room to turn.

I sourced replacement grade 10.9 allen bolts from my local Ace Hardware of all places. Be careful of what you put in for bolts, I think the factory ones are grade 8.8 so you don't want to use cheap unrated bolts.

[deshetlr]

I had a Porsche mechanic tell me this is a common issue because the bolts require a special tool and that a common metric hex is what causes the problem. Wish I could remember what he told me was the proper tool but the memory is shot.

[RacerX1166]

Thanks for all the input! Because of clearance issues, I think the Dremel/slot route shows the most promise. Gonna make another run at it this afternoon.

What sucks is that getting the seat out was supposed to be the easy part - reinstalling the amp looks like it's going to be another fun task since it was done by a gorilla the first time...

[Chuck Jones]

Some of those "allen" heads could actually be Torx fittings. Then there's also the "security torx" fittings that have a small round raised center so that the regular torx won't fit. The newer cars need a star socket.

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by Chuck Jones

Some of those "allen" heads could actually be Torx fittings. Then there's also the "security torx" fittings that have a small round raised center so that the regular torx won't fit. The newer cars need a star socket.

Called "Tamp Proof" Torx. AutoZone sells the Bits with the Hold in the Middle of the Torx bit if this is the problem.

I have found that the small difference in American and Metric can "Sometimes" work to your advantage when you have loosened the Inside of the Bolt. Clean out the inside of the Bolt and then hammer in the next size that will fit tight!

[Chuck Jones]

I don't think there's much room under that seat to use a hammer...no room to generate any sort of force with swing and a strike.