rear seat removal- help!

by FumiyoG3 Sat Apr 20, 2019 3:19 pm

Hi all. I am having trouble removing the top portion of the rear seat. It is held in place, along with the seatbelt retractor, by a torx head bolt. I have now stripped it trying to remove it. As you may be aware, access is very difficult due to the retractor and now i have not a clue as to how i'm going to get the bolt out. Anyone deal with this situation before? any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Beer

by Mcarlo77 Sat Apr 20, 2019 3:58 pm

Unless you're determined to get the torx bolt out, you can just cut the lower portion of the bracket above the retractor that is attached to the upper seat cushion and held in place by the torx bolt. This is not an ideal solution...but, it gets the seat out of the car. Can always fabricate a new end piece to repair the bracket if you want it to be secured by the torx bolt if and when you ever get it out...but, I don't really think it would be necessary as the lower cushion helps hold the bottom of the upper cushion in place.

As for removing the torx bolt...there is no easy way if they are frozen in place; especially, once the head gets stripped. Don't feel bad, I've done it numerous times out in the JY's...no matter how hard I tried not to. I hate those damn bolts! The guys at the JY's will heat them up from underneath with a torch and bust them loose. I've heard of some who have drilled them out...but, they are hardened and it's going to be a slow process.

by FumiyoG3 Sat Apr 20, 2019 7:51 pm

Thanks for the reply, Mcarlo77. I thought about that too, and that was going to be my last resort. I was just hoping someone out there has a clever idea that might work.

Thanks again!

by bigredlaguna Sat Apr 20, 2019 8:10 pm

You might try grinding some flats for a wrench to grab hold of along with heat and penetrating oil. Good luck!

by Mcarlo77 Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:10 pm

Problem with those bolts is that they are tucked down behind the retractors and there is so little room to get any kind of tool on them to cut, grind, etc. from any side. Even if you could manage to grind flats on it, you couldn't get any kind of leverage with a wrench. I've been there fighting with these on many occasions and they are just plain hard to access except from the top. Maybe sacrifice the retractor and weld a nut on top of it so you could get a socket on it?

by g3chevy / Mr Pontiac Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:14 pm

I've had great success with a long chisel and a BFH (big flippin hammer). Get a good notch started on the side then hit it at an angle higher than the center of the bolt. It will come loose eventually. Also use some penetrating oil. When you hit the bolt it will get more oil further down the threads from the impact. Good luck.

by Tom77 Mon Apr 22, 2019 2:27 pm

Take a bit on a long socket and weld it on the bolt hit with cold water and should come out that way. Worked for me once. Will cost you the bit though.

by FumiyoG3 Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:24 pm

thanks everyone for the suggestions. I had to cut the seat because there was no room to do much of anything, then i welded the torx bit to the bolt. I got one out, now i'm waiting for my next torx bit to arrive in the mail so i can get the other out.

by Mcarlo77 Wed Apr 24, 2019 11:21 pm

Good work! Sometimes a person just has to get creative.

by Dinomyte Sat May 04, 2019 9:36 pm

Sorry to be so late with this but HEAT HEAT and more HEAT, MAPP gas is great, and a friend that will heat the bolt from below, and you can crack it loose from above. That's what we had to do to get the front belt receivers out.

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